WPT LA Poker Classique

Par BJ Nemeth

The WPT L.A. Poker Classic is usually one of the biggest events of the season, and this year is no different. Play began on Day 1 avec environ 450 players, but registration remained open all day, and when play ended the field size had increased to 666. Avec 507 survivors heading to Day 2, there were actually more players in the field at the end of play than the beginning.

Registration will remain open until the start of play on Day 2, potentially crossing the over-under line of 673 set on the LAPC preview episode of "The Jess & BJ Show." The official prizepool will be announced on Day 2 when the final numbers are crunched.

Here is the top of the leaderboard at the end of Day 1:

1. Mike Baxter - 125,400
2. Ronnie Ebanks - 121,575
3. Arkadiy Stekoeshchikov - 111,000
4. Grégory Brooks - 108,425
5. Jason Mercier - 106,625

Et maintenant, un retour photographique sur la Journée 1 du WPT LA Poker Classic :


Phil Ivey, who won this event back in Season VI, showed up near the end of Level 2. As is often the case, Ivey's attention sometimes drifts elsewhere, but he finished the day with nearly the same stack he started with -- 29,900. (Players begin with 30,000 en chips.)


In 2010, le WPT LA Poker Classique a attiré un champ de 745 players, but expectations were lower for 2011. Play began with about 450 players, but the field grew throughout the day until it reached 666. Les inscriptions restent ouvertes jusqu'au début de la journée 2, so the official number will likely be a little higher.


La statue classique de Frederic Remington "Brancho Buster" is used as the basis for the trophies here at Commerce Casino. Remington's original statue was given to Theodore Roosevelt from his troops in the Rough Riders, back before he became President of the United States.


Éric Costa était l'un des deux joueurs sur le terrain à avoir obtenu leur entrée en jouant en ligne sur ClubWPT.com.


Blair Hinkle (à droite) regarde Darryll Poisson (à gauche) joue un pot halfway through Day 1. Hinkle made big headlines in the poker world when he won more than $1 million by finishing seconde in a recent FTOPS tournament on Full Tilt. With three players left in that event, Hinkle negotiated a higher prize than the player who went on to finish first. Both Hinkle and Fish survived Day 1 with above-average chip stacks.


Phil Hellmuth didn't take his seat until Level 3, which almost qualifies as early for him. Hellmuth made this final table back in Season VI, finishing sixth to Phil Ivey's first.


Michael "Le broyeur" Mizrachi became a household name in the poker world after winning more than $1.8 million in this event back in Season III. Mizrachi won his second WPT title a year later at the WPT Borgata Poker Classic, and is currently fourth on the WPT's all-time money list with total WPT earnings of $4,215,265.


Joueur en titre du WPT de l'année Faraz Jaka a joué le tournoi vendredi en portant un bonnet d'ours tricoté. Dans ce cas, la photo en dit bien plus qu’une légende ne pourrait jamais le faire.


Comme Eric Costa l'a mentionné plus tôt, Martin Bois a gagné sa place dans cet événement lors d'un satellite sur ClubWPT.com.


Erica Schönberg (à l'extrême gauche) passe un bon moment alors que Daniel Negreanu (right) was leading the players at the table in a game of "Marry, Boff, Kill." (Somebody names three people, and the other person must choose one to marry, one to boff, and one to kill -- all theoretical and in good fun, of course.) We'll keep the specifics of the game off the record.


Alors qu'il reste moins de cinq minutes à la journée, Daniel Negreanu (à gauche) était à tapis préflop et face à l'élimination avec [JJ] contre Maria Ho's [AA]. But the board came [976J5], and Negreanu turned a set of jacks to win the pot and double up. Both players finished the day with stacks that were about half the average, but still relatively deep compared to the blind structure.


Jason mercier is often ranked among the best players in the world, with a WSOP bracelet, an EPT title, and more than $5 million in live tournament earnings. What he doesn't have -- and what he'd really like to win -- is a WPT title. Mercier finished Day 1 avec 106,625 en chips (5th overall), and was named the RISE Clothing Player of the Day.


Jour 2 commence demain (samedi) à 12:00 midi PT. Revenez sur WorldPokerTour.com pour une couverture continue en direct, y compris des mises à jour des mains, le nombre de jetons, des interviews vidéo avec Kimberly Lansing et un autre épisode de "The Jess & BJ Show".

Jour 1 came to an end around 8:30 pm PT, and the tournament clock shows about 500 players left from a total field of 665. Unofficially, registration will remain open overnight until the start of play tomorrow, so the field still has time to grow -- and possibly break the line of 673 set this morning on "The Jess & BJ Show."

Le décompte officiel des jetons sera publié par le casino plus tard dans la soirée, mais nous avons analysé l'immense champ pour arriver à ce classement non officiel :

1.  Mike Baxter  -  125,400
2.  Gregory Brooks  -  108,425
3. Jason Mercier -  106,625


Stay tuned for a photo recap to be posted later tonight, and return to WPT.com tomorrow (Saturday) at 12:00 midi pour la couverture en direct de la Journée 2.

As is usually the case, most of the big action happens in the final half hour of the day. Here are a few select hands leading up to the closing bell at 8:30 16 h 00 HP : 

Avec le tableau final montrant [Ac10h9c4h4c] et à propos 10,000 déjà dans le pot, Layne Flack bet 6,000 from the big blind, and Bryan Devonshire thought for a while before folding his cards under the gun. Flack flashed A-4 for a full house, and said, "I caught a couple of runners."

