Petter Berg Wins Record 753-Entry Coolbet Open Main Event for €65,415
Petter Berg won the 2026 Coolbet Open Main Event, which set a record with 753 entries for a €357,675 prize pool. He defeated Sergi Kapanadze heads-up to earn €65,415 after starting the final day outside the top ten. The tournament returned to its original Tallinn venue.
SCCG Take — This record turnout confirms strong demand for established live poker events, offering operators clear evidence that venue familiarity and consistent branding drive participation.
Norway’s Petter Berg claimed victory in the 2026 Coolbet Open Main Event, which drew a record 753 entries and generated a €357,675 prize pool. The flagship €550 event returned to its original 2018 venue, the Olympic Park Casino in Hilton Tallinn Park, after three years at other locations. Berg defeated Sergi Kapanadze in a short heads-up match to secure the €65,415 first-place prize, with Kapanadze earning €43,060 for second place, according to PokerNews.
Berg entered the final day outside the top ten but advanced quickly. More than half of the 54 players starting Day 3 were eliminated in the first three levels. He reached the first break in third place in chips and took the overall lead with two tables remaining.
Key Eliminations and Chip Leadership Shifts
A significant pot against Oystein Stai resulted in Stai’s elimination in 12th place for €4,020, leaving Berg with one-fifth of the chips in play. Defending champion Guillermo Gordo finished 11th for €4,820 after an elimination by Kapanadze. Kapanadze then sent Atte Franssila out in 10th place for €4,820 to reach the final table.
Kapanadze dominated early, eliminating Roar Wang, Jarno Jokiniemi, and Rene Lazaro to hold nearly half the chips with four players left. Berg, reduced to the short stack with around ten big blinds, doubled through Tomi Bondarew with king-nine against ace-nine after flopping a king. Berg later eliminated Bondarew and third-place finisher Kenneth Olaisen to start heads-up with a nearly three-to-one chip advantage.
The Decisive Heads-Up Duel
Kapanadze mounted a brief comeback but was caught on a big bluff after Berg hit a runner-runner miracle, leaving Kapanadze with nine big blinds. In the final preflop confrontation, Berg held the best hand and it held. A large Norwegian rail celebrated the result on stage.
Berg, already holder of a Norwegian Heads-Up Championship title, described the win simply. “It’s always good to finish first,” he told the Coolbet team. The victory marked his first cash in the Coolbet Open.
Reporting: PokerNews
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Return to original Tallinn venue doubled turnout — proof that operational stability matters as much as prize pools in live poker.
We track these signals closely because they tell operators what actually works. Coolbet didn't reinvent the wheel — they went back to where it started, kept the buy-in accessible, and participation exploded. That's actionable intelligence for anyone building or licensing live poker series in regulated European markets where player loyalty pays compound returns.
- 753 entries set Coolbet Open record, generating €357,675 prize pool at €550 buy-in
- Tournament returned to original 2018 Tallinn venue after three years elsewhere
- Berg overcame short-stack position on final day to win €65,415 first prize
SCCG angle: SCCG has direct relationships with live poker tour operators and casino venues across the Baltics and Nordics. When our clients evaluate event formats or venue partnerships, we connect them to proven models like this — and to the data that shows why consistency converts better than constant reinvention in these markets.
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