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Jivkov wins PL Hold'em event, $189K at WSOP5 June 2012“First the ring, then the bracelet.” The motto, effectively parroted the past few years on the World Series of Poker Circuit, encouraged poker players to compete in various events around the country, which are spread out over the nine months when the WSOP "big one" is dormant. The National Circuit is a stair ladder to greater success for many poker players, who may not quite have the bankrolls or skills necessary to come and play with the best at the world at the WSOP. Nick Jivkov, a 34-year-old semi-pro poker player and business owner from Des Plaines, Ill., took the slogan literally. He cashed 10 times in various WSOP Circuit events around the country during the last few years, ultimately winning a gold ring in 2010 at the IP in Biloxi. Until this year. Jivkov had yet to cash in any WSOP event in Las Vegas. All that changed last night when Jivkov not only final tabled the Pot-Limit Hold’em event, which took place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. He went on to win a dramatic victory, rubber-stamping his arrival on the tournament poker scene as a champion. Jivkov collected $189,818 in prize money to go along with his first WSOP gold bracelet. Amazingly, this was the second tournament Jivkov has shipped in the last four days. He won one of the Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em events a few hours after getting off the plane – good for another $14,000. "I played the $235 and I ended up winning that," said Jivkov. "I was feeling good and I couldn’t decide whether I was going to play the Venetian ($400 event) or the WSOP $1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em. Thing is, Pot Limit Hold'em is kind of a slow game. I was just on the fence, but I’m like, 'You know what? I did end up winning this one, maybe I’m on a heater and I think I’m going to do good.'" Jivkov was born in Bulgaria. He owns a transportation company in the Chicago area. He is the father to two girls – ages 6 and 2. No doubt, he made the entire Jivkov family proud on this day. Jivkov’s victory was as dominant a performance as has been seen in some time. He seized the chip lead about midway into the final playing session, which attracted a big crowd to the ESPN Main Stage – mainly to watch and see if poker superstar Daniel Negreanu might pick up a fifth gold bracelet. Like Negreanu, they departed eventually in disappointment, much to the benefit of Jivkov, who essentially took over the tournament at that point. When play was four handed, Jivkov had 60 percent of the chips in play. He was the cat toying with mice. Jivkov’s victory gives him his very first WSOP title, to go along with 10 cashes on the WSOP Circuit, and $136,000 in previous earnings. Indeed, Jivkov got the ring, and then the bracelet. The 25-year-old runner up, Bryan Pellegrino, put up a noble fight. He drew about even in chips with Jivkov at one point. But the Austin, Texas resident had to accept a consolation prize, worth $117,199. Jonathan Aguiar, from Las Vegas, Nev., was the third-place finisher to claim $76,189. Tommy Vedes, the Cyprus-born poker pro now living in Las Vegas, finished fourth. Four-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu took fifth place for his 52nd career cash, 54-year-old retiree Mike Allis was sixth, 28-year-old Brant Hale came in seventh, John Eames, from the U.K., was eighth, and Peter Tabali, a 31-year-old poker pro from Seattle, Wash., took ninth. Among the more notable names that finished in the money were: Thom Werthman (10th), Steve Brecher (12th), Nam Le (16th), John Juanda (18th), Tom Franklin (25th), Terrence Chan (38th) and Antonio Esfandiari (44th). The tournament drew 639 players, down from 765 players last year. The top 72 players finished in the money. Modified from tournament notes provided by WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla. |