Photo Recap: Day 4 of WPT L.A. Poker Classic

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

By BJ Nemeth

The money bubble burst at the end of Day 3, so Day 4 started with 63 players and played down to the final 18. Here's a look at the official leaderboard from the end of the day:

1. Vivek Rajkumar - 3,231,000 (161 BBs)
2. Gregory Brooks - 2,326,000 (116 BBs)
3. Jason Dewitt - 1,916,000 (95 BBs)
4. Matthew Berkey - 1,614,000 (80 BBs)
5. Amir Lehavot - 1,595,000 (79 BBs)
6. Carlos Mortensen - 1,467,000 (73 BBs)
7. James Carroll - 1,270,000 (63 BBs)
8. Allen Cunningham - 1,079,000 (53 BBs)
9. Steve Gross - 964,000 (48 BBs)
10. Brandon Crawford - 935,000 (46 BBs)
11. David "Bakes" Baker - 736,000 (36 BBs)
12. Shannon Shorr - 690,000 (34 BBs)
13. Jesse Yaginuma - 599,000 (29 BBs)
14. Darryll Fish - 584,000 (29 BBs)
15. Jason Senti - 533,000 (26 BBs)
16. James Dowdy - 363,000 (18 BBs)
17. Kathy Liebert - 304,000 (15 BBs)
18. Matt Marafioti - 210,000 (10 BBs)

Here's a photographic look back at Day 4 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic:



On Day 4, the WPT Live Updates featured a live webcam provided by the team from All 360 Poker. It's a unique webcam that provides a 360-degree view of the entire table, allowing viewers to see in whichever direction they'd like. The camera itself is the metallic red object that appears to be hanging over Carlos Mortensen.

The players, clockwise from the bottom left: Shannon Shorr, Jason Dewitt, Michael McClain, Carlos Mortensen, and Matthew Berkey.



Day 4 began with 63 players at the final seven tables, leaving most of the Commerce ballroom empty. There was an eighth table in play (far right), but it was the final table for the LAPC $25,000 high-roller event.



James Carroll took the chip lead early, and was at or near the top of the counts for most of the day.



Jason Dewitt plays a big pot against Carlos Mortensen.



On the other side of the same hand, Carlos Mortensen waits for Jason Dewitt to respond to his bet on the turn.



Almira Skripchenko (left) and Dinara Khaziyeva are both chess masters, and they played a game against each other for the WPT cameras while Day 4 of the main event played out in the background. Skripchenko and Khaziyeva are two of the final tablists who will be at the WPT Celebrity Invitational final table on Wednesday evening.



Off to the side of the main event, Erik Seidel (foreground, bottom left) won a huge three-way all-in situation in the $25,000 high-roller event. Elky Grospellier (standing, left) was the short stack with AQ, up against Seidel's AA and the 99 of Darren Elias (far side of the table). The aces held up for Seidel, busting Grospellier in third place and giving Seidel the heads-up chip lead.



Erik Seidel carried the momentum of the big three-way hand to go on and win the tournament. Amazingly, this is the fourth high-roller event that Seidel has cashed in so far in 2011. Seidel has a fourth-place finish, a third, and two victories, giving him more than $3.5 million in earnings in those events alone.



Steve Gross plays a pot late on Day 4.



The most memorable hand of Day 4 was between James Carroll (left) and Vivek Rajkumar. Carroll four-bet it preflop, and then check-called Rajkumar's bets on the flop and the turn. With the board showing KJ8105, Rajkumar moved all in on the river, and Carroll tanked for about 10 minutes before he folded.



It took nearly as much time for Vivek Rajkumar to stack his chips as it did to play the hand. While Rajkumar refused to divulge any details about his hand, the table talked about the hand for several more minutes.



After a raise from Amir Lehavot and a reraise from Jason Dewitt, Steve Gross (far left) made a cold four-bet to 270,000. Shannon Shorr (far right) moved all in from the small blind, and Lehavot and Dewitt quickly folded. Gross was caught bluffing, but the pot odds were good and he called with J2. Shorr turned over AK, and the board came K93Q3 to give Shorr the double-up.



Carlos Mortensen's chip stack during a break. Day 4 included a lot of table changes as the field got smaller and smaller, so Mortensen had to dismantle and rebuild his structure a few times.



Without warning, Carlos Mortensen's chip-stack sculpture imploded, sending chips everywhere. Mortensen claims it's the first time that has ever happened. Kathy Liebert, who was treading water with a short stack all day, would love to have the problems of so many chips.



Melissa Hayden (foreground, right) takes an iPhone photo of her boyfriend Allen Cunningham (top left) late on Day 4.



Tim West (left) moved all in from the small blind after looking at just one card -- the 10. Allen Cunningham (right) called from the big blind, and West asked, "Can you beat my ten?" West then turned over his other card to see it for the first time -- 102. West briefly cursed his luck with a smile, until Cunningham flipped over 94. West was amazed that he was slightly ahead preflop, but the board came AA834, and Cunningham spiked a four on the winner to win the pot and eliminate Tim West in 21st place.



Nikolay Evdakov (far left) had five-bet all in preflop with AK, and Jason Dewitt (far right) thought for a few moments before calling with JJ. The board came 66536, giving Dewitt the double up and knocking Evdakov down toward the bottom of the chip counts.



Here's a little setup: With the board showing 109539 and a healthy pot in the middle, Gregory Brooks (right) moved all in, and Evdakov called with A10 for two pair, tens and nines. But Brooks showed A9 to win the pot with trip nines and eliminate Evdakov in 19th place, bringing Day 4 to an end. Brooks finished the day with 2,326,000, while Jason Senti (top left) seemed more than happy to reach Day 5 in 15th place with 533,000.



WPT Anchor Kimberly Lansing interviews RISE Clothing Player of the Day Vivek Rajkumar.


Day 5 begins Tuesday at 12:00 noon PT. Return to WorldPokerTour.com for continuing live coverage, including hand updates, frequent chip counts, video interviews with Kimberly Lansing, and another episode of "The Jess & BJ Show."

Day 5 Chip Counts and Seating Assingments

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

RISE Player of the Day - Vivek Rajkumar

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

Day 4 Ends With 18 Players

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

With the elimination of Nikolay Evdakov in 19th place, the final 18 players are bagging and tagging their chips. They'll return tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:00 noon PT to play down to the televised WPT Final Table. 

Stay tuned for official seating and chip counts, and a photo recap to be posted tomorrow morning.

Nikolay Evdakov Eliminated in 19th Place ($43,800)

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

With the final board showing 109539 and a healthy pot already in the middle of the table, Gregory Brooks moves all in, and Evdakov calls with A10 for two pair, tens and nines. 

But Brooks turns over A9 for trip nines to win the pot, and Evdakov is eliminated in 19th place. 

Gregory Brooks  -  Chip Count Coming Soon
Nikolay Evdakov  -  Out in 19th Place ($43,800)

Dan Heimiller Eliminated in 20th Place ($43,800)

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

On a board of 5422, Amir Lehavot bets 200,000 from the big blind and Dan Heimiller calls from the cutoff.

The river is the 9 and Lehavot moves all in for 475,000 (more than enough to cover Heimiller).

Genuinely not sure what to do, Heimiller reaches for his chips and then pulls back several times before making his final speach. "I wish my hand had gotten a little better. I'm not sure what to do. I guess I don't have enough to fold. Well, there's another tournament tomorrow, so I guess I call."

Heimiller ships his last 300,000 into the pot and Lehavot turns over A2 for trip deuces. Heimiller shows 43 for two pair. Dan Heimiller is eliminated in 20th place ($43,800) while Amir Lehavot moves up to 1,615,000.

Amir Lehavot - 1,615,000
Dan Heimiller - Eliminated in 20th Place ($43,800)

Jason Dewitt Doubles Thru Nikolay Evdakov

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

Jason Dewitt raises under the gun to 50,000, Nikolay Evdakov reraises from the cutoff to 150,000, and Dewitt reraises to 280,000. Evdakov slides his entire stack forward, moving all in, and Dewitt thinks for a few moments before he calls with JJ. Evdakov turns over AK, and it's a race situation. 

The board comes 66536, and Dewitt's pocket jacks hold up to win the pot with a full house and double his chip stack. 

Jason Dewitt  -  1,850,000  (92 BBs)
Nikolay Evdakov  -  580,000  (29 BBs)

Gregory Brooks vs. Jason Senti

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

With around 450,000 already in the pot and the board reading Q957, Gregory Brooks checks in the big blind and Jason Senti checks behind on the button.

The river brings the 5 and Brooks bets 274,000.  Senti thinks a minute or two before telling Brooks, "This is probably a bad fold," and mucking his hand.

Gregory Brooks - 1,680,000
Jason Senti - 650,000

Tim West Eliminated in 21st Place ($43,800)

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

Tim West looks at one card before moving all in from the small blind for 67,000 (a little more than 3 big blinds), and Cunningham pauses a bit before he calls, saying, "I wouldn't call here if I didn't need the chips."

West asks, "Can you beat my ten?" West then turns over his other card to see it for the first time -- he has 102. West curses his luck with a smile on his face, until Cunningham flips over 94. Unbelievably, West is slightly ahead here. 

The board comes AA834, and Cunningham pairs his four on the winner to win the pot and eliminate Tim West in 21st place.

Allen Cunningham  -  650,000  (32 BBs)
Tim West  -  Out in 21st Place ($43,800)

Carlos Mortensen vs. Nikolay Evdakov

Level 23: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

Carlos Mortensen raises under the gun to 45,000, Nikolay Evdakov reraises from the small blind to 120,000, and Mortensen calls. The flop comes KK9, Evdakov bets 120,000, and Mortensen calls. 

The turn card is the 8, Evdakov bets 200,000, and Mortensen has to dismantle part of his chip-stack structure to make the call. 

The river card is the 6, and Evdakov checks. Mortensen pauses before checking behind, and Evdakov says, "No pair." Mortensen turns over JJ, and Evdakov mucks. Carlos Mortensen takes the pot. 

Carlos Mortensen  -  1,110,000  (55 BBs)
Nikolay Evdakov  -  1,445,000  (72 BBs)