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Live: $25,000 WPT World Championship
Upcoming: $100,000 WPT Super High Roller
| Earnings | $115,375 |
| Cashes | 2 |
| Final Tables | 0 |
| Titles | 0 |
| Tournaments Played | 2 |
Ranking
9th
Payout
$96,780
Points
500
Day 1
48,025
Day 2
260,400
Day 3
299,000
Day 4
654,000
Day 6
9th
Level 27: 25,000-50,000, 5,000 ante
By BJ Nemeth
Here's a look back at some of the highlights from Day 5 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic as they played down from 18 players to the final six.
(Official seating and chip counts for the WPT Final Table are at the bottom of this photo recap.)
The hand pictured here -- pocket aces losing to queen-jack suited -- would be pivotal to the story of Day 5. This is just a teaser, as the details will be revealed later in this recap.
The Royal Flush Girls check out the action at the start of the day, as two-thirds of these final 18 players would miss out on the WPT Final Table.
Paul Klann (pictured above) started the day second in chips, but had a very strong first level, adding nearly a million to his stack to take a big lead. Day 5 was a steady one for Klann, who was never very far from the top of the leaderboard.
In a blind-vs.-blind situation, Paul Volpe (left) and Garrett Greer (right) bet back and forth over a board of K
7
2
A8. Volpe check-folded the river, claiming he had seven-deuce (two pair).
Greer then smiled and turned over 72
as he pulled in the pot.
Michael "Squeaky" Winnett (standing, right) was just as hyper and talkative on Day 5 as he had been on previous days, and can't resist talking to anyone and everyone after moving all in preflop against Bruce Kramer (left). Kramer would eventually fold, giving Winnett the pot.
WPT Camera Operator Jon Gay set up a tall tripod to get an overhead shot on one of the final two tables.
Michael Winnett (right) three-bet all in with A5, but he ran into the dominating AJ of Benjamin Zamani (left). Winnett turned a gutshot straight draw, but improved no further, and he was eliminated in 16th place, earning $49,630.
Michael "Squeaky" Winnett may not have been a favorite among his fellow players in this event, but he received heartfelt congratulations from the Royal Flush Girls after his elimination. (And yes, he was still carrying his cardboard tablet of "Seven Poker Commandments" and his homemade book, "The Poker Bible.")
With 15 players left and the board showing 8543, Naoya Kihara (left) check-raised all in. Paul Volpe (right) would fold, forfeiting the pot to Kihara.
Though Kihara won this pot, he would eventually be eliminated in ninth place, earning $96,780.
Alexander Venovski (right) was all in preflop with JJ, and a favorite against the A3 of Paul Volpe (left). But an ace on the flop was all it took to end Venovski's tournament in 11th place, earning $70,970.
After Venovski's elimination, the remaining 10 players combined to a single table. In seat order: (1) Bruce Kramer, (2) Garrett Greer, (3) Paul Klann, (4) Toby Lewis, (5) David Tuthill, (6) David Fong, (7) Jesse Yaginuma, (8) Naoya Kihara, (9) Danny Fuhs, and (10) Paul Volpe.
One of the key hands of the day was played between David Tuthill (center) and Danny Fuhs (foreground, right). With the board showing 1095108 on the river, Fuhs moved all in, and Tuthill tanked for a long time, saying, "I really want to die right now," and "You guys might want to go on break."
For his part, Fuhs seemed completely comfortable, eating some soup from a side table while Tuthill was clearly conflicted. (Continued in the next photo.)
Eventually, somebody called the clock on David Tuthill (left), and about 10 seconds later, he called. Danny Fuhs (right) turned over QJ to win the pot with a queen-high straight. Tuthill mucked as he was eliminated in eighth place, but since it was an all-in situation, the dealer revealed his cards to the table.
Tuthill had AA.
Garrett Greer (pictured above) was the unfortunate person who busted on the TV bubble. Greer three-bet all in from the small blind with AK, but he lost a race against Paul Volpe's 99. Greer earned $161,300 for his seventh-place finish.
Winning the last hand of the night helped cement Paul Volpe (pictured above) as the chipleader, heading into the televised WPT Final Table with nearly 4.2 million in chips.
Here are the official chip counts for the televised WPT Final Table:
Seat 1. Paul Klann - 3,375,000 (67 bb)
Seat 2. Toby Lewis - 1,125,000 (22 bb)
Seat 3. David Fong - 2,295,000 (45 bb)
Seat 4. Jesse Yaginuma - 1,235,000 (24 bb)
Seat 5. Danny Fuhs - 3,280,000 (65 bb)
Seat 6. Paul Volpe - 4,195,000 (83 bb)
The televised WPT Final Table begins Thursday at 4:00 pm PT. Return to WPT.com for complete hand-for-hand coverage, along with updated chip counts after each hand.
