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Tapani Pulkkinen Wins European Mixed Poker Championship 2026 Main Event in Tallinn
- Tapani Pulkkinen won the €800 8 Game Main Event, earning €22,250.
- The championship featured 12 events and attracted players from multiple countries.
- Nicolas Bokowski led the Player of the Series standings after several strong finishes.
Finland's Tapani Pulkkinen claimed the €800 8 Game Main Event title at the 2026 European Mixed Poker Championship (EMPC), taking home €22,250 after overcoming a field of 146 entries. Meanwhile, Canada's Patrick Stacey captured the €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller, and Germany's Nicolas Bokowski emerged as one of the festival's standout performers.
The European Mixed Poker Championship took place from October 26 to 31 at Olympic Park Casino inside the Hilton Tallinn Park in Estonia.
What is EMPC?
The European Mixed Poker Championship offers a different experience from the Hold'em dominated tournament circuit.
Rather than concentrating on a single poker variant, the EMPC features games that challenge players to master multiple betting structures, hand rankings and strategies.
Among the more unusual formats at the 2026 festival were Nordic Special Mix, Senkel's Paradise Pick'em and Omaha Dealer's Choice. The Dealer's Choice format offered players a selection of 20 different poker games, creating a particularly demanding environment for mixed game specialists.
The six day festival featured 12 scheduled championship events, bringing together mixed game specialists from across Europe, North America and beyond. With buy ins ranging from €200 to €1,500, the tournament programme offered a diverse selection of poker variants, including draw games, Stud, Omaha and several less conventional formats.
While No Limit Hold'em dominates much of the international tournament calendar, the EMPC places mixed games firmly in the spotlight, rewarding players capable of adapting to different structures and disciplines.
Tapani Pulkkinen Claims €22,250 in 8 Game Main Event
The €800 8 Game Main Event was the headline tournament of the festival, producing a €97,090 prize pool from 146 entries.
Finland's Tapani Pulkkinen secured the championship title and €22,250 first prize, adding his name to the European Mixed Poker Championship's list of Main Event winners.
The two day tournament concluded on October 31 and tested players across eight poker variants: No Limit Hold'em, Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Seven Card Stud, Stud Hi/Lo, Razz and 2 7 Triple Draw.
Norwegian player Erik Mortensen Sønsteby was another notable finisher, collecting €6,730 for fifth place.
EMPC 2026 Main Event Results and Tournament Details
| Details | Results |
|---|---|
| Tournament | €800 8 Game Main Event |
| Dates | October 30 to 31, 2026 |
| Venue | Olympic Park Casino, Tallinn |
| Entries | 146 |
| Prize pool | €97,090 |
| Champion | Tapani Pulkkinen |
| Country | Finland |
| First prize | €22,250 |
| Notable result | Erik Mortensen Sønsteby, 5th, €6,730 |
Canada's Patrick Stacey Wins €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller
The festival's most expensive tournament, the €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller, attracted 45 entries from 35 unique players, generating an official prize pool of €58,320.
Canadian player Patrick Stacey defeated Germany's Nicolas Bokowski heads up to secure the championship title and €20,230.
Bokowski earned €12,830 for his runner up finish, while Sweden's Jerry Ödeen completed the podium with €9,330. American player Andrew Kelsall also reached the money, finishing fourth for €7,000.
€1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Stacey | Canada | €20,230 |
| 2 | Nicolas Bokowski | Germany | €12,830 |
| 3 | Jerry Ödeen | Sweden | €9,330 |
| 4 | Andrew Kelsall | United States | €7,000 |
| 5 | Jean-Michael Kabbaj | Austria | €5,250 |
| 6 | Matthew Grapenthien | Ireland | €3,680 |
European Mixed Poker Championship 2026: Winners and Results
A total of 12 titles were scheduled during the six day festival. The championship attracted players representing numerous countries, with Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and Canada all recording victories among the published results.
Norwegian players enjoyed particular success, while Germany's Nicolas Bokowski and Austria's Robin Panholzer delivered some of the most consistent performances across multiple events.
EMPC 2026 Tournament Winners
| Event | Tournament | Buy-in | Winner | Country | First Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcomer Big Bet Mix | €200 | Christophe Stammet | Luxembourg | €3,417 |
| 2 | Lowball Draw Mix | €555 | Thor William Morstøl | Norway | €9,967 |
| 3 | Nordic Special Mix | €300 | Nicolas Bokowski | Germany | €6,150 |
| 4 | Dealer's Choice | €700 | Robin Panholzer | Austria | €12,093 |
| 5 | S.O.R.B.E.T. | €200 | Raymond Sevje Forsland | Norway | €4,051 |
| 6 | T.O.E. Turbo | €800 | Sampo Ryynänen | Finland | €8,072 |
| 7 | S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller | €1,500 | Patrick Stacey | Canada | €20,230 |
| 8 | Senkel's Paradise Pick'em | €300 | Eirik Kristiansen | Norway | €4,766 |
| 9 | 8 Game Main Event | €800 | Tapani Pulkkinen | Finland | €22,250 |
Nicolas Bokowski Leads Player of the Series Standings
German mixed game specialist Nicolas Bokowski was another of the festival's standout players.
Bokowski won the €300 Nordic Special Mix for €6,150, finished second in the €1,500 High Roller for €12,830 and placed third in the opening Welcomer Big Bet Mix for an additional €2,050.
His results put him at the top of the Player of the Series standings with 809.5 points, ahead of Austria's Robin Panholzer.
EMPC 2026 Player of the Series Rankings
| Rank | Player | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolas Bokowski | Germany | 809.5 |
| 2 | Robin Panholzer | Austria | 574.1 |
| 3 | Raymond Sevje Forsland | Norway | 491.2 |
| 4 | Patrick Stacey | Canada | 471.2 |
| 5 | Eirik Kristiansen | Norway | 456.8 |
| 6 | Andrew Kelsall | United States | 456.0 |
| 7 | Seun Oluwole | England | 450.7 |
| 8 | Thor William Morstøl | Norway | 400.3 |
| 9 | Frode Fagerli | Norway | 371.8 |
| 10 | Christophe Stammet | Luxembourg | 366.8 |
International Players Make Their Mark in Tallinn
Beyond the individual champions, several players from outside the Nordic countries recorded noteworthy finishes.
American Andrew Kelsall collected €5,650 for second place in the T.O.E. Turbo before finishing fourth in the High Roller for €7,000.
England's Seun Oluwole finished runner up in Senkel's Paradise Pick'em for €3,170, while fellow English player Dinesh Babu Khatri took second place in the Lowball Draw Mix for €6,400.
Slovenia's Blaž Žerjav also had a strong showing, finishing second in the Nordic Special Mix for €4,100. Luxembourg's Christophe Stammet secured the festival's opening title, collecting €3,417 following a deal.
Canada's Mixed Game specialist, Patrick Stacey shipped the High Roller crown to Canada with an impressive €20,000 win.
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