For the third year in a row, the Olybet Queens of Tallinn festival took place in Estonia’s capital, hosted at the Olympic Park Casino inside the Hilton Park Hotel. Over four days, female players competed in five different tournaments, each with a chance to win one of the coveted Queens of Tallinn necklaces.
Once you step into the casino, one thing stands out above all: the atmosphere. The women welcome you with laughter and positive energy. Even though a strong community has been built over the past years, newcomers are instantly included and made to feel at home.
At the 2025 edition, the festival’s highlight was the €350 Main Event, which offered two starting flights. With 96 entries, a new record was set for the festival, and a prize pool of €27,677 was up for grabs.
After three days of fierce battling at the tables, it was Giedre Valgemäe who’s been on a tear as of late, adding another title to her résumé after winning the OlyBet Poker GG Masters just days earlier. Valgemäe received a unique, golden Queens of Tallinn necklace on top of the first-place prize of €5,690.
Giedre Valgemäe
A Festival Full of Energy, Community, and Equality
However, it’s not just about playing poker at the Queens of Tallinn. The event separates itself in various ways from other women’s poker events around the globe.
One such example, as Teresa Nousiainen, Poker Tournament Director at Olympic Entertainment Group, explained, was that the final table was streamed live on YouTube.
“We always decided to have it on a TV stream, and do the same things we do for any festival,” Nousianen said.
Nousiainen has worked in poker since 1994, starting as a dealer before moving into directing poker tournaments. She’s overseen events on the European Poker Tour, several other PokerStars tours, and various other major series. Eleven years ago, she created one of Europe’s largest poker festivals, the Kings of Tallinn.
“It’s something that I was proud of from the very beginning, created and built up,” she said. Three years ago, the idea for a women-only festival followed naturally.
Three years ago, the idea for a women-only festival followed naturally. “Of course, there was a Kings of Tallinn, so we needed to have a Queens of Tallinn.” The first edition was the first of its kind in Europe; there was uncertainty initially.
“You don’t know if people are going to turn out? Are they coming? But, from the first one, we have had a really nice atmosphere,” Nousiainen remarked.
More Than Just a Poker Tournament
Ever since the inaugural event, the community has grown steadily, fueled by success stories such as Jenny Westerlund’s victory in the 2025 WSOPC Tallinn Main Event
“Women’s poker is not the same as it used to be a few years ago. These are really strong, good players,” Nousiainen noted.
Her colleague Christer Larsson, Group Poker Director at OlyBet, also chimed in. For him, Westerlund’s win had extra meaning.
“That’s really big for us, to see that the ladies not only play with us, they can actually win the main event.”
Teresa Nousiainen and Christer Larsson
Like Nousiainen, Larsson is one of the driving forces behind the festival. For him, the festival is about inclusion, diversity, and giving back to the women who support the game.
“I always see people putting up a ladies’ tournament during the big events with a small buy-in. Basically, you’re belittling women in poker. I thought, ‘Hey, come on, why shouldn’t we do something?'”
Nousiainen shares Larsson’s philosophy, rejecting the idea that women’s poker should be limited to small side events.
“Women’s poker is not the same as it used to be a few years ago. These are really strong, good players”
“Why is the assumption that women want to play a 100 euro No-Limit Hold’em tournament? What makes you an expert on women, and what they want? I have always decided that I’m not going to do that. I refuse to do that.”
Instead, she and Larsson focused on a complete festival schedule that includes variety, mixed games, and prestigious formats; the blueprint for a successful Queens of Tallinn series.
A Unique Team Event, and Plenty More
Queens of Tallinn – Team
The team event is one of the festival’s most unique highlights, a tradition carried over from the Kings of Tallinn. Teams of three players compete across different tournaments, earning points for their finishes. The top-scoring team receives 2% of the Main Event prize pool.
“This is also a way for us to help players to come together, play in new teams, have fun together, and have some horses to cheer on if you just busted out yourself,” said Larsson. “Early registrants received custom team shirts featuring their chosen names, with names like ‘The Aceholders,’ ‘The Cat Fighters,’ ‘Flip Power,’ and ‘Oops, I’m Bluffing Again’ lighting up the tournament hall.
Even those who arrived alone could join a team before the second break in the Main Event. No one was left out, and everyone was welcome – a principle perfectly sums up the Queens of Tallinn.
2025 Queens of Tallinn – Necklaces
The other side events also added flavor to the schedule, offering something for everyone. One special tournament was the PokerNews Queens Crown Event, a €200 buy-in with 20-minute blinds that attracted 45 entries. The title went to Anne Bezdek, a well-known player with results dating back to 2011 according to Hendon Mob. She took home €2,445 and the trophy.
Looking back, the Queens of Tallinn has become more than just a poker festival. It celebrates community, strength, and inclusion, where women come together to compete, support, and inspire one another.
As Larsson summed it up: “For me, personally, this is so, so important. To give something back to the ladies and see the smiling faces when people come together as friends.”
2025 Queens of Tallinn Main Event Final Table Results
*denotes four-way deal
Queens of Tallinn Final Table
