World Series of Poker bracelet winner Nick Jivkov, who took down Event #5 $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em back in 2012, isn't having much luck here at FireKeepers.
Yesterday he busted after making an ill-timed move with suited, and today he busted after running a flush into a full house. Not to be deterred, Jivkov has opted to take advantage of the reentry option (you're allowed one a day) and is back in action.
On a side note, the tournament clock says 105 players are currently registered for Day 1b, which means with Day 1a's 106 the $200,000 guarantee has already been surpassed. Toss in late registration today and a third starting flight tomorrow, and it's safe to say that guarantee is going to end up crushed!
Denny Robinson raised to 400 from middle position, a player in late position called and the big blind called. After a flop of and a check from the big blind, Robinson bet 400 and both opponents called. The turn was the and after a check from the big blind, Robinson continued for 800. That bet was met with a raise from the late-position player to 2,000, a fold from the big blind and a call from Robinson. The board paired with the on the river and Robinson fired 2,000. His opponent called, but mucked when he saw the pocket fours of Robinson, giving him the full house and the pot.
Tyler Caspers, who you may recall finished in third place at the start of the season at the Running Aces stop, played on Day 1a, but he was unable to make it through to Day 2 after being eliminated late in the evening. Caspers has opted to fire a second bullet, and he seems settled in for the long haul.
Caspers is currently zoned out watching Breaking Bad, which is considered by many to be the greatest television show of all time.
Caspers may seem unassuming, especially when he's fixated on his iPad, but his opponents best heed Walter White's advice and "tread lightly."
From March 8-10, 2013, the MSPT visited FireKeepers for the first time and attracted 272 entrants and created a prize pool of $272,000, making it the largest first-time event in the history of the tour. After three days of intense play, popular local pro Thomas Medina, who qualified for the tournament through a $250 qualifier, walked away with the $73,456 first-place prize and the coveted RF Moeller diamond championship bracelet.
Midena, who primarily played cash games, did so by defeating another local grinder, Adam Lamphere, in a heads-up match that lasted more than an hour. Lamphere, who would be back at the final table later in the year, earned $39,351 for his runner-up finish.
"This [event] was so much fun." said then-MSPT Ambassador Chris "Fox" Wallace. "To come back to Michigan and host an event here that was such a huge success is fantastic. The staff was great here, from the beverage servers all the way up to the top, we had everything we needed, and we were able to make sure the players all left wanting more. We're really looking forward to coming back in August."
Here’s a look at the first-ever MSPT FireKeepers final table:
After a raise, Michael Argiero three-bet to 1,700 preflop and after a call from the button, they were heads up. The flop was and Argiero bet 1,500, the button raised to 4,000. Argiero came over the top for all of his chips. The button thought for a moment before calling approximately 18,000 total. The board ran out , the button player was eliminated, and Argiero is over 40,000.
Ken Payne is a relatively new faces on the MSPT, but he's become a regular here in Season 5. Payne, a native of Baraboo, Wisconsin, has traveled to almost every MSPT this season, and he recently had success at the 2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Meskwaki Casino stop where he placed fifth for $18,787.
Payne is in action here on Day 1b, and he's off to a good start. In a recent hand, five players each paid 500 to see a flop of . The under-the-gun player was first to act and led out for 1,500, which Ken Payne called from middle position. The other three players folded, and it was heads-up action to the turn. The under-the-gun player checked and then called when Payne bet 1,500.
When the completed the board on the river, it went check-check and the under-the-gun player showed the for a missed flush that turned into a pair of nines. Payne then rolled over the for a missed flush and pair of tens.
"You didn't want that spade to hit," Payne joked.
"No, I didn't," his opponent admitted. "I got away with that."
After final tabling this event last year, Dusty Feller is in the room today, looking for another deep run. Born Herman Feller, he legally changed his name years ago. As he told this reporter, "I used to work in Texas recreating gunfights and when I would stand up after being knocked down, they said that I looked like one "dusty feller."
The nickname stuck and he's officially Dusty Feller and officially shooting for another final table.
The PokerNews MyStack App is available for players here in the Mid-States Poker Tour Season 5 FireKeepers, allowing players to directly update their chip count on the PokerNews Live Reporting page for their friends and family to see.
You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.
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suited, and today he busted after running a flush into a full house. Not to be deterred, Jivkov has opted to take advantage of the reentry option (you're allowed one a day) and is back in action.
and a check from the big blind, Robinson bet 400 and both opponents called. The turn was the 
and after a check from the big blind, Robinson continued for 800. That bet was met with a raise from the late-position player to 2,000, a fold from the big blind and a call from Robinson. The board paired with the 
on the river and Robinson fired 2,000. His opponent called, but mucked when he saw the pocket fours of Robinson, giving him the full house and the pot.
and Argiero bet 1,500, the button raised to 4,000. Argiero came over the top for all of his chips. The button thought for a moment before calling approximately 18,000 total. The board ran out 
, the button player was eliminated, and Argiero is over 40,000.
. The under-the-gun player was first to act and led out for 1,500, which Ken Payne called from middle position. The other three players folded, and it was heads-up action to the 
turn. The under-the-gun player checked and then called when Payne bet 1,500.
for a missed flush that turned into a pair of nines. Payne then rolled over the 
for a missed flush and pair of tens.
