OlyBet is, and has always been, the undisputed leader in live poker events in the Baltic states. With its flagship tournaments, such as the Kings of Tallinn, the ever-so-popular OlyBet Showdown series, and the prestigious WSOP Circuit Tallinn, OlyBet has set the bar for how live poker events should be run. All players who have attended an OlyBet event should be able to vouch for the vast tournament schedules, superb structures, and amazing atmospheres around the tables.

Another thing that OlyBet deserves credit for is its continuous striving for innovation. A perfect example of this is the Queens of Tallinn, the first-ever women-only festival that OlyBet premiered back in 2023. Since then, the event has only been growing bigger and better, and now, it’s soon time for another queen to be crowned in the Estonian capital, seeing as the 2026 Queens of Tallinn is set to return this summer.

A New Queen to be Crowned

If one were to compare the number of females playing live poker events this century with the past one, one would be flabbergasted by how much that number has increased. Nowadays, more women are competing at the oval tables, and they’re doing it in stellar style. There are, of course, many reasons the percentage of women playing poker has increased, but one could be the actions taken by live/online poker operators to create opportunities for women to enter the community easily and comfortably. OlyBet is one of the entities that have gone to great lengths to make poker more easily accessible for women, and the all-women Queens of Tallinn festival is the ultimate proof of this.

The 2026 Queens of Tallinn will be played between August 27-30 at Olympic Park Casino & Hilton Tallinn Park Hotel. Tallinn, the Estonian capital, is an amazing city for live poker, a claim backed up by the Kings of Tallinn and the WSOP Circuit Tallinn. This will be the fourth edition of the Queens of Tallinn, and with 12 events on the schedule (including satellites), all ladies should be ready for four days of unparalleled poker action.

The star of the show is the €555 Main Event. The three-day affair kicks off with the sole Day 1 flight on Friday. August 28, and it’s a sublime tournament structure, featuring a 30,000 starting stack and 40-minute levels. Day 2 follows on August 29, and late registration will be open during the first two levels. Those nine who survive Day 2 will return on the final day of the festival, August 30, and play it out for the title on the final table. This will actually be the first time the tournament offers the €555 buy-in; the inaugural 2023 edition was €350, then lowered to €250 in 2024. Back to €350 last year, and now, it’s bigger and more prestigious than ever before. Last year, 96 entries created a €27,678 prize pool, and Estonian Giedre Valgemae claimed the €5,689. It’s an educated guess that this year’s edition will collect even more dough, considering the buy-in.

• Read more: Giedre Valgemäe Claims Historic Victory in Queens of Tallinn Main Event

The Main Event buy-in is not the only sign that this edition of Queens of Tallinn will be bigger than ever before; there will be more side events than ever. One that should attract a fair crowd is the €250 NLH Progressive Bounty on the final day of the festival, which features €100 in progressive bounties. The tournament was on the schedule last year as well, albeit with a €350 buy-in. Then, Norway’s Elisabeth Harestad emerged victorious, claiming €1,000 (not including bounties).

The €150 PLO4/5 is the only non-Texas NLH affair on the schedule, set to commence on August 29. Germany’s Annika Abmayr won the event last year; time will tell whether she makes her way to the Estonian capital to defend her title. One last golden nugget that deserves to be highlighted is the €150 NLH, scheduled for the same day; this is the sole tournament open to all, where the men will be locking horns against the opposite gender.

Queens of Tallinn 2026 Team Challenge

Adding an extra layer of excitement to this year’s festival is the revamped Queens of Tallinn Team Challenge, which returns bigger than ever in 2026. Players can form teams of three female poker players, all of whom must participate in the festival, and enter the competition free of charge. For those arriving without a full lineup, OlyBet staff will be on hand to help players find teammates and build their squads.

This year’s edition features more Team Challenge point-scoring events than before, giving teams increased opportunities to climb the leaderboard throughout the series. With a larger prize pool also in place, the stakes are higher for those looking to combine individual success with team glory.

Beyond the competition, the Team Challenge adds a strong social element to the festival. Expect lively rails throughout the event, with teammates cheering each other on deep into tournaments. It’s an atmosphere that not only enhances the experience at the tables but also helps forge new friendships and connections within the poker community.

At the end of the festival, the top three teams will share a 2% Team Prize Pool, rewarding consistent performance across multiple events. It adds a fun, competitive dynamic to the schedule and further strengthens the sense of community that the Queens of Tallinn is known for.

Overall, OlyBet Tournament Director Teresa Nousainen has, as always, created a sublime tournament schedule that should attract a large crowd to Tallinn. With its new buy-in, the €555 Main Event will be extra exciting to follow. Check out the full tournament schedule below.

2026 Queens of Tallinn Tournament Schedule

The stage is set for the 2026 Queens of Tallinn to be bigger than ever before, and all aspiring queens would be very wise to circle August 27-30 in their calendars.

• Article originally published at poker.pro.