Welcome to Day 1a of 2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Tropicana Evansville
Another Mid-States Poker Tour Event is set to kickoff, and this time it's being held in a brand new venue for the tour: Tropicana Evansville, a large property boasting a riverboat casino and two hotels with about 350 rooms just off of the Ohio River. Cards are scheduled to be in the air at 4 p.m. local time here in Evansville, Ind.
One confirmed participant today will be Kou Vang, the Minnesota pro who currently leads the MSPT Player of the Year standings. Vang has scored a few final tables on this year's tour but is still looking for a victory. However, one thing will be different about Vang's participation this weekend: he'll be playing his first tournament as a sponsored pro by the MSPT, adding to a stable that already included Matt Kirby, Matt Alexander, and Blake Bohn.
The plan for today is to play 14 levels, with each lasting 40 minutes. Players are allowed to reenter once should they go bust, and each player will begin with 20,000 chips, with blinds beginning at 50/100 under the Allen Kessler-approved structure.