Nick Jivkov finished runner-up here in 2013, then returned in 2014 and won it all.
Moments ago, he appeared to be ascending the chip counts list once again and ready for another run, calling one opponent's 10,000-chip push in dominating position, with over .
However, the board rolled out making Jivkov's opponent a heart flush and leaving him to rebuild with just slightly more than a starting stack.
Nick Pupillo is certainly a force to be reckoned with on the MSPT.
He's booked no less than six final table appearances on the tour in just the past two years. While his biggest live score came with a win in the 2015 Heartland Poker Tour Chicago Main Event, Pupillo appears poised for a major breakthrough here.
It won't be today, however, as he just jammed over a raise and got called by , whiffing the board to go broke.
The temperature inside the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel continues to drop at a rapid pace with coolers being found on the felt left and right.
Des Moines, Iowa local Ryan Watts was just on the warm end of one, three-betting to 3,000 after one opponent made it 800. His opponent called and all the money went in on an flop, with Watts holding and his opponent on .
With seven cashes and three final table appearances this year, Mark Hodge currently sits fifth on the MSPT Player of the Year leader board.
Here in Iowa, he's got a chance to gain some ground on the man in the top spot as POY leader Blake Bohn is not here defending his title.
Things got off to a slow start, but Hodge is healthy again, having stomped on one limper with a late position raise to 1,400. The player in the big blind and the limper both called and checked the flop. Hodge checked as well, but when his opponents also tapped the table following the turn, he bet out 2,200 and claimed the pot.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota's Loki Abboud has enjoyed a steady climb up to a spot near the top of the chip counts here at the mid-way point of Day 1a in Iowa.
He told PokerNews he flopped a wheel in a big three-way pot, slow played aces in another against an opponent on jacks and has otherwise been chipping up throughout.
"I've been in some good spots and had some good hands," he said.
Calmar, Iowa's Marty Faldet has emerged as the new chip leader and first player past the 100,000-chip mark here in Tama.
First he doubled through one-time chip leader Tim Colby, holding with pocket kings versus Colby's nut-flush draw. Then he managed to relieve another opponent of heaps of chips turning pocket queens into a full boat against trips.
Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler designed and approved the MSPT structure, understanding that it allows patient players to shine early on.
Kessler was patient enough to dip down to 16,000 without playing many hands through the first seven levels, then striking a blow for the "tight is right" camp moments ago.
He was just in the middle of explaining that his fancy new card protector represents the blue bird from the Wizard of Oz song Somewhere Over The Rainbow when he opened things up to 1,250 under the gun. The rest of the table went running for the hills, but the big blind defended.
The flop came and after a check, Kessler led for 1,400. His opponent check-raised to 3,000, but could not shake the Chainsaw. The turn was the and both players checked to the river. The big blind checked and folded, showing a king when Kessler bet 3,000.
"Come on," Kessler demanded, clearly miffed his opponent folded what appeared to be a worse hand than his.
![[user127999]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
over 
.
making Jivkov's opponent a heart flush and leaving him to rebuild with just slightly more than a starting stack.
over a raise and got called by 
, whiffing the board to go broke.
flop, with Watts holding 
run out.
flop. Hodge checked as well, but when his opponents also tapped the table following the 
turn, he bet out 2,200 and claimed the pot.
and after a check, Kessler led for 1,400. His opponent check-raised to 3,000, but could not shake the Chainsaw. The turn was the 
and both players checked to the