Reported by Nerijus Mikalajunas, National Coordinator of Lithuania, with comment from the champion:

Lithuanian Nationals 2026 – Vilnius by Night are over. For two intense days, 42 Methuselahs from 10 nations battled for the trophy – which ultimately stayed in Vilnius.

The Prince of Vilnius, Daniel Bogdanovic, and I are truly humbled by such an incredible turnout. For us, this is more than just a tournament – we organise it every year in memory of our dear departed friend, Julius Stonis. Thank you all for coming and making this possible and see you soon – the EC2026 Vilnius is just a few months away.

Also – a big thank you to all the sponsors – Deep Cut studios in particular – that made it possible for us to gather quite a stash that was handed out to the attendees. Last but not least - huge thanks to Finland’s Teemu Pulkkinen for being the head judge in both finals.

Friday – The Warm-Up Eve
The Friday warm-up event gathered 39 players and was won by our one and only Lech Ivanov, piloting his self-crafted Emerald Legionnaires deck.

The final showdown was an epic clash between Lech and Bram Van Stappen playing Waters of Duat Death Star – a dramatic and memorable end to the evening.

Main Event (Saturday)
The main event was won by another member of the Vilnius Circle – Povilas Gildor Zinkevičius (Lithuania) – playing a TOOLBOX (yes, that’s important) led by Guillaume Giovanni.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 (seed 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫)
1. Saulius Lukošius (Lithuania) 2 GW, 7 VP
2. Lech Ivanov (Lithuania) 2 GW, 6 VP
3. Martin Weinmayer (Austria) 1 GW, 6 VP
4. Povilas Zinkevičius (Lithuania) 1 GW, 6 VP
5. Michael Homström (Sweden) 1 GW, 6 VP

TL;DR – Tournament From the Winner’s Perspective (Povilas):
“I returned to VTES after a decade-long torpor and brought my Giovanni toolbox to Lithuanian Nationals 2026 – and this is NOT a combat deck.

Friday was fun but inconsistent. Saturday’s main event threw me into brutal politics, unexpected alliances, and one very angry Irish Super Ghoul.

Game Two was saved by the Baltic Genie. Game Three I lost to my own brain-fart – costing me a Game Win.

I scraped into the final as fourth seed, still kicking myself for what could have been.

Huge thanks to the organizers and all the players – and once again: IT’S A F***ING TOOLBOX.”

The tournament winning deck:

Deck Name: IT’S A F***ING TOOLBOX
Author: Gildor

Crypt (12 cards)
5x Guillaume Giovanni 9 CEL DOM NEC POT obt Giovanni:4
2x Baldesar Rossellini 8 DOM POT aus for nec Giovanni:4
1x Don Michael Antonio Giovanni 7 DOM NEC POT 2 votes Giovanni:4
1x Accorri Giovanni 6 DOM POT ani nec Giovanni:5
1x Donatello Giovanni 5 DOM aus pot pre Giovanni:4
1x Gianmaria Giovanni 5 POT dom nec obt Giovanni:5
1x Almodo Giovanni 3 dom pot Giovanni:4

Library (90 cards)
Master (20; 7 trifle)
3x British Museum, London, The
1x Carver's Meat Packing and Storage
1x Centralized Background Check
1x Direct Intervention
1x Elder Library
1x Filchware's Pawn Shop
1x Information Highway
1x Metro Underground
1x Monastery of Shadows
1x Morgue Hunting Ground
1x Powerbase: Cape Verde
1x Secure Haven
2x Vessel
4x Villein

Event (1)
1x NRA PAC

Action (18)
5x Bum's Rush
1x Far Mastery
9x Govern the Unaligned
1x Graverobbing
2x Sudario Refraction

Ally (3)
1x Gianna di Canneto
1x Giulia Giovanni Abruzzina
1x Mylan Horseed

Equipment (10)
5x Flak Jacket
1x Gran Madre di Dio, Italy
2x Kevlar Vest
1x Palatial Estate
1x Ruins of Villers Abbey, Belgium

Combat (30)
2x Earthshock
6x Immortal Grapple
2x Pursuit
6x Roundhouse
1x Slam
4x Spiritual Guidance
4x Taste of Vitae
5x Torn Signpost

Reaction (8)
6x Deflection
1x Delaying Tactics
1x Redirection

For those appreciating a long read – here it is, by Povilas ‘Gildor’ Zinkevičius himself:

I was asked to write about the event from my perspective. Sleep was not something I got enough of during the weekend, so some things might be distorted. And I am not a writer, but here it goes.

I started playing VTES around 2009 or 2010. I played for a bit and then went to torpor for more than a decade. I got brought back by Nerijus and his false promises during the summer before Warsaw EC. I went to EC, did terribly, but it was great fun. I participated in a handful of bigger and smaller tournaments, but didn’t achieve anything significant. But I liked the community.

