It was on to Day 2 Sunday at the 2014 World Poker Tour (WPT) L.A. Poker Classic Main Event as about 400 players returned to continue the grind towards the money. Scott Blackman, the chip leader after Day 1, pulled off the rare feat of remaining in the top spot when Day 2 came to an end. With 380,000 chips, he is a full 100,000 ahead of the second place player, Daniel Steinberg.
On Day 1, 501 players took to the felts and 370 made it to Day 2. Registration remained open through the first level of play yesterday, resulting 33 more entrants. When the cashier closed, the prize pool settled at $5,126,400. The top 63 players (seven full tables) will cash for at least $18,970 with the eventual winner taking down a $1,015,460 purse.
Scott Blackman isn’t the most prolific live tournament player in the world by any means, but he does have several nice cashes. He has made the money five times at the World Series of Poker, including twice in the $10,000 Main Event (2009 and 2012). He also has two World Poker Tour cashes, one of which was a ninth place finish in the 2008 Borgata Winter Open for almost $100,000. According to TheHendonMob.com, Blackman’s total live earnings add up to $442,137.
Among the notable names advancing to Day 3 are David Paredes, Bryn Kenney, Dan O’Brien, Hasan Habib, Joe Tehan, Chris Moorman, Dan Heimiller, and two of the most recent World Series of Poker champs, Jonathan Duhamel and Greg Merson.
Shawn Buchanan, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Vanessa Selbst, Shannon Shorr, Jesse Sylvia, Jeremy Ausmus, Mike Matusow, Daniel Alaei, and Jean-Robert Bellande were some of the recognizable faces who busted on Day 2.
172 players remain of the original 534 as the tournament enters Day 3 today. Action is just getting under way starting with Level 12 and blinds at 800/1,600 with a 200 chip ante. The plan is to play five levels of 90 minutes each or down to 63 players, whichever takes longer. Thus, everyone who makes it through Monday’s play will be in the money, one way or another.
2014 World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic Main Event – Day 2 Chip Leaders
1. Scott Blackman – 380,000
2. Daniel Steinberg – 280,000
3. David Paredes – 251,000
4. Kazu Oshima – 237,800
5. Pete de Best – 229,900
6. Erkut Yilmaz – 226,700
7. Bastion Fischer – 222,000
8. Chris O’Rourke – 205,500
9. Alex Masek – 199,900
10. Bryn Kenney – 195,000
