The Festival Introduces NLH 7-2 Special (incl. INES rule) For The First Time Ever
The Festival Series has always been known for bringing unique poker formats to the live poker scene, and now another brand-new concept is ready to make its debut: NLH 7-2 Special (Incl. INES rule). The debut takes place during The Festival Weekend at the Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn, from July 1-5.
No-Limit Hold’em remains the most popular poker variant in the world. Every poker player has played Hold’em at some point in their career, regardless if they mainly focus on Hold’em itself or come from a mixed games background. In Estonia, a creative variation of the game has become increasingly popular among the local poker community, and now we decided with The Festival, that it's time to bring this tournament format internationally by having it included in our Festival Weekend Tallinn stop, as well as our The Festival Malta stop.
With The Festival, we always aim to bring new, creative, formats to the scene. Where we have successfully included Sviten Special years ago, it is now being spread worldwide. And besides this format, there are several more games that you usually do not see often anywhere else. NLH 7-2 Special (Incl. INES rule) is one of these formats of which we think that it has a lot of potential.
What is NLH 7-2 Special (Incl. INES rule)?
The concept behind the NLH 7-2 Special (Incl. INES rule) is simple, yet capable of creating absolute chaos at the tables.
If a player wins the main pot* at showdown holding [7x][2x] offsuit, statistically the worst starting hand in Texas Hold’em, every remaining player in the tournament must pay that player one big blind. The payout applies tournament-wide, meaning that every active player at every table contributes to the reward. Naturally, this instantly transforms Seven-Deuce from the weakest hand in poker into one of the most entertaining and feared hands in the room.
*Only winning the main pot counts. Side pots and split pots do not qualify for the 7-2 bonus.
However, there is an additional twist...
The INES rule, dedicated to Estonian artist 'Ines' who became popular with the song 'Once in a lifetime', is a special rule when it comes to re-entering the tournament. Of course, you can re enter the tournament as many times as you like during the late registration period, but once that late reg is over, this is where the fun starts with the INES rule.
After the late registration has ended, players can make use of a special 'once in a lifetime' re-entry. Meaning that if they would bust after late reg, and before bubble play, they can make use of that once-in-a-lifetime re-entry. The good part? You get 2x the starting stack!
The combination of the 7-2 rule and the INES rule creates exactly the type of atmosphere The Festival is known for: table talk, massive bluffs, social interaction, and everything that comes with it. Poker should be fun, and this format is the pure definition of it!
>> Find full rules of NLH 7-2 Special (Incl. INES rules) here
Bonus Feature of No-Limit Hold'em Tournament
The format itsef perfectly combines the usual elements that you know from tranditional Hold'em games with the creativity that is often to be found at cash games. The standard rules of No-Limit Hold'em remain in place, and the 7-2 rule and the INES rule, are just a bonus element that is being added to it.
It creates that extra dimension to the game, that makes No-Limit Hold'em a bit more interesting!
The first NLH 7-2 Special (incl. INES rule) will take place on Saturday, July 4, as part of The Festival Weekend Tallinn schedule with a €200 buy-in. And it will also be part of the tournament schedule for The Festival Malta, which will be revealed any time soon.
One thing is certain: when somebody tables [7x][2x] offsuit in Tallinn this summer, the entire tournament room will know about it!
Qualify Online for The Festival Weekend events
Players looking to secure their spot at one of the 2026 The Festival Weekend stops now have several online qualification routes available across multiple operators. Swedish players can qualify through Svenska Spel, which launched dedicated satellites for The Festival Weekend as of April 2026, offering a 1,100 SEK (€110) qualifier every Friday with at least one 12,000 SEK (€1,200) full package guaranteed.
Meanwhile, Olybet, the online brand of Olympic Entertainment Group, is giving players access to qualifiers for Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn through the GGPoker platform every Thursday, with both side-event and Main Event seat packages up for grabs.
Over on the iPoker Network, players can also qualify via Betsafe, Betsson, Guts, and NordicBet, where weekly Monday satellites offer incredible value, awarding €750 packages that include the €555 Main Event seat, hospitality experiences, and official merchandise. With satellites running throughout the week at various buy-ins, there are now more ways than ever for players across Europe to qualify online for The Festival Weekend.
| Operator | Day / Time | Buy-in | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Svenska Spel | Friday / 20:00 CET | 1,100 SEK | 1x 12,000 SEK (€1,200) The Festival Weekend Package |
| Olybet | Thursday / 20:00 CET | €22 | 5x €200 Weekend Side Seat Only Tickets |
| Olybet | Thursday / 20:30 CET | €55 | 3x €555 Weekend Main Event Seat Only Tickets |
| Betsafe / Betsson / Guts / NordicBet | Monday / 19:30 CET | €20 | 1x €750 The Festival Weekend Package |