I had to take a few months’ break again before this event and had just a couple of games in beforehand. In total, I have about two years of active playing across two decades.

I was confident that I wanted to play my Giovanni toolbox on Friday and Anarch Bleed on Saturday. However, I was made aware that new packs would become legal on Saturday. Having read about them on Information Highway (and what a treasure this blog is), I thought that the meta might be very combat-oriented. New toys and all. So I switched decks. I added Centralized Weapon Search and something else to prepare my toolbox for the combat meta.

Friday came and went. Two rounds and a final. A very pleasant experience thanks to the organization by Daniel and Nerijus.

The anarch bleed deck was my shot at convincing myself that I can play pure bleed. I like the deck and am hopeful.

First Game
Good seating. Decent start. Grand prey influences Matasuntha. Turn passes. I get multi-rushed by Matasuntha for no reason, despite him having a bleed deck as his predator with an unlocked baron. After bashing my guys, Matasuntha takes a couple of shots at the baron and is met with combat ends. My table is in ruins, as well as my faith in logic and humanity. Matasuntha gets ousted right away. I try to rebuild with no success.

I cannot play bleed decks after all.

Second Game
More difficult, having Ola playing Diana as my predator. The table starts folding as expected, and my prey (playing Nefertiti) gets 1 VP. He is not in great shape but has a significant amount of pool. Ola’s predator is a lovely gentleman from Ireland playing proper old-school Samedi rush. Four pool to his name.

As Diana prepares to oust me, I suggest back-ousting Ben and taking a GW instead of one VP. Everyone sees the reason in that, and the offer is accepted. I work on my prey’s pool. Olia does a vote, drops me to maybe 2 pool, apparently doesn’t have more votes, tries some bleeds, but I was saving bleed reduction for some time. I survive, finish my prey, and the Toreadors eventually.

Lucky turn of events. Maybe there is hope with bleed for me.

1GW3 is, of course, not enough for the final, but I am very happy as the event is going great and there is a positive atmosphere in the air. The final was won by Lech, one of the best players in the Lithuanian scene.

Saturday — Main Event

Nine tables of bloodsuckers. Ten nations in attendance. The Lithuanian community is ecstatic and grateful for the number of guests. Lots of big names.

And me, with my humble Giovanni toolbox.

Game One
Game one starts dangerously as my predator Jonas, playing Diana, starts great and has my grand prey – Lasombra’s thumb man – as his natural ally. My prey is Malkavian power bleed, and my grand predator is a Tzimisce allies deck piloted by Ben, my fellow from yesterday, who is constantly scribbling in his awesome-looking Book of Grudges. I know that my name is in there for my role in him being back-ousted the night before.

After some turns, my pool, as well as Ben’s, is melting as fast as the snow outside. I stabilize my situation by showing some potence tricks to Diana or Modius, or both (can’t remember). I might have sneaked into the graveyard to borrow one of them.

I was blatantly insulted by having my deck dubbed a “combat” deck.

IT’S A TOOLBOX!!!!!

At this point, I was stable and could see a couple of ways to turn this game into something. It was very obvious that we would lose Ben sooner rather than later. I decided to borrow Ben’s Super Ghoul.

Oh boy, that was a mistake.

Not only did Ben not die, he came rushing with all his remaining strength to my board. It didn’t go well, as my deck is NOT a combat deck. I was left standing near the broken boat that could have been a great game.

Lesson learned. Never – and I mean NEVER – take things from the cold hands of a not-yet-dead Irishman.

Tzimisce and Toreadors fell swiftly to the might of Lasombra afterward.

At this point, it was clear that my only option was to defend aggressively. The most likely outcome: Lasombra and I would be swept by Malkavians. Alternatively, we work together with Lasombra on the Malkavians, and I get 1 VP for my trouble.

The offer was accepted. I got 1 VP and a lesson for life.

Game Two
Game two gets me to a four-player table. I’m sitting between two brothers from Lithuania (they are actual brothers; not mine; one another’s), both playing efficient politics. Diana on my back. Rafael/Lutz as my prey. Across is the legend – Martin.

The beginning feels terrible. Getting pounded by votes, banishments flying around. My deck is clogging despite having 10+ hand size. The brothers are set on taking 1 VP each and going from there. Someone slaps the “combat deck” label on my deck again. IT‘S A TOOLBOX!! FFS.

If Martin dies or I die (obviously), it’s game – and probably tournament hopes – over for me.

I see no way out.

I make the only logical choice left to me.

Day drinking.

A large, still mildly cool can of Baltic Porter.

CLICK.

And the Baltic Genie appears.

Somehow the vote decks don’t coordinate enough. The deck unclogs. I was able to save Martin with Delaying and Direct in some order. Between my rushes and Martin’s blocks, the Toreadors go down. Martin helps me get Lutz.

One on one, I take the upper hand.

Magic. Unexpected magic.

I got 1GW3 and a secret weapon.

