L.A. Poker Classic Preview & Who's Who

by Bodog Poker | Jan 19 2010

This one is going to be big, folks. The Commerce Casino is gearing up for the biggest poker event to ever be held there. The 2010 WPT L.A. Poker Classic and the WPT Celebrity Invitational will be the headliners in a 50-event schedule that will run from Jan 21 to March 4. Commerce organizers are guaranteeing $3.3 million in prize pools, and it's expected that the total prize pools from these events will exceed $20 million.

"This LAPC is longer, bigger and richer," said John Griffo, the casino's director of marketing and advertising. "With $20 million at stake, what poker player wouldn't want to be at Commerce?"

Besides the big events one of the most anticipated tournaments will be the opening event. The $335 No Limit Holdem event will have a $1 million guarantee and three start days for players to choose from. Players that get knocked out will have the option to buy back in again the next day. The Commerce ran a similar structured tournament in September and the response was an impressive 3,967 players, creating a $753,730 prize pool.

Organizers of this event have traditionally tried to offer a wide array of poker action that may be difficult to find at most major tournament events. Also on the schedule are a $1,065 2-7 Triple Draw tournament, a $1,065 8-Game event, a $2,100-buy-in Ironman tournament with no scheduled breaks, Badugi and Chinese Poker tournaments, and a $25,100-buy-in High Roller event. The high roller event is sure to attract poker's elite as well as a selection of celebrity and high roller amateurs. Returning from previous L.A Poker Classics are the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E Championship and a $10,000 Heads Up Championship.

"Commerce Casino has truly become a year-round haven for poker players," said Tournament Director Matt Savage. "As such, we felt it important to create an LAPC schedule that caters to recreational and professional players alike.  That is why we have kept traditional events and inserted new games to the mix, and have buy-ins ranging from $220 to a heart-pounding $25,100."

The WPT Celebrity Invitational starts Feb. 20 and will run for three days. The WPT's $10,000 L.A. Poker Classic Championship begins Feb. 26 and will last six days until the new champion is crowned in March. Both will air on Fox Sports Net in 2010. Satellites are scheduled throughout the months of January and February and a super satellite day full of tournaments for the $10K Main Event is scheduled for February 25.

Between the Main Event, Celebrity Invitational, and varied action like Chinese Poker and Badugi tournaments, the L.A. Poker Classic will attract the who's who in the poker world. This Celebrity Invitational is always one of the best ones because of the location, and poker fans can expect to rub elbows with some of the biggest stars in television and the big screen.

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