Over the past week, the best players from around the world flooded the Commerce Casino for the WPT LA Poker Classic. In total, 549 players entered the WPT Main Event, creating a massive prizepool of $5,270,400. Crowds of poker fans, press and television cameras followed the high-stakes action, leading to a stacked WPT final table. After fours hours of back and forth play, WPT Boot Camp alumnus Sean Jazayeri defeated WPT Ones to Watch David ‘Doc’ Sands heads-up to capture his first WPT title and $1,370,240 in prize money.
Immediately after the win, Jazayeri exclaimed, “You dream about it, you fantasize about it, but in my heart I never thought this could happen. It’s a real dream come true.”
To etch his name onto the WPT Champions Cup, Jazayeri had to overcome an impressive international field that featured 45 WPT Champions Club members. Several past LAPC winners entered the event including Michael Mizrachi, Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Ivey, who bubbled the money. As with every televised tournament during WPT Season X, the WPT LAPC will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net in three separate episodes starting June 24. With the abundant skill on display, this event will need every minute possible to capture all the excitement. For the full WPT Season X television schedule, click here.
On Tuesday night, WPT Champion Allen Carter became the final table bubble boy after falling to WPT Ones to Watch David ‘Doc’ Sands. Joining ‘Doc’ Sands at the live streamed final table were WSOP bracelet winners Jason Somerville and Dan Kelly, young gun Jason Burt, three-time WPT final tablist Noah Schwartz and Sean Jazayeri, an amateur poker player who has attended three WPT Boot Camps.
Following introductions by WPT Announcer Ali Nejad, play began with a bang on the final day as Jason Somerville shoved on only the second hand. A quick call by Jazayeri led to race in which Somerville held the lead until the eventual WPT Champion paired his Queen on the river and sent Jason to the rail. Just ten hands later, the other Jason at the table would experience a similar fate. Jason Burt called Dan Kelly’s all-in shove on the turn and looked poised to double-up. Unfortunately for Burt, an Ace on the river gave Kelly the nut straight and a big boost to his chip stack.
Less than an hour later, Noah Schwartz’s AcJh fell victim to Jazayeri’s pocket Kings. While Jazayeri held a sizeable chip lead as play turned three-handed, David ‘Doc’ Sands proceeded to win a number of sizable pots before busting Dan Kelly. To start heads-up play, Sands carried a 9.47M to 7M chip-advantage versus Jazayeri. However, the biggest hand of the night doomed ‘Doc’ Sands as his pocket Queens lost in a race again Jazayeri’s AhKd.
Jazayeri claimed victory on the following hand, as his Ad5d defeated Sands’ KsQh after another all-in pre-flop showdown. By picking up 1,400 WPT Player of the Year points, Jazayeri immediately jumps into a tie for third place in the prestigious race.
Celebrating its phenomenal twentieth anniversary, the LA Poker Classic at Commerce Casino offered 51 events over 44 days. Throughout the WPT Main Event, the world’s largest poker casino was bursting at the seams with non-stop action.
Final Table Results
1. Sean Jazayeri – $1,370,240
2. David Sands – $806,370
3. Dan Kelly – $521,770
4. Noah Schwartz – $355,750
5. Jason Burt – $252,980
6. Jason Somerville – $202,910
Player of the Year Standings
1. Will Failla – 1,650
2. Vitor Coelho – 1,500
3. Sean Jazayeri – 1,400
3. Bobby Oboodi – 1,400
3. James Dempsey – 1,400
6. Soi Nguyen – 1,250
World Poker Tour next heads to San Jose, California for the ever-popular WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star (March 5 – 9). With chip leader bonuses, player bounties and a one-of-a-kind tournament structure, this unique WPT Main Event always delivers top-notch action.
Immediately following the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star is the launch of WPT Foundation™. The series of philanthropic poker events titled WPT Playing for a Better World™ will kick-off on Sunday, March 11, at the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills. For details on this extraordinary night and for more information on how to attend, visit WPTFoundation.org.
