Mike Matusow and heads-up crusher John Smith headline the 35 remaining players at the 2019 L.A. Poker Classic heading into Day Four, which begins at noon PT on Tuesday from Commerce Hotel & Casino.
Darren Elias also bagged chips, securing his 33rd WPT cash, extending his own record. David “ODB” Baker left Monday evening with the biggest stack (2,086,000). Andrey Zaichenko, the chip leader after Day Two, had another impressive session and is now second in chips (1,715,000).
Elias finished with 910,000, which is above the average stack. He is seeking his fifth career WPT title. No one else has more than three.
One Time for Mikey?
Mike Matusow has secured his first WPT cash since a third place finish at the Bay 101 Shooting Star in 2011 ($369,800). With a runner-up finish or better, he’ll surpass the $10 million mark in career live tournament cashes.
The money bubble burst in the middle of Monday’s session when Oscar Carrasco hit the nut flush to eliminate Andy Park in 70th place. That guaranteed the remaining players each a minimum payday of $17,230.
But the main goal of those who bagged chips on Day Three is to scoop the $1,015,000 first place prize. And, for those who haven’t done so already, join the exclusive WPT Champions Club.
Matusow left Monday evening with 570,000 chips. That puts him right in the middle of the pack. Mikey hasn’t been able to play many tournaments outside the WSOP the past few years due to health reasons. The poker boom era bad boy has fought knee and back problems which has sidelined him from events such as these.
But “The Mouth” is feeling better and hopes to finally win his first WPT title. He’s made five World Poker Tour final tables and has $1.9 million in cashes on tour but has yet to join the Champion’s Club. His closest call came in 2007 when he finished second in the Bellagio Cup III for $671,320.
Generic Name, Impressive Heads-Up Game
Joining Matusow on the felt Tuesday will be John Smith, the man with one of the most common names in the US. But his poker game is anything but common.
Smith finished runner-up in back-to-back years – 2016 and 2017 – in the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Heads-Up Championship and also finished in 11th place in 2014.
The 72-year-old Army veteran sustained a severe injury during the Vietnam War in 1967 when a mine blew up his tank. He received a Purple Heart for his brave service due to the injury.
Smith became a legend on the felt a couple years ago for crushing the younger heads-up specialists at the WSOP. He lost in the finals to Alan Percal in 2016 and Adrien Mateos in 2017.
The war hero bagged 1,194,000 chips on Monday and is among the chip leaders. He has about half the stack of chip leader David “ODB” Baker.
End-of-Day Chip Leaders
- David “ODB” Baker (2,086,000)
- Andrey Zaichenko (1,715,000)
- Tony Tran (1,561,000)
- John Smith (1,194,000)
- Oscar Carrasco (1,180,000)
The 2019 L.A. Poker Classic will play down to the final table of six on Wednesday. After that, play stops until March 11 when the remaining players leave Los Angeles for Las Vegas to compete at the Esports Arena at the Luxor Hotel and Casino on the Strip.
