$10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship Day 4 | 2009 L.A. Poker Classic

02-24-2009 18:17 UTC-7

Play Resumes

[user75032]

Cards are back in the air. Thirty-three players remain.

02-24-2009 18:02 UTC-7

Players Are on a Break

[user75032]

The break is 15 minutes long.

02-24-2009 18:01 UTC-7

PokerNews Exclusive Video: Chris "Jesus" Ferguson

[user38449]

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson took some time out of a recent break to chat with our own Melissa Castello. The two discussed Chris' many travel excursions since the WSOP and, of course, poker.

Tags: Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson

02-24-2009 17:59 UTC-7

The average stack at this point of the tournament is a bit more than 400,000 chips. With blinds about to go to 4,000 and 8,000 at the next level, the players are still quite deep. That would help to explain the slowdown in eliminations.

02-24-2009 17:58 UTC-7

Recent Eliminations

[user75032]

We're down to 33 players remaining in the tournament after two recent eliminations. Anthony Venturini's run came to an end in 35th place; he was followed shortly thereafter by Shawn "sprstoner" Glines, who exited in 34th place. Each player earned $38,085.

Tags: Anthony Venturini Shawn Glines

02-24-2009 17:40 UTC-7

Extra Incentive

[user75032]

TD Matt Savage has just gone to each of the remaining four tables to inform the players that the pot has been sweetened for the six people who make the final table. They will be transported via limousine to an NBA game between the L.A. Clippers and the Boston Celtics tomorrow night. At halftime of the game, the six will be brought onto the court to be introduced to the national media. They'll also have an opportunity to shoot a lay-up, a free throw and a three-point shot for $1,200.

Chris Ferguson, upon hearing that the prize was $1,200, joked that if it had been a Lakers game rather than the lowly Clippers (the red-headed stepchild of Los Angeles basketball), the prize would have been $160,000.

02-24-2009 17:38 UTC-7

Braband Doubles through Sowers

[user75032]

Tom Braband made a risky play that worked out. He was one of three players already in the pot for a raise when Mike Sowers raised an additional 42,000 from the small blind. Greg Mueller folded before Braband moved all in for 272,000 total. That folded Nancy Todd Tyner, but not Sowers. He quickly called.

Sowers: {J-Diamonds}

Braband:

Braband paired his king on a flop of {8-Hearts}

, then had to hold on when the turn {9-Spades}

gave both players an open-ended straight draw. The river was a blank, the {5-Hearts}

, allowing Braband to double up to about 600,000. Sowers is down to 460,000.

Tags: Mike Sowers Tom Braband

02-24-2009 17:19 UTC-7

Two More Pros Knuckle Under

[user75032]

While we were off the tournament floor, two more players were eliminated from the tournament. Erica Schoenberg earned $32,740 for her 37th-place finish; Men "The Master" Nguyen made the next pay jump by finishing 36th. He collected $38,085.

Tags: Erica Schoenberg Men Nguyen

02-24-2009 17:11 UTC-7

D'Auria Loving Every Minute

[user75032]

Donald D'Auria is playing the L.A. Poker Classic on a freeroll. He participated in one of the WPT Boot Camps and managed to snag a free entry into this tournament. He is also among the chip leaders after taking a pot off of Payman Arjang. With the board showing {J-Diamonds}

, Arjang checked to D'Auria. D'Auria cut 75,000 out of his stack and placed it over the betting line. Arjang called, but mucked his hand when D'Auria turned over the nuts, {A-Spades}