2009 L.A. Poker Classic

$10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship
Day: 4
Event Info

2009 L.A. Poker Classic

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k5
Prize
$1,686,260
Event Info
Buy-in
$9,600
Entries
696
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
0

Checking in on the Chip Leader

It's been fairly smooth sailing so far for chip leader Kofi Farkye. He started Day 4 with 837,500 chips and hit a high water mark of roughly 1.14 million.

Even Farkye can't win every pot though; he recently raised to 11,000 from under the gun. Action folded to Cornel Andrew Cimpan in the big blind, who squeezed his cards and then announced he was all in. Farkye snap-called with {A-Spades} {Q-Spades}, only to see that he was behind Cimpan's {A-Hearts} {K-Clubs}.

"Again?" Farkye asked. Apparently it was not the first time he ran ace-queen into ace-king. The board ran out {K-Spades} {5-Diamonds} {5-Hearts} {Q-Clubs} {9-Hearts}, not enough help for Farkye. He paid Cimpan 105,000 total chips, dropping his stack back to 1.035 million.

Tags: Kofi Farkye

Akkari Doubles Through Corkins

Andre Akkari
Andre Akkari
We came to Andre Akkari's table in time to see him moving all in for 93,500 on the turn of a {4-Hearts} {5-Clubs} {J-Clubs} {7-Hearts} board. His raise was over the top of a lead bet from Hoyt Corkins. Corkins called with {Q-Hearts} {10-Hearts} and was surprised to find his hand more live than he had anticipated against Akkari's {8-Spades} {8-Clubs}. Corkins didn't hit, as the river fell {6-Spades} to make an unnecessary straight for Akkari. He doubled up to 247,000 while Corkins took the hit to 203,000.

Tags: Andre AkkariHoyt Corkins

Level: 18

Blinds: 2,500/5,000

Ante: 500

Top Ten Chip Counts

Here's a look at the top ten stacks after one level of play, courtesy of www.worldpokertour.com:

Kofi Farkye - 1,064,000
Donald D'Auria - 778,000
Mike Sowers - 765,000
Dan Lu - 760,000
Jeremy Kottler - 610,000
Chris Karagulleyan - 585,000
Dan O'Brien - 540,000
Chris Ferguson - 470,000
Payman Arjang - 430,000
Bertrand Grospellier - 398,000

Oh Yes He Did -- Wasicka Doubles

Paul Wasicka
Paul Wasicka
With 25,000 chips in the pot preflop, Paul Wasicka led out for 9,500 on a flop of {3-Spades} {7-Hearts} {K-Diamonds} after his lone opponent, Payman Arjang, checked. Arjang check-raised to 23,000 and Wasicka called.

Arjang checked the turn {A-Hearts}, then called a bet of 26,000 from Wasicka. When the river fell {3-Clubs}, Arjang led out for 26,000 of his own. Wasicka took roughly one minute before moving in for 82,500. Arjang was pained to make the call, but he did. Wasicka wordlessly turned over {5-Diamonds} {3-Diamonds} for rivered trips.

"Oh no you didn't!" exclaimed Arjang upon seeing Wasicka's hand. "Are you serious?" Wasicka was dead serious. Arjang had no choice at that point but to ship 82,500 chips to Wasicka, who added them to the pot to increase his stack to 287,000.

Tags: Paul WasickaPayman Arjang

Table Talk

Mike Sowers to Maria Ho: "Where you from?"

Ho: "L.A."

Sowers: "You like it out here?"

Ho: "No."

It probably didn't help that Ho was pulled over by the local law enforcement on her way to the casino this morning for talking on her cell phone while she was driving. She was issued a ticket.

Tags: Maria HoMike Sowers

Recent Eliminations

Steve Paul-Ambrose
Steve Paul-Ambrose
The following players have been eliminated and will each receive $27,395:

47th - Steve Paul-Ambrose
48th - Luis Velador
49th - Nick Binger
50th - David Pham
51st - Alex Wilson
52nd - Bryan Paris
53rd - Scott Mayfield
54th - Cody Slaubaugh

Tags: Steve Paul-Ambrose

Mueller Survives Cold Deck

"I have to call," said Greg Mueller after his opponent moved all in preflop on the third raise. Mueller turned over {K-Hearts} {K-Clubs} and saw that he was up against {A-Spades} {A-Hearts}.

"How cold is this!" Mueller exclaimed. "Two kings against two aces." Mueller's dismay turned to surprised jubilation on a flop of {K-Diamonds} {2-Hearts} {J-Spades}. "Oh my god," he said. "The kid hits a two-outer one time." Mueller's set of kings held with a turn {7-Hearts} and a river {9-Clubs}. He doubled up to 210,000.

Tags: Greg Mueller