Main Event
Day 5 Completed
2010 PokerStars.net NAPT Los Angeles
Main Event
Day: 5
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 PokerStars.net NAPT Los Angeles
Buy-in
$4,750
Prize Pool
$3,229,857
Entries
701
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
15,000
The 2010 PokerStars.net North American Poker Tour Los Angeles Main Event wrapped up tonight at the Crystal Casino in Compton, California. The venue had been changed for the final day in order to film the final table. Walking away with the title, the trophy and $725,000 in cold, hard cash was Joe Tehan after defeating Chris DeMaci in heads-up play.
The final table was stacked. DeMaci entered the day as the big chip leader, holding nearly 2.5 million chips more than his closest competitor. That competitor sitting in second place to start the day was none other than Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier. Mercier represents Team USA on his PokerStars patch, but he wasn’t the only team member at the final table. Canadian pro Anh Van Nguyen also found his way to the final eight. Throw in Michael Binger, Tehan, Ray Henson, Al Grimes and lead PokerNews Strategy instructor Jake Toole and you’re looking at an amazing lineup.
One by one, Tehan eliminated player after player. He busted every single player at the final table, including knocking out both Henson (5th) and Nguyen (4th) in the same hand. An amazing feat for someone coming into the final table fifth in chips.
After they got down to heads up, Tehan and DeMaci battled a bit before heading on a 15-minute break with DeMaci down to 2.54 million and Tehan holding 18.405 million in the lead. Shortly after they returned from break, the last hand went down.
Tehan raised from the button to 240,000 and DeMaci made the call. The flop came down 
and DeMaci checked. Tehan fired 375,000 and DeMaci moved all in. Tehan quickly called and tabled the best hand. He held the 
, out-kicking the 
for DeMaci. The turn paired the board with the 
and left DeMaci drawing to just a chop to stay alive. The river was the 
and that was it. DeMaci and Tehan got up to shake hands and congratulate each other on their respective finishes. DeMaci took home $440,000 for his runner-up finish and Tehan netted the first-place prize of $725,000.
Locking up this way put Tehan over the $3-million mark for live tournament earnings. Coming into this final table, Tehan boasted a career where he has won over $2.3 million. What’s amazing is that this $725,000 score isn’t even the largest of Tehan’s career. He scored $1,033,440 for winning the WPT Mandalay Bay Poker Championship back in 2006.
| Place | Player | Country | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Joe Tehan | USA | $725,000 |
| 2nd | Chris DeMaci | USA | $440,000 |
| 3rd | Al Grimes | USA | $250,000 |
| 4th | Anh Van Nguyen | Canada | $195,000 |
| 5th | Ray Henson | USA | $145,000 |
| 6th | Mike Binger | USA | $114,000 |
| 7th | Jason Mercier | USA | $84,857 |
| 8th | Jake Toole | USA | $60,000 |
For all of us on the PokerNews staff, thanks to following along and we'll see you at our next stop!
Joe Tehan opened for 240,000 and Chris DeMaci flatted. The flop came down , Tehan bet 375,000 and DeMaci moved all in for 2.645 total. Tehan quickly called and the cards were turned up.
Showdown
DeMaci:
Tehan:
Both players had flopped a pair of kings but Tehan's kicker put him in the lead. DeMaci supporters began shouting for a four, but it was the on the turn. That card meant that a four would no longer help DeMaci but any card jack or higher would result in a chop. There was a long pause as the dealer burned and put up the . Tehan's kicker held and he dispatched DeMaci in second place.
![[user66118]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
The first eight minutes of this level have pretty much consisted of the two men raising the button and passing the blinds and antes back and forth. We've had two flops, one river, and not a whole lot of betting.
DeMaci just doesn't have much wiggle room to play poker right now.
Level: 30
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 15,000
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
18,405,000
960,000
|
960,000 |
|
||
|
2,540,000
-960,000
|
-960,000 |
The two remaining players have simply been min-raising and trading blinds back and forth. One would imagine that eventually they'll both pick up a hand. However, it'll have to wait as players are now on a fifteen-minute break.
Joe Tehan raised to 200,000 and Chris DeMaci called from the big blind. Both players checked the 
flop and the 
hit the turn. DeMaci bet 200,000 and Tehan called.
The 
came on the river, putting up quite the interesting board. DeMaci took his time before announcing that he was all in. Tehan asked for a count and said that he didn't really want to fold, but he did nonetheless.
DeMaci's supporters then held up a sign that said, "Yawn, Too Easy."
Maybe Joe Tehan is trying to loosen up his opponent, or maybe they've both just gotten settled into this little tennis match. Either way, the table talk has started for the first time since they returned from dinner.
Fantasy football was the first topic of conversation, both men telling the game's version of bad beat stories about their poor draft choices and their injury-ridden lineups. A few other topics came and went quickly, and Chris DeMaci eventually said something about Halle Berry.
"You know Allen Bari?" Tehan asked.
"No, no. I said Halle Berry," DeