WPT L.A. Poker Classic, Day 3 Recap

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

By BJ Nemeth


Here's a look back at some of the highlights from Day 2 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. For the official chip counts and seating assignments, click here.



The owner of this chip stack had nearly 900,000 in chips when the photo was taken, and finished Day 3 with more than a million for the chip lead. (The ring on the finger is a small clue: he's probably married.)



The Royal Flush Girls record a promo for the next stop on the World Poker Tour -- the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament, which starts just four days after this event's final table.

From left to right: Danielle Ruiz, Ivy Teves, Jeannie Duffy, and Brittany Bell.



Day 3 was the Money Day; action would continue as long as necessary to burst the Money Bubble. The day began with 162 players, but only the final 63 would get paid.

In a possible bit of foreshadowing, actress Jennifer Tilly (standing, left) takes a photo of her boyfriend Phil Laak flashing a wad of cash. Would one or both of them make the money? (Keep reading.)



With the board showing 108668 on the river and nearly 75,000 in the pot, Dani Stern (left) bet 55,000, and Maria Ho (right) tanked for more than five minutes before she folded.



Galen Hall (left) started the day strong, taking the chip lead during the first level of the day. Hall was interviewed for the WPT television cameras while the rest of the field took their break.



While the tournament was going on, WPT commentator and Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton (left) was interviewed by WPT reporter Jeanine Deeb for a new segment looking back at the previous 10 seasons of the World Poker Tour.



Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly give each other good luck kisses on Day 3 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. But while Laak would survive the day to finish in the money with an average chip stack, Tilly would fall short.



After a raise to 4,500, Derek Gregory (left) reraised from the button to 15,000, and start-of-day chipleader Peter Neff (right) cold-four-bet it from the big blind to 38,500. The initial raiser folded, and Gregory called.

The flop came 1063, and Neff check-raised all in. Gregory then went into the tank for 15 minutes -- yes, 15 minutes -- using up an entire break between levels before he called with QQ. Neff turned over 88, and the best hand held up for Gregory to double up into the chip lead.

You can read the full details of the 15-minute hand by clicking here.



It wasn't the biggest chip stack in the room, nor was it the most imaginative structure we've seen Carlos Mortensen create. But it was a recognizable sign that the only player to win both the WPT World Championship and the WSOP Main Event was still in the field.



Matt Szymaszek (far left) moved all in for 42,100, Lauren Kling (center left) called, and Ryan Eriquezzo (far right) moved all in over the top. Kling tanked for a couple of minutes before calling with JJ -- which turned out to be the best hand. Szymaszek had AJ, and Eriquezzo turned over AK.

But the best hand doesn't always win, and a king on the flop gave the entire pot to Eriquezzo, who took his turn at the top of the leaderboard as both Szymaszek and Kling were eliminated from the tournament.



Zoltan Kovacs (right) earned his entry into this event by winning a satellite on ClubWPT.com, but was eliminated on Day 2. He stopped by the tournament area to check out the action on Day 3, and got his photo taken with two of his favorite players -- Phil Hellmuth (left) and Will Failla.

(No, Will Failla isn't actually that short; he was goofing around and bending his knees to highlight how tall Hellmuth and Kovacs are.)



Late in the day, Jeremy Ausmus (left) moved into the chip lead, coincidentally sitting next to Peter Neff (right), who had started the day with the lead before losing that huge pot to Derek Gregory (not shown).



With Day 3 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic playing out behind her, Royal Flush Girl Ivy Teves played in a special RFG Bounty tournament on ClubWPT.com.

Any ClubWPT player who busted one of the Royal Flush Girls would receive a special bounty prize package that includes a hoodie, t-shirt, hat, and backpack, along with an autographed photo from the Royal Flush Girl that he or she eliminated.



The schedule dictated that action would continue until the field reached the money, but five 90-minute levels wouldn't be enough. Neither would six. But about 10 minutes into the seventh level of the day, Arlo Dotson (foreground, left) was all in for about 4 bb with J9 against the 75 of Sam Razavi (foreground, right).

The board came KQ347, and Razavi paired his seven on the river to win the pot, and eliminate Dotson in 64th place to burst the money bubble.

The remaining 63 players bagged and tagged their chips, secure in the fact that they were all guaranteed at least $18,360 each.



That chipleading stack at the top of this photo recap belonged to Jeremy Ausmus, who is looking for his first WPT Final Table. But Ausmus is no stranger to high-pressure poker, as he was part of last year's "October Nine" in the WSOP Main Event, where he finished fifth. Ausmus also reached the final two tables of the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic this past December.




With 63 players remaining, the average stack is about 246,000 (41 big blinds). Here's a look at the top of the leaderboard:

1.  Jeremy Ausmus  -  1,014,000  (169 bb)
2.  Blake Barousse  -  815,000  (135 bb)
3.  Eric Froehlich  -  755,000  (125 bb)
4.  Galen Hall  -  734,000  (122 bb)
5.  David Tuthill  -  613,000  (102 bb)

Day 4 begins Tuesday at 12:00 noon PT. Stay tuned to WPT.com for live coverage and chip counts throughout the day.

Day 4 Seat Draw and Chip Counts

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

ClubWPT Player of the Day - Jeremy Ausmus

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

Day 3 Ends with 63 Players in the Money - Jeremy Ausmus in the Lead with 1,014,000

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

Day 3 at the World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic took a level longer than expected to bust the money bubble on Monday at the Commerce Casino. The final 63 players advanced to Day 4 around 11 p.m. PT in Southern California and they will all take home at least $18,360 in prize money.

The chip leader at the end of the night was Jeremy Ausmus with 1,014,000. He cruised into the lead earlier this evening and held strong throughout play on the money bubble. Ausmus is joined at the top by Blake Barousse (815,000), Eric Froehlich (755,000), Galen Hall (744,000), David Tuthill (613,000), Paul Volpe (570,000), and Ryan Franklin (551,000).

A lot of familiar faces missed the money today, including Jonathan Aguiar, who cashed in the previous three WPT tournaments he played in before the LAPC. Unfortunately he couldn’t make it four, and he was joined on the rail today by Dwyte Pilgrim, Eli Elezra, Jennifer Tilly, Brandon Cantu, Bryan Devonshire, David Pham, Dan O’Brien, David Williams, Shannon Shorr, Victor Ramdin, Lauren Kling, Liz Lieu, Lacey Jones, Maria Ho, Nick Schulman, Matt Affleck, Matt Brady, and WPT Season X Player of the Year Joe Serock.

Tune back in at noon PT tomorrow as the surviving field plays down to the final 18 players or through five levels, whichever takes longer. Play will begin with 78 minutes and eight seconds remaining in Level 18 on Tuesday.

Arlo Dotson Eliminated On The Bubble

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

Action folds to Sam Razavi (foreground, right) in the small blind and he raises to 23,000 effective. Arlo Dotson (foreground, left) calls all in from the big blind and tables J9, ahead of Razavi's 75.

Dotson stays in the lead through the KQ3 flop and 4 turn, but the 7 river falls to pair Razavi and eliminate Dotson in 64th place.

Sam Razavi  -  281,000  (46 bb)
Arlo Dotson  -  Eliminated

Level 18 Begins (64 Players Left)

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

The players return from break to begin Level 18, with increased blinds of 3,000-6,000 and a 1,000 ante. With 64 players remaining, the average chip stack is about 242,000.

The field is on the money bubble, so the next player to bust will receive nothing, while the other 63 players will be guaranteed at least $18,360. As soon as the money bubble bursts, action will stop for the night.

Daniel Callaghan Eliminated in 65th Place

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Daniel Callaghan moves all in preflop for 102,500 and Ryan Franklin reraises all-in to isolate. Everyone else folds and they flip over their cards.

Franklin: AA
Callaghan: KK 

Board: 885Q4

Callaghan is eliminated on the hand and Franlkin is up near 500,000. The tournament is now playing hand-for-hand on the money bubble.

Ryan Franklin - 475,000 (95 bb)
Daniel Callaghan - Eliminated in 65th Place

Phil Laak Doubles Thru Wartan Jalnakrian

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Phil Laak gets his stack of about 122,000 into the middle of an AJ9 flop with KQ. Wartan Jalnakrian gives him action with A9 and maintains the lead through the Q turn. However, Laak makes a flush when the 6 river falls.

Phil Laak - 320,000 (64 bb)
Wartan Jalnakrian - 90,000 (18 bb)

Chipleaders Past & Present; Plus Phil, Will, & Zoltan

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Peter Neff (right) started the day as the chipleader, but lost a huge pot against Derek Gregory about halfway thru the day to lose his grip on the lead. Since that time, Jeremy Ausmus (left) has risen to the top of the counts with nearly 900,000 in chips.



Carlos Mortensen doesn't have a ton of chips, but his above-average stack gave him enough to design an interesting stack, which is a rather simple structure compared to his high standards.



ClubWPT qualifier Zoltan Kovacs (right) earned his entry into this event by winning a satellite on ClubWPT.com. Even though Kovacs busted yesterday, he stopped by to check out the Day 3 tournament action, and got to take a photo with two of his favorite players -- Phil Hellmuth (left) and Will Failla.

(No, Will Failla isn't actually that short; he was goofing around and bending his knees to highlight how tall Hellmuth and Kovacs are.)



WPT reporter Jeanine Deeb interviews Sam Razavi on the break.

Zach Hyman Doubles Thru Dani Stern

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Dani Stern raises from middle position to 10,000, Zach Hyman moves all in from the small blind for about 80,000, and Stern calls with KJ. Hyman turns over AK, and he's a dominant favorite to double up here.

The board comes J536K, and Stern pairs his jack on the flop to take the lead, only to see Hyman river an ace-high club flush to win the pot and double up in chips.

Zach Hyman  -  169,500  (33 bb)
Dani Stern  -  142,000  (28 bb)