Raymer Hosting Heartland Poker\’s 5th Anniversary Bash

To Fargo or Bust

I\’m en route from Las Vegas to DC, taking the long way I guess you could say, and was driving over the state line of Wyoming => South Dakota when I got the following DM tweet:

@Pokerati to @scarlet_lv:  \”10/15 is Heartland\’s 5th anniversary bash near Fargo ND.  Think about going.  I can hook u up.\”

Fargo?, I thought.  Really, DanM? It was about 600 miles in a completely different direction from where I was heading, but free booze …a party?  I quickly rerouted the Prius GPS to head northeast, and arrived in the city-of-the-distinct-accent late Monday night.

Yesterday afternoon, I ate some Thai with Jen Mastrud, GM and Director of PR for the Heartland Poker Tour, based here in Fargo, ND.  Waiting for the mint-leaf spring rolls appetizer, we chatted about the festivities, upcoming Season VI and VII events, and some poker poli-biz topics as they relate to a nationwide, smaller-stakes operation such as the HPT. 

Heartland\’s currently in the middle of their Season VI Shooting Star Casino event in Mahnomen, MN (just across the North Dakota border), and Friday will be celebrating their 5th anniversary with a party hosted by Greg Raymer. @FossilMan will also be on hand playing some cash, and will compete in the 2-day $1100 Main Event, which final-tables on Sunday.

All throughout the week, they\’ve got two different satellite options for the budget-minded seeking a seat in the Shooting Star main event. 

Option 1: $35 SNG (2 players advance) -> $130 Super Qualifier SNG (10% Advance) -> $1100 Main Event Entry

Option 2: $85 SNG (3 players advance) -> $250 Qualifier SNG (20% Advance) -> $1100 Main Event Entry

Jen and the HPT were kind enough to sport me a #mediafreeroll right into $250 qualifier. (So watch out, Raymer, I\’m chasing my fossil!)

HPT across the Interstate
By cosmic weirdness, while en route to the HPT\’s anniversary bash in Fargo, N. Dakota, I stopped at a Denny\’s truckstop in Sioux Falls, S. Dakota, to find HPT\’s TV production crew gassing up.

Last week, Scotty Nguyen announced plans to make his HPT debut at the Meskwaki Bingo Casino in Iowa (Oct 31-Nov 7).  Jen tells me that  he also plans to be at the final TV taping of Season VI, during the Champ Open at Soaring Eagle in Michigan (Nov 12-21). When not playing, the expectation is you\’ll be able to find @TheScottyNguyen (and chat with him) at the bar.

Follow me on my cross-country poker road trip @scarlet_lv, with live-tweeting Friday from @HPTpokertour\’s \’Five Year Anniversary Bash\’ and the Shooting Star Casino main event.