Photo Recap: Day 2 of WPT L.A. Poker Classic

Level 11: 600-1,200, 200 ante

By BJ Nemeth

At the start of Day 1, there were about 450 players, and that number increased to 666 by the end of that day. Registration remained open overnight until the start of Day 2, and the field eventually filled out to 681 players.

By the end of Day 2, the field had diminished to 238 players, and the tentative plan is to play long enough to burst the money bubble on Day 3. The top 63 will finish in the money, earning at least $22,230, while the winner of this event will take home $1,654,120.

With the average stack around 85,500, here's a look at the top 10 players on the leaderboard:

1. Joe DeNiro - 366,700
2. James Carroll - 264,800
3. Jason Senti - 258,200
4. Mike Sowers - 252,500
5. Michael Mizrachi - 227,600
6. Nikolay Evdakov - 213,200
7. Carlos Mortensen - 204,900
8. Evan McNiff - 203,100
9. Allen Cunningham - 196,400
10. Ted Jivkov - 195,900

And now, a photographic look back at Day 2 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic:



Even though Phil Ivey had a short stack in the second-to-last level of the day, everyone at the table folded to his preflop raise, forfeiting the blinds and antes. They may have been afraid of doubling up the player generally considered to be the best in the world, but it didn't matter, as Ivey eventually built his stack to finish the day with a nearly average stack of 76,500.



Two-time WPT winner Freddy Deeb was one of the 24 players who skipped Day 1 entirely to begin Day 2 with the starting stack of 30,000 in chips (75 big blinds). Deeb finished the day with a slightly-below-average stack of 64,400.



Royal Flush Girl Sunisa Kim checks out the field in the middle of Day 2. Day 1 started with about 450 players, but when registration finally closed at the start of Day 2, the final tally was 681.



As WPT Borgata Poker Open champion Dwyte Pilgrim pulls in a pot, you can see he is wearing his WPT winner's bracelet and two of his four WSOP Circuit rings. Unfortunately, Pilgrim won't be adding a matching bracelet to his other wrist, as he was eliminated in the middle of Day 2.



Erik Seidel has gotten off to a very hot start in 2011, finishing top four in three different high-roller events and winning one of them. Seidel has already cashed for more than $3.4 million this year, and he has the potential to cross the $5 million mark for the year if he wins this event. Of course, there is still a long way to go for that to happen, and Seidel finished the day with an average stack of 83,300.



WPT Anchor Kimberly Lansing (right) interviews Kara Scott during one of the breaks. Scott's t-shirt shows the "Four Little Ponies of the Apocalypse," which is probably the most menacing version of the classic childhood toy "My Little Pony" that you'll ever see. Scott finished the day with 40,500, which is about half the average stack.



In the second-to-last level of the day, Vivek Rajkumar moved his short stack all in on the river with the board showing K10106Q. His opponent eventually folded, and Rajkumar took the pot. This may have been a turning point for Rajkumar, who finished the day among the top 15 with 176,100.



Steve Sung, who just missed his fourth televised WPT final table a year ago when he finished eighth in this event, is a tough player with a very quiet presence at the table. Sung heads into Day 3 with an average stack of 88,500.



Joe Hachem (right) got a big laugh from Liz Lieu when he proclaimed that he finally figured out why so many young online players wear sunglasses -- "It's because they're all high." Hachem finished the day above average with 135,000, while Lieu finished with a below-average stack of 50,700.



Andrew Lichtenberger, more famously by his online name "Lucky Chewy," moves all in preflop during the last level, and doubled up when his J10 made a heart flush. Unfortunately, he gave some of it back by the end of the day, finishing with 19,200 (16 big blinds).



Nam Le final tabled this event back in Season VI (the year Phil Ivey won), and ultimately finished fourth. Le is among the top 20 heading into Day 3 with a double-average stack of 162,100.



Maria Ho, who cashed in this event two years ago, has a smile on her face even with a short stack. Ho finished the day with a less-than-half-the-average stack of 36,200, but with the excellent Matt Savage blind structure, that still represents 30 big blinds heading into Day 3.