Layne Flack  -  57,000
Bryan Devonshire -  57,500

At a nearby table, WPT Player of the Year points leader Andy Frankenberger flopped a full house with 10-10 sur un conseil d'administration de 10-8-8, and slow played it before moving all in on the river. His short-stacked opponent called, and Frankenberger busted him with the full house. 

Andy Frankenberger -  24,000

With less than five minutes left in the day, Maria Ho raised under the gun to 700, the button called, and Daniel Negreanu moved all in from the small blind for about 8,250, saying he was happy to shove his short stack with a few minutes left in the day. Maria called, and the button folded.

Negreanu showed [JcJh], but he was dominated by Maria's [AcAh]. 

Le conseil est venu [9c7h6sJ5c], and Negreanu turned a set of jacks to win the pot et doublez vos jetons. 

Daniel Negreanu -  17,675
Maria Ho -  21,000

Phil Hellmuth was a late arrival during Level 3, which almost qualifies as early for him.

Blair Hinkle (à droite) regarde Darryll Poisson joue un pot to the river during Level 4.


Champion en titre du WPT L.A. Poker Classic Andras Koroknaï (left) enters a pot à côté de Karga Holt.


With the board showing [AcAh4sKc10[s], Chino Rheem (right) bets 6,500 en pot de plus 15,000, ainsi que Amit Makhija (left) is about to call. At it turns out, both players had A-Q, and the chopped pot.

Avec près de 15,000 dans le pot et le tableau indiquant [5h3h2sac5s] Erick Lindgren parie 8,600 au big blind.

Jason Koon est le seul autre joueur dans la main et la mise le fait gémir : « Tellement malade ».

Koon attend un moment avant d'appeler. Lindgren montre [4d6d] pour une quinte à six hauts. Koon lance le [5s] avant de jeter sa carte.

"Tu ne me bluffes jamais dans ce domaine."pot "Il n'y a pas de problème non plus", dit Koon. Surtout après que tu m'as bluffé plus tôt.

Le duo s'est affronté dans un grand pot peu avant la dernière pause et aucun des deux ne semble avoir l'intention de reculer avant la fin de la soirée.

Érick Lindgren - 55,000
Jason Koon - 32,500

After a few players limps into the pot, Dan Smith raises from the button to about 2,000, and Dan Kelly reraises to about 5,000. The limpers fold, Smith moves all in, and Kelly snap-calls with K-K. Smith shows A-J, and Kelly is poised to double up. 

Le tableau arrive 9-9-8-8-A, and Dan Smith spikes an ace on the river to win the pot, and Dan Kelly is eliminated from the tournament.

Dan Kelly  -  Eliminated

Dans la dernière main du niveau 4, Chino Rheem and Amit Makhija see a flop of [AcAh4s]. Makhija checks from early position, Rheem bets 2,500 from middle position, and Makhija calls. The turn card is the [Kc], Makhija checks, Rheem bets 3,800, and Makhija calls. 

La carte rivière est la [10s], Makhija checks, Rheem bets 6,500, and Makhija calls. Rheem shows [AdQd] (trip aces), but Makhija turns over [AsQh] for an identical hand and a chopped pot. 

Impatient de commencer sa pause, Rheem demande à Makhija de s'assurer que le pot est partagé de manière égale et sort ensuite de la salle. Alors que Rheem est toujours à portée d'oreille, Makhija dit en plaisantant au croupier : "Envoyez plus de jetons de ce côté". Le croupier coupe le pot, but Makhija does get an extra 25 chip since he was closer to the button. 

Amit Makhija -  57,525
Chino Rheem -  20,100

Les joueurs reviennent de la pause pour commencer le niveau 5, avec des stores augmentés de 150-300 et 25 ante. This is the last level of the day, and the tournament clock shows 654 players in the field -- though a fair number of them have already busted. Registration remains open until the end of the day.

Phil Ivey showed up at the end of the Level 2, but in usual Ivey fashion, his mind is often on other things.

Joueur en titre du WPT de l'année Faraz Jaka a élargi son jeu, en quelque sorte, sous la forme d'un bonnet d'ours tricoté.


Champion du WPT Saison III LA Poker Classic Michael "Le broyeur" Mizrachi.

Several players call Darryll Fish's preflop raise and see a flop of [KhQh]7.  Fish bets and Adam Geyer is the only caller.

The turn brings the [Ad] and Fish bets again.  Geyer raises nearly his entire stack, Fish puts him all-in, and Geyer calls with [Jd9d] for a flush and straight draw.

Fish shows [Jh10h] for a Broadway straight and improves to a straight flush with the [9h] on the river.  Geyer is eliminated and Fish takes the pot.

Darryll Poisson - 60,000
Adam Geyer - éliminée

Les joueurs reviennent de la pause pour commencer le niveau 4. L'horloge du tournoi indique 647 joueurs sur le terrain, bien que les inscriptions restent ouvertes jusqu'à la fin de la journée. 

Le jeu continuera aujourd'hui jusqu'à la fin du niveau 5, qui devrait être à propos de 8:30 16 h 00 HP.