The Season XV World Poker Tour® L.A. Poker Classic has been running since January 13, 2017. The 15th edition of the spectacular event concludes on March 2 with the televised WPT® final table from the $10,000 Championship event, but no one has higher upside in the tournament than Joey Pham.
Pham won one of the freeroll tournaments to the WPT L.A. Poker Classic $10,000 Championship, and he’ll be playing the event with a chance at a true rags-to-riches story and to score a life-changing seven-figure payday.
In the freeroll, Pham topped a field of 618 entries at Commerce Casino, and couldn’t have been happier to do so and get his shot in the big dance.
“This is awesome,” Pham told Kevin Taylor of LAPCNews.com after his win. “It’s my first-ever opportunity to play a $10,000 buy-in, so it feels really nice. It’s really special. I just got good cards and good luck. You never know what can happen.”
As Taylor reported, Pham is mostly a cash game player, but he does partake in the occasional tournament. Even with a handful tournaments under with belt, Pham has yet to score big, with just over $26,000 in live tournament earnings and a largest score of $12,178, according to his HendonMob.com profile.
This year could be the start of something really big for Pham, though, as the Season XV WPT L.A. Poker Classic has already been kind to him, even outside of the $10,000 seat he won via the freeroll. He first cashed in the $240 Double Stack Turbo for $780 and then took third in the $150 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low event for $3,930.
The freeroll tournament that Pham won allowed for one $60 add-on to be had by each player, but Pham passed on that opportunity, making the upcoming $10,000 Championship a true freeroll. As Taylor pointed out, if Pham were to go on to win the WPT L.A. Poker Classic Championship, the story would very much mirror that of 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker.
“Oh, wow, that would be so awesome,” Pham said about the possibility of being considered a rags-to-riches story akin to Moneymaker’s. “You never know. If I just go in, get the run of cards I got today, you never know what the lord will give you.”
Pham’s quest will begin on Saturday, February 25 at 12 p.m. PT when the event kicks off at Commerce Casino. The World Poker Tour will be on hand with coverage of the event, so stay tuned to more on Joey Pham’s run at glory.
For more information regarding the Season XV WPT L.A. Poker Classic $10,000 Championship, click here.