The 2026 OlyBet Showdown Vilnius Ace Breaker is in full swing at Olympic Casino Lietuva, and Finnish star Rasmus Sihvonen continues to turn heads. After a three-day battle in the €555 NLH Championship, Sihvonen secured first place for €18,055 following a deal and a heads-up win over Lithuania’s Algirdas Saveikis, further cementing his dominance in the festival.
This triumph adds to an already impressive record: Sihvonen also won the 2025 Vilnius Ace Breaker Main Event for €28,760 and has remained unstoppable in no-limit hold’em events this year, including a recent win in the €250 NLH Opening Event for €5,560.
Other Side Event Champions
Friday also saw two more trophies awarded:
- Ukraine’s Volodymyr Bezverkhyi defeated Lithuania’s Egidijus Oleinik in the €200 NLH, earning €2,536.
- Finland’s Jarmo Luokkala took the €250 NLH Progressive Knockout title, besting Lithuania’s Tomas Kovalenka for €1,462 plus bounties.
The €555 NLH Championship Recap
The Championship featured 179 entries, creating an €85,025 prize pool. With 20 players guaranteed a min-cash of €1,220, the stage was set for high-stakes drama.
- Early exits included Mindaugas Autukevičius (8th – €2,820) and Matas Kacinskas (7th – €3,490).
- Local favorite Vilius Zabarauskas bowed out in 6th place (€4,480) against Valdemaras Apolianskas’ pocket aces.
- Sihvonen took the chip lead after eliminating Ralf Mikk in 5th (€5,760).
- Valdemaras Apolianskas fell in 4th (€7,420), followed by Deividas Daubaris in 3rd (€9,520).
Heads-up between Sihvonen and Saveikis began with a deal locking in €15,090 for Sihvonen and €14,910 for Saveikis, with €2,965 and the trophy still at stake. After several swings in chip leadership, Sihvonen eventually prevailed, taking the remaining prize and lifting the trophy.
Top 5 Finishers – €555 NLH Championship:
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rasmus Sihvonen | Finland | €18,055 |
| 2 | Algirdas Saveikis | Lithuania | €14,910 |
| 3 | Deividas Daubaris | Lithuania | €9,520 |
| 4 | Valdemaras Apolianskas | Lithuania | €7,420 |
| 5 | Ralf Mikk | Estonia | €5,760 |
Day 2 of the €1,100 Main Event
The Main Event continues with 52 chip leaders from the opening flights, including Johan Karlsson (228,000), Jurgis Ragauskas (225,000), and Evaldas Narmontas (211,000). Late registration remains open for the first two blind levels, giving more players a chance to join the action.
Top 5 Chip Counts Heading Into Day 2:
| Rank | Player | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johan Karlsson | Sweden | 228,000 |
| 2 | Jurgis Ragauskas | Lithuania | 225,000 |
| 3 | Evaldas Narmontas | Norway | 211,000 |
| 4 | Stepas Tindžiulis | Lithuania | 207,500 |
| 5 | Gediminas Uselis | Lithuania | 204,000 |
Friday’s Action
Players have multiple opportunities for glory outside the Main Event:
- €200 PL Sviten (Five-card Omaha & Draw) – 14:00
- €350 NLH DeepStack Progressive Bounty – 15:00
- €200 NLH – 19:00
- €80 Satellite to Kings of Tallinn Main Event (2 seats guaranteed) – 22:00
With Sihvonen continuing his Lithuanian poker rampage, Friday promises thrilling battles in both the Main Event and side events. The poker.pro team will provide live updates, capturing all the key hands, upsets, and stories from Vilnius.
Sihvonen’s dominance in Vilnius is shaping up to be one of the most impressive festival runs in recent memory, and all eyes are on him as the 2026 Ace Breaker progresses.