Game Three
Game three looks very good at the start. I didn’t forget the magic.

CLICK.

My prey is a super nice presence gentleman Lorenzo playing a Brujah antitribu / combat Path / Spoils of War deck. My predator is a nice guy from Poland Tomasz with Nephandi. I can manage that.

Grand prey is Malkavian madness politics, and grand predator is Nerijus with new Salubri cutting toys. Both are huge threats to my deck.

I feel confident for some reason.

Lots of things are happening. I finish my setup with no problems, block some allies, and preemptively send one Brujah to torpor just to show that I have some red cards (the nature of the deck doesn’t let me discard so freely). The table starts to fold after lots of talking. Malkavians do some things, and Salubri go down. Perfect news. Some more things happen, and Nephandi go down. Not great. Not terrible.

I also got hit a lot.

During my turn, I lose concentration. Despite sending the last Malkavian to torpor, for some reason I promise my prey a VP. There was no real reason. In my mind, I still had a GW.

I didn’t.

Brain fart.

I finished my turn on 1 pool, and there was a Fame in play. My prey thought he was saving me, but I had Vessel on a full vampire and a means to generate more with Cape Verde and probably Villein after that.

Anyway, I foolishly let Sabbat spawns take the VP while keeping them on one or two pool. Finished the game.

And then the horror struck.

The score is 2/2/1.

I just gave away a GW for no reason.

Lack of experience on my part, sure. Maybe my secret weapon is a double-edged sword?

I got 2 VP and a boatload of misery.

Final
In the end, I was on 1GW6, beating myself and my stupid head for not taking 2GW7. Most likely that would have been the top seed.

The wait for the results. Excruciatingly long wait…

And I’m in.

I can play at the big boys’ table.

Fourth seed.

Final seating was chosen. I had no say in that.

I got Lech as my prey, Michael (?) from Sweden as my grand prey. Both playing anarch barons of some sort. First seed and my grand predator was Saulius, playing Arika. That instantly felt fortunate, because Arika as my predator would be game over before the start.

Finally – Martin was my predator, playing his anarch baron deck with a hint of chameleon. I felt good about that (does anyone feel good about having Martin on your back?) because our previous game was still fresh in my mind and, more or less, I was aware of his capabilities.

Gong.

We are starting to play.

I felt serious and wanted to use every tool at my disposal. Despite the colossal blunder in Game Three, I decided to roll the dice and use Baltic Genie.

I was clearly the underdog.

CLICK.

Calmness.

Arika came out swinging and looked good. I was having a good start. Lots of locations at the start. Grand Madre and NRA appeared in early turns. I started equipping ancient flak jackets from the British Museum and got blocked a couple of times by Lech and maybe Martin.

The game was still in early stages.

Lech’s blocks ended poorly for him; someone got sent to torpor. I did some rushes forward. Something else. Lech was bringing more guys out and fixed his torpor situation. Michael blocked some of his actions but was building himself up. Untouched by anyone.

My turn came again.

Lech was on 7 pool. Everything locked up.

I tried a bleed for one. It passed. Govern forward. Passed. Another one. Passed.

This was unexpected.

First hour in, I was holding a lead.

I anticipated being let down hard by Martin in his turn, but that didn’t happen.

Starting my turn, I knew that it was very unlikely that I would waste my healthy pool count during this game. I resisted the temptation to influence a fourth guy nonetheless.

The game felt in a stalemate. I didn’t see a reliable way to put our Swedish friend to rest. At that point, my goal was to keep the table as stable as possible.

For a few turns, it seemed possible. Everyone was hesitant to act.

Martin and Michael urged me attacking Arika. Saulius offered to put down Martin together and help oust Michael with a GW to me.

Yeah.

I intended to lie on the grass and let the hours pass.

I felt I needed to improve my chances.

Genie, help me.

CLICK.

Martin moved. Dropped his pool to dangerous levels. Saulius, unable to gather votes, moved to puppet ra**one of Martin’s barons.

MARTIN MUST SURVIVE.

Martin blocked, but after stealth + intercept + stealth, I was forced to DI stealth. That forced my hand to rush Arika.

I could hear my pulse.

No more lying down.

After downing Arika, I made a mistake and rushed another of Saulius’ guys. The clock was ticking. Michael took a turn or two to oust. Martin dropped to two pool.

I attacked Michael and did some more actions.

Clock ran out.

Relief.

Joy.

Thank you for this event and for reading my story.

Thanks to Daniel and Nerijus for the perfect organization. Thanks to our guests for their tremendous support and kind words after the tournament.

The combat deck label was used again.

IT’S A F***ING TOOLBOX!!!!111!

Cheers,
Povilas ‘Gildor’ Zinkevičius

Final result: Povilas 1.5 VP, Michael 1.5 VP and Martin 0.5 VP. Congratulations Povilas!

Thanks to Nerijus and Povilas for this report, and thanks to all organisers, sponsors and players!