Sean Jazayeri Wins the 2012 World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic Main Event

The lone amateur at a table of young pros, Sean Jazayeri used his experience and some luck to overcome the tough final table and defeat David Sands heads-up to win the 2012 World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic Main Event. For his victory Jazayeri earned the prestigious title, the first place prize of $1,370,240 and 2,100 Card Player Player of the Year points. Jazayeri, who had no previous cashes this year, has moved into fifth position in the overall standings as a result of his win.

A total of 549 players posted the $10,000 buy-in to this year’s Main Event, building a $5,270,400 prize pool. It took five days of play to narrow the field down to the last six players, and the final table featured some of poker’s brightest and most accomplished young stars. Here is how things looked as the final table began:

Seat 1 – Sean Jazayeri – 4,380,000 (73 big blinds)
Seat 2 – Jason Burt – 835,000 (13 big blinds)
Seat 3 – Dan Kelly – 2,570,000 (42 big blinds)
Seat 4 – Jason Somerville – 840,000 (14 big blinds)
Seat 5 – Noah Schwartz – 3,835,000 (63 big blinds)
Seat 6 – David Sands – 4,010,000 (66 big blinds)

Within the first 12 hands both of the shortest stacks were eliminated. Jason Somerville moved all-in with 88 on the second hand and was called by Sean Jazayeri’s AQ. The board ran out safe for Somerville until the river brought the Q, eliminating him in 6th place for $202,910.

Mere minutes later, Jason Burt was eliminated when his KJ failed to hold-up against Dan Kelly’s J10 with all of the money going in after the turn with a board of K43Q. Kelly completed his straight draw on the river with the A, sending Burt to the rail in 5th place with $252,980.

Four handed play continued for 22 hands, with Noah Schwartz becoming the shortest stack at the table in the process. He got the last of his chips in preflop with AJ against Jazayeri’s KK. Schwartz failed to improve, and exited his third WPT final table in fourth position, earning $355,750.

With the chips now somewhat more evenly distributed, three-handed play continued for a while longer than any prior situation had. Dan Kelly, who entered the day in fourth chip position, found himself the shortest stack with roughly 16 big-blinds. On the 69th hand, David Sands min-raised to 200,000 and Kelly moved his last 1.6 million chips into the middle with the KJ. Sands made the call with the 22, and the two players were off to the races.

The board ran out 74443, and Sands’ full house was enough to eliminate Kelly in third place for $521,770 and 1,400 POY points. Kelly had already captured one title and made a total of three final tables in 2012, and this third place finish propelled him into sixth place in the overall standings with a total of 2,090 points.

Heads-up play began with Sands holding 9,470,000 to Jazayeri’s 7,000,000. Sands stretched that lead even farther, before eventually getting all of the money in with QQ against Jazayeri’s AK. It was going to be a gigantic coin flip for the vast majority of the chips. An ace on the flop put Jazayeri in the lead, and Sands was not able to come from behind after that.

Sands was left on a very short stack, and got all of the money in with KQ to Jazayeri’s A5. The K105 gave Sands the lead, and the chance to get back to a playable stack. The J turn left Jazayeri drawing to five outs heading into the river. After a dramatic pause, the dealer peeled the 5 off the deck, ensuring Sands elimination and Jazayeri’s victory.

For his runner-up finish, Sands earned $806,370 and 1,750 POY points. Sands had already earned 272 POY points with a third place finish at the Red Rock Challenge Main Event, and now moves into seventh position in the overall standings with 2,022.

Here is a look at the complete payout and POY points info for the final table: