As it is still early, all of the tables running are currently at €1/€2 and €1/€3. More players are heading back to the casino from dinner and are asking for some higher games. We know of at least one table with a €2/€5 televised feature table currently being set up.
While many players came out to Sunny Beach, Bulgaria just for the Cash Game Festival, there are plenty of others around the room that happen to be in town and came to check out the action thanks to the buzz many players are spreading about how great the festival is.
One such player is Russia's Stas Zhelkovskii, who played poker for the second time in a casino last night. Zhelkovskii. aged 34, learned about the festival through Estonia's Maret Komarova while a few of the players here for the Cash Game Festival were enjoying a morning round of volleyball on the beach before poker. Just like any player has the opportunity to do so, Zhelkovskii decided to start today off with some poker action on the televised feature table.
"I am originally from Saint Petersburg and came here for vacation," explained Zhelkovskii. "I met Maret while playing volleyball and thought I would give it a try after I learned about the Cash Game Festival taking place at the casino."
Zhelkovsii joined in on the action last night for the first day of the festival. He described his experience last night as a positive one. Not only is he having a great time meeting new people, but last night, he walked away for four-times the amount he bought in for.
"I did OK last night," shared Zhelkovskii. "I bought in for €100 and walked away with €400. But I am a little sad because I took all my money from a guy also from Saint Petersburg. But it was still a lot of fun!"
It's not often that a player's third live experience is on a feature table, but right now that is the case with Zhelkovskii. However, he has a bit of experience under his belt playing socially with friends and online at free money sites.
"The feature table is only my actual third table at a casino," Zhelkovskii explained. "I played at houses and kitchen tables and that kind of stuff. I also played online for free money. But, I know the game. Aces, kings, etc. are good hands you play with."
Zhelkovskii shared his excitement about being on the feature table and gave us a peek into his mindset heading into the action. He is not nervous thanks to his experience last night along with some liquid courage.
"The feature table is going to be kind of crazy!" proclaimed Zhelkovskii. "I got a couple of drinks in me, so I am not nervous. I also got a little practice in yesterday. I am going to check out my competition and then I will figure out if I need to play conservately or aggressively. It just depends on who is going to be there. I am going to get my strategy together as soon as I see the other seven players I will play against. I will check them out and maybe fold a few rounds. I will see how it goes."
While Zhelkovskii began his life in Russia and is now back in his home country, he spent most of his life in the United States.
"I lived in Saint Petersburg until I was eight years old," Zhelkovskii explained. "My parents then took me to the states in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan in 1992 where I lived for about 21 years. I just recently moved back to Saint Petersburg about three years ago for work and just came here on vacation."
When not on vacation, Zhelkovskii is a director of sales at a jewelry company. It was his work that took him out of the country. He lived in Istanbul, Turkey for three years, before he decided to leave due to recent developments in the country and head back to his roots in Saint Petersburg.
"I work for a company called Grand Bazaar Jewelers where I am the director of sales," shared Zhelkovskii. "We are all over the world. We are an online company with our biggest customer base being in US followed by the UK, Brazil, and Russia."
This probably isn't the last we heard from Zhelkovskii who is in town for 12 days with family and friends.
"I am visiting here with my cousin, her baby, and two of her friends," shared Zhelkovskii. "We got in three days ago and are here for 12 days. I am here for the whole festival, so hopefully I will win some money now and continue my poker career."
While the mystery of where the VIP dinner is, players are guessing who the winner of the mini-golf competition might have been. Cash Game Festival organizers are keeping this a close guarded secret until an official ceremony that will take place after dinner at the casino.
At least 24 players just headed to the VIP dinner at Terra Steak and Fish restaurant. Players have been talking about the the meal a good part of today as to add a little mystery, the destination was a surprise.
The televised feature table just began on a 20 minute delay. The table is fun and exciting with tons of recreational players battling it out at €1/€2. The charismatic Brandon Allen is behind the mike ready to entertain. You can check out on PokerNews under the Live Streaming tab at 6:02 p.m.
Here's an insight into some of the players:
On seat 1 &2 are a pair of players from Latvia, "Mihael" and Janis Apsa. While we don't know much about them, this isn't either of their first rodeos playing poker.
David Grabinski from Sweden is right next to them in seat three. He shared that he is not only a Sviten Special champion, but has been successful on multiple televised tables in the past. He shared that his special strategy is a huge secret. However, he let the cat out of the bag and he said, "almost seven foot persons don't get nervous!"
UK's Jack Fenton is a Cash Game Festival veteran and loves appearing on the televised table. In fact, he was also on yesterday's higher stakes €2/€5 televised table.
A local player from Bulgaria, Hristo Nishflizov is in seat four and shared he plays poker for fun. Despite never on a tv table in his life, he shared he is not nervous.
From Russia with love is Stas Zhelkovskii. He is here on vacation and played poker for the third time in a casino last night. He met a few of the players at the Cash Game Festival playing volleyball and came last night after learning about the festival. Zelkovskii wound up running up a €100 to €400 for a great start to the festival.
Algars Dambrans is another Latvian player is over in seat 8 and Bulgaria's Yoan Kostadinov rounds out the table in seat 9.
The mini-golf is currently in full force with dozens of players laughing and bonding.
The poker action will pick up a little later as even players not enjoying mini-golf are instead at the beach bars, relaxing in the sand, playing volleyball and watersports, or otherwise taking in the absoltely perfect weather.
Welcome to PokerNews' live coverage of Day 2 of the 2016 Cash Game Festival Bulgaria at Platinum Casino located just off the boardwalk in Sunny Beach.
Day 1 kicked off welcome drinks along with a few no-limit hold'em tables ranging from €1/€2 to €2/€5. As the day moved along, a variety of pot-limit Omaha and Sviten Special tables were added to the mix with the poker room buzzing with activity. Much of the same, if not more, is expected today.
As was the case yesterday, the first televised feature table today will be €1/€2 at 5:30 p.m. (GMT +3) on a 20 minute delay before the table switches up to higher stakes at 8:30 p.m. Many players will be taking part in a televised poker table for the first time, along with a mix of players that have played on the feature table during prior festivals.
Brandon Allen will once again be leading the commentary with guests popping in and out. You will be able to check out the action here on PokerNews as well as on the Cash Game Festival website and on the Cash Game Festival Twitch channel.
The Cash Game Festival isn't just about poker, as many players from previous festivals have met friends for life thanks to the many activities away from poker. Many players are already heading towards the casino for just that reason as just down the block they will be able show off their mini-golf skills in a fun competition at 3:30 p.m.
Just a couple of hours later at 6:00 p.m., players with the hospitality package are invited to join in a dinner at a world-class restaurant.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be providing updates with some 2016 Cash Game Festival Bulgaria highlights of action on and off the felts throughout the five-day festival.
2016 Cash Game Festival Bulgaria
Day 2 Started
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