2016 Cash Game Festival Bulgaria
Day 2 Started
2016 Cash Game Festival Bulgaria
2016 Cash Game Festival Bulgaria
Day: 2
Welcome to Day 2 of the 2016 Cash Game Festival Bulgaria
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.
Mini-Golf!
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.
Televised Feature Table to Begin at 6:02
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.
Dinner Time!
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.
Who Won the Mini-Golf Competition?
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.
From the Volleyball Courts to the Feature Table for Stas Zhelkovskii
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."
Higher Stakes Action Coming
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.
Omar Eljach Shares That "It Was Fun" to Guest Commentate
Sweden's Omar Eljach joined Brandon Allen in the commentary booth for the latter part of the first televised table on Day 2 of the Cash Game Festival Bulgaria.
The 26-year old is originally from Stockholm, Sweden, but spent about half of his life in Berlin, Germany, which he also considers to be home.
"I was born and raised in Stockholm, and I also spent about 12 years in Berlin," explained Eljach. "I moved there for school when I was 11 years old. Now I moved back to Sweden and have once again been living in Stockholm for three years."
While he enjoyed living in Berlin, Eljach's heart was in Sweden where he headed back three years ago to further pursue his studies.
"I came back home to Stockholm primarily to start studying again, but I also just missed being there," shared Eljach. "It feels good to once again spend some time back in Sweden. I also feel very at home in Berlin, so I can't tell which one actually feels more at home."
Eljach was more of a casual poker player while living in Berlin explaining that, "In Berlin, I was mostly just playing recreationally along with some online tournaments. Occasionally I took some shots at the casino, but that's about it."
However, it has been a different story for the Eljach as he now plays poker professionally, spending most of his time playing cash games in the local Swedish poker clubs.
"I have been playing poker full-time for almost three years mostly live at the clubs in Sweden," Eljach said. "I play mostly cash, but sometimes dabble at tournaments as well. I also sometimes play at the casino, but prefer the clubs."
It was at the poker clubs where Eljach originally learned about the Cash Game Festival. There were some special events where he won a package to Malta in June where he got his first taste as to what the Cash Game Festival is all about.
"I originally heard about the Cash Game Festival from a local poker club in Stockholm," shared Eljach. "They hosted some tournaments where you could win some packages to Malta and that was the first time I heard about it. This time I bought a package, but for Malta I won one."
Eljach is here for Omaha, but is happy also playing hold'em depending on the action.
"Basically I will play any hold'em or pot-limit Omaha game that is running anywhere from €1/€2 to €5/€10," said Eljach. "I prefer Omaha, but don't mind playing hold'em at all."
This will be a change of pace from his experience in Malta where he spent most of his time off the felts. After all, the Cash Game Festival is not just about 120+ hours of nonstop poker, but also about enjoying a great experience away from the tables.
Eljach, who just arrived yesterday, basically hopped into the action right off the airplane. Today he enjoyed some fun in the friendly - yet competitive - mini-golf competition.
"I played a short session yesterday just after arriving and then went to play mini-golf with a the Cash Game Festival group earlier today," said Eljach.
"In Malta, I was more on vacation than playing since I went there with my girlfriend," shared Eljach. "I liked everything around Malta as it is a nice location with nice weather and nice food. I mostly just spent some quality time away from the felts. This time in Bulgaria, I came to play more."
In Malta, Eljach was on the televised feature table, an experience he plans to repeat here at Platinum Casino. However, he quickly hopped in the commentary booth during the first televised feature table to chat with Brandon Allen, which is also a new first for him.
"This was my first time behind the booth, and it was fun!" Eljach proclaimed. I played on the TV table once in Malta, but that was my only experience both in the booth and on the feature table with no other TV poker experience.
Second Feature Table Bios
The second feature table just kicked off with stakes at €2/€5 no-limit hold'em.
In the first two seats are a pair of Bulgarian players in Yuliyan Kolev and Viliyan Petteshkov. Both players have enjoyed experience on televised feature tables in the past and are not nervous. Petteshkov shared that he is "not nervous at all and has no strategy at all." He added that, "I will just try to play good."
Swedens Daniel Nasman is over in seat three followed by the infamous e-sports star Pani, who is used to the spotlight as one of the members of Lemondogs.
Last night's hero, Brandon Krabill is in seat 5. The Cash Game Festival veteran won about €4,000 including winning a flip for €500 and €1,500 on the roulette wheel.
Finland's Jarkko Selander is over on seat 6 with fellow country mate "Jokke" in seat 7. Both players shared that they are not nervous about competing under the spotlight.
To round things off is 23-year old poker player Ivoiylo Sivinov who bought into the action for 100 big blinds or €500.