Twenty players headed into day 5 of the L.A. Poker Classic with one goal in mind, make that televised World Poker Tour final table. Play lasted for nearly 12 hours, and along the way some of the best in the game faltered, while one of the most recognizable faces in poker survived to show his game to the masses.
Continue reading below to see how the CardPlayer.com live updates team chronicled the action.
Billy Pilossoph Eliminated in 20th Place ($44,433)Billy Pilossoph was short-stacked and looking to make a move. Unfortunately for him, his Q
J
ran into Chris Karagulleyen and his dominating K
J.
The board ran out 6 5
2 6 10, and Pilossoph was eliminated in 20th place, earning $44,433.
Karagulleyen now sits with 1.3 million in chips.
Matt Woodward Eliminated in 19th Place ($44,433)A short stacked Matt Woodward was all in holding A 7 against Peter Feldman and his A K.
Teddy Monroe starts calling out for a 7, hoping his friend can stay in the tournament. The flop comes 7 3 2, and Woodward hits his 7.
Feldman seems indifferent, typing away on his phone as he turns from the table. The turn is the 6, and Feldman is down to just three outs to send Woodward home.
The river is the.... K! Feldman pairs his king, and Woodward is eliminated in 19th place, earning $44,433. Monroe gives Woodward a big hug, though it is unclear whether or not it was asked for. Monroe vows to pay back Feldman for the "suckout" on the river, and Woodward is given applause as he exits the tournament room.
Zach Hyman Doubles Up; Nick Schulman Crippled
Zach Hyman raised to 55,000, and Nick Schulman reraised to 135,000 in late position. Hyman made the call, and the flop came A 10 9.
Hyman then moved all in for 484,000, and Schulman made the call. Hyman showed A J and was ahead of Schulman's flush draw with 5 4.
The turn and river came K and 7, and Hyman's hand held to double him up to 1.25 million. Schulman was crippled down to his last 161,000.
Teddy Monroe Eliminated in 16th Place ($51,114)Teddy Monroe raised to 70,000 on the button, and Dan Lu moved all in from the big blind. Monroe then called all in for an additional 90,000.
Lu showed pocket queens, and Monroe showed pocket nines. The board came 8 7 4 J 6, and Monroe was eliminated in 16th place, earning $51,114.
Lu now has 650,000.
Peter Feldman Eliminated in 14th Place ($57,796)Peter Feldman was down to about eight big blind when he got his last 171,000 all in from middle position. Donald D'Auria made the call with pocket sevens, and they held against Feldman's A 3 to take the pot and send Feldman home in 14th place.
Feldman earned $57,796 for his finish. D'Auria is now back up to 980,000 in chips.
Zach Hyman Eliminated in 12th Place ($64,477)
Zach Hyman raised to 85,000, and Blake Cahail made the call in the big blind. The flop was dealt 8
5
2
, and Cahail checked. Hyman bet 200,000 and Cahail raised all in. Hyman made the all-in call for his final 635,000, and they turned up their cards:
Cahail: A
A
Hyman: 10
10
Turn and River: 7
and K
Hyman was eliminated in 12th place, and he will take home $64,477 in prize money.
Chris Ferguson Doubles Up
Chris Ferguson completes from the small blind, and Binh Nguyen checks his option.
The flop comes Q 5 2, and Ferguson checks. Nguyen bets 35,000, and Ferguson calls. The turn is the 6. Nguyen bets 90,000, and Ferguson calls.
The river is the Q, and Nguyen bets 150,000. Ferguson then moves all in for 715,000. Nguyen thinks it over and calls, Ferguson turns over K 9 for the runner-runner flush.
Nguyen now sits with 1.045 million, while Ferguson chips up to 1.76 million.
Mike Sowers Doubles Up Through Binh Nguyen
Mike Sowers open-pushed for 620,000 in the small blind, and Binh Nguyen made the call in the big blind. Sowers showed A 5 but was dominated by Nguyen's A Q.
The board came K 10 5 7 4, and Sowers paired his five to double up to 1.45 million. Nguyen took a hit down to 950,000.
Mike Sowers Doubles Through Blake Cahail
Blake Cahail raised to 125,000, and Mike Sowers called on the button. Chris Ferguson called in the big blind, and the flop came down K J 9.
Ferguson checked, Cahail checked, and Sowers bet 250,000. Ferguson folded, and Cahail moved all in, having Sowers and his 1.15 million stack covered.
Sowers made the call and revealed K Q. Cahail showed A 5 for the nut-flush draw with an overcard.
The turn and river came 6 and 9, and Sowers pair of kings held to double him up to 3.225 million. Cahail now has 1.75 million.
Payman Arjang Eliminated in Eighth Place ($133,632)Payman Arjang hasn't made too many friends at the table with his consistently long decision-making process. The players have been respectful so far, but their patience was tested with his last two hands of the evening.
On the first hand, Binh Nguyen raised to a standard amount from early position, and Arjang, sitting with 10 big blinds, tanked in the small blind with A J. After about five minutes of agony, Arjang folded, flashing the hand to the table.
On the very next hand, Arjang raised to 170,000 on the button. Blake Cahail folded, and Chris Karagulleyan raised a handful of chips, insinuating that he was putting Arang all in. Arjang asked for a count, despite being extremely outchipped, and realized that he would have another 135,000 behind.
Five minutes and some complaints from the rest of the table later, Arjang unbelievably just calls, leaving himself with just over two big blinds. The dealer was so confused that she asked the players to turn their cards up.
Instead, Karagulleyan bet the rest dark, and both players flipped up their hands. Arjang had A J, and Karagulleyan showed K K.
The flop came out A 5 2, and the table got visably ill. The turn was the 8, and the players began to think about the possiblity of hours more of tank-decision making.
Mike Sowers, pleading for the poker gods to bless the table, shouted out for the K. Instead, the river was ... the K! The room erupted in celebration. Karagulleyan, by far the crowd favorite, graciously offered a handshake to Arjang as he exited the room. Arjang received $133,632 for his eighth-place finish.
The table, excited about being one step closer to the final table, will now continue until just six remain.
Blake Cahail Eliminated in seventh Place ($180,403)Blake Cahail raised to 150,000, and Chris Karagulleyan reraised to 600,000. The action folded back around to Cahail, who moved all in for another 300,000 or so.
Karagulleyan called and instantly turned over K K. Cahail showed A K and needed a lot of help to survive.
The board ran out Q 5 4 6 J, and Cahail was eliminated in seventh place, earning $180,403.
Official Chip Counts
Here are the official chip counts heading into Thursday's final table:
- Chris Karagulleyan -- 4,080,000
- Mike Sowers -- 2,405,000
- Pat Walsh -- 2,200,000
- Binh Nguyen -- 1,895,000
- Cornel Cimpan -- 1,740,000
- Chris Ferguson -- 1,565,000
