2014 WPT L.A. Poker Classic Day 5: Rocco Leads Final Table, Moorman Eyes Major Title
Chris Moorman is an online legend with over $10 million in career online tournament earnings and 20 triple crowns, but the Brit has never captured a major live tournament title. Moorman finished runner-up in two World Series of Poker bracelet events, third in another, seventh in the 2011 Aussie Millions Main Event, and eighth in the Season 9 EPT London Main Event.
Moorman can buck the trend Thursday at the World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic, as he enters the official final table of six second in chips with 3.19 million. He is joined by chip leader Michael Rocco (5.615 million) and WSOP bracelet winners Patrick Bruel and Adam Friedman.
The unofficial final table of seven only lasted one hand, and Dan O'Brien was unlucky to exit on the TV bubble. According to the WPT live updates team, O'Brien check-raised all in with the A♣A♥ in a three-bet pot on a board of 10♠9♦8♦K♣, and Rocco called with the K♦Q♦. O'Brien was a favorite to double up and assume the chip lead, but the river was the 6♦, giving Rocco a flush.
Busted 7th. AA<KQdd all in on T98Kdd for 4.3M. Legitimately might throw up. Very fortunate day overall tho. Gonna be a long drive home.
— Dan O'Brien (@DanOBrienPoker)
WPT LA Poker Classic Final Table
| Seat | Player | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Moorman | 3,190,000 | 106 |
| 2 | Patrick Bruel | 2,280,000 | 76 |
| 3 | Josh Neufeld | 1,930,000 | 64 |
| 4 | Glenn Lafaye | 1,855,000 | 61 |
| 5 | Adam Friedman | 1,150,000 | 38 |
| 6 | Michael Rocco | 5,615,000 | 187 |
Day 5 began with 18 players, and Glenn Lafaye and Moorman were well out in front. Heath Mendelsohn, Erkut Yilmaz, Hasan Habib, Huy Lam, and Michael Pickett were the first five players to exit. Habib, who finished runner-up in the 2004 WPT World Championship and third a year later, moved all in with the J♣9♣ and a very short stack on a flop of J♠6♣2♦. Lafaye called with the Q♦J♥, and held up as the turn and river both produced bricks.
Alex Masek bowed out in 13th, running the A♠J♠ into Rocco's A♣K♣, Ludovic Assouline busted in 12th, and Tab Thiptinnakon fell in 11th. Thiptinnakon was in good shape to at least chop with the A♦5♦ against Friedman's A♣4♠, but Friedman flopped a four.
Joe Serock picked up the Season X WPT Player of the Year award without winning an event, and remains outside of the Champion's Club after busting in 10th place in L.A. In a blind-versus-blind battle, Serock called an all-in raise from Allen Pock on a board of 9♣7♠2♠3♥ with the Q♠3♠. Pock showed the K♥7♥ for a pair of sevens, and Serock was eliminated when the 5♦ completed the board.
Kazu Oshima exited in ninth, and the aforementioned Pock busted just shy of the unofficial final table in eighth. Pock moved all in with a gut-shot straight draw after Lafaye flopped the second-nuts, and neither the turn nor the river saved Pock.
The official final table is set to kick off at 4 p.m. PDT. Be sure to check back to PokerNews for a full recap of the final table.
Photo and data courtesy of the WPT
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