You should also check out the WPT Live Stream, which provides all the action (including hole cards and expert commentary) on a 30-minute delay.
Level 26: 20,000-40,000, 5,000 ante
Hand #37 - Paul Klann min-raises UTG+1 to 80,000, Naoya Kihara (pictured above) moves all in from the button for 690,000, and Klann calls with AK. Kihara turns over 99, and he'll need it to hold to stay alive.
The board comes KJ85A, and Klann wins the pot with two pair, aces and kings, to eliminate Naoya Kihara in ninth place.
Paul Klann - 3,010,000 (75 bb)
Naoya Kihara - Out in 9th Place ($96,780)
Level 24: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Naoya Kihara raises UTG+1 to 52,000, Jeremy Ausmus moves all in from middle position for 338,000, and Kihara tanks for a while before he calls with KJ. Ausmus turns over AQ, and he'll need it to hold to stay alive.
The board comes 85278, and Ausmus wins the pot with his ace to double up in chips.
Jeremy Ausmus - 844,000 (35 bb)
Naoya Kihara - 1,230,000 (51 bb)
Level 24: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Naoya Kihara raises from the button to 52,000, and Paul Volpe calls from the big blind. The flop comes J72, Volpe checks, Kihara bets 48,000, and Volpe calls.
The turn is the 6, Volpe checks, Kihara bets 108,000, and Volpe calls. The river is the 4, Volpe checks, Kihara bets 282,000, and Volpe calls.
Kihara shows QJ (pair of jacks) to win the pot, and Volpe mucks.
Naoya Kihara - 1,580,000 (65 bb)
Paul Volpe - 775,000 (32 bb)
Level 24: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Paul Volpe (right) min-raises UTG+1 to 48,000, and Naoya Kihara (left) calls from the big blind. The flop comes 854, Kihara bets 46,000, and Volpe calls.
The turn is the 3, Kihara checks, Volpe bets 122,000, and Kihara moves all in for 713,000. Volpe tanks for a while before he folds, and Kihara takes the pot.
Naoya Kihara - 1,030,000 (42 bb)
Paul Volpe - 1,245,000 (51 bb)
Level 24: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Andrew Whitaker (pictured above on Day 4) moves all in under the gun for 127,000, and Naoya Kihara moves all in over the top from the small blind. Jeremy Ausmus folds the big blind.
Kihara turns over A6, and Whitaker is a dominant favorite to double up with his A10.
The board comes K6244, and Kihara pairs his six on the flop to win the pot and eliminate Andrew Whitaker.
Naoya Kihara - 705,000 (29 bb)
Andrew Whitaker - Out in 17th Place ($49,630)
Level 24: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Photo: You can't tell from this photo, but Garrett Greer is in a wheelchair. (Not that it matters in poker, of course.)
Naoya Kihara raises under the gun to 52,000, Garrett Greer reraises from the hijack to 125,000, and Kihara calls. The flop comes 1092, Kihara checks, Greer bets 106,000, and Kihara calls.
The turn is the 6, Kihara checks, Greer moves all in for about 350,000, and Kihara folds. Greer takes the pot.
Garrett Greer - 800,000 (33 bb)
Naoya Kihara - 560,000 (23 bb)
Level 22: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante
Naoya Kihara raises from the cutoff, Ana Marquez moves all in from the big blind for about 240,000, and Kihara calls with AK. Marquez turns over 44, and she'll need it to hold to stay alive.
The board comes KJ286, and Kihara pairs his king on the flop to win the pot and eliminate Ana Marquez -- the last female standing -- from the tournament.
Naoya Kihara - 720,000
Ana Marquez - Out in 20th Place ($43,180)
Level 21: 6,000-12,000, 2,000 ante
The board reads J659 when Naoya Kihara bets 56,000 and Jesse Yaginuma raises to 113,000 behind him. Kihara tanks for a minute and then moves all in. Yaginuma calls all in for 519,000 and they flip over their hands.
Kihara: 98
Yaginuma: J10
Turn and River: A
Yaginuma wins the hand to double up and Kihara is down to 600,000 after the hand.
Jesse Yaginuma - 1,160,000 (96 bb)
Naoya Kihara - 605,000 (50 bb)
Level 21: 6,000-12,000, 2,000 ante
Naoya Kihara raises from the button to 25,000, Warwick Mirzikinian moves all in from the small blind for about 290,000, and Kihara calls with AK. Mirzikinian turns over A9, and he'll need to improve to stay alive.
The board comes J1067Q, and Kihara rivers an ace-high straight to win the pot and eliminate Mirzikinian from the tournament.
Naoya Kihara - 940,000 (78 bb)
Warwick Mirzikinian - Out in 24th Place ($38,710)