Josh Arieh (left) and Barry Greenstein chat between hands during the last level. Arieh wouldn't be smiling a short while later, when he was eliminated on the last hand of the day. Greenstein, a two-time WPT winner, is still alive but faces an uphill climb on Day 3 with just 35,600 in chips.



Jennifer Tilly (left) takes down a pot against Osmin Dardon on her way finishing the day among the top 15 with 174,100 in chips. (Dardon was eventually eliminated.) Tilly, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 1994, will be spending "Oscar Sunday" on the green felt rather than the red carpet.



During the last level, Joe DeNiro emerged as the overwhelming chipleader, finishing with 366,700 -- nobody else is even within 100,000 of him. Despite the famous last name, the New York Yankees cap, and somewhat of a resemblance, DeNiro tells us that he isn't related to actor Robert DeNiro.


Day 3 begins Sunday at 12:00 noon. 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 3 Chip Counts and Seating Assignments

Level 11: 600-1,200, 200 ante

RISE Player of the Day - Joe DeNiro

Level 11: 600-1,200, 200 ante

Day 2 Ends With About 239 Players

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Day 2 comes to an end, and the tournament clock shows an unofficial 239 players who have survived the day. The chipleader appears to be Joe DeNiro with 366,700 -- nobody else seems to be within 100,000. We won't know for sure until the full list of official chip counts is released by the Commerce Casino later this evening. 

Other notables with a lot of chips include actress Jennifer Tilly (174,100) and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi (227,600), who became a household name in the poker world when he won this event back in Season III. 

Return to WorldPokerTour.com later tonight for official chip counts, seating assignments, and a photo recap of the Day 2 action.

Michael Mizrachi Busts One

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Alex Kamberis raises to 2,300 from middle position and the player in the cutoff reraises to 7,000.  Michael Mizrachi calls from the big blind and Kamberis folds.

The flop comes 922 and in the blink of an eye the cutoff's last 25,000 are in the middle.  Mizrachi shows 99 for a flopped full house and his opponent shows KK.  The turn brings the 6 and the river the 3, and Mizrachi tkes the pot, chipping up to just over 200,000.

Andrew Lichtenberger Doubles Up

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Andrew Lichtenberger moves all in from the small blind with J10, and the cutoff calls with A8. The board comes 96549, and Lichtenberger catches a heart flush to win the pot and double up in chips. 

Andrew Lichtenberger  -  39,000

Matt Stout Eliminated

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Scenes From Level 9

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Late in the last level, Vivek Rajkumar moves all in on the river with the board showing K10106Q on the river. His opponent eventually folded, and Rajkumar took the pot.



Maria Ho chats between hands on Day 2 of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic.



Phil Ivey has a short stack, but other players still get out of his way to forfeit the blinds and antes.



Kathy Liebert keeps her spirits up late on Day 2, even with a short stack of chips.

Vanessa Selbst Eliminated by Vivek Rajkumar

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

With around 17,000 in the pot and the board reading 8627, Vanessa Selbst checks out of the big blind, Vivek Rajkumar bets 11,500 on the button, and Selbst check-raises all-in for around 30,000.

Rajkumar calls and shows 78 for top two pair and Selbst turns over 56 for a pair and an open-ended straight draw.  The river brings the 10 and Rajkumar's two pair are enough to take the pot and bust Selbst.

Vivek Rajkumar - 115,000
Vanessa Selbst - Eliminated

Josh Arieh Doubles Up

Level 9: 400-800, 100 ante

With around 20,000 chips in the pot and the board reading J623, Josh Arieh checks and his opponent thinks some time before moving all-in, having Arieh's remaining 18,000 or so covered.

Arieh snap-calls and shows 45 for a turned six-high straight.  His opponent shows A-J.  The other player is drawing dead and, after an inconsequential river, Arieh takes the pot and doubles up.

Josh Arieh - 65,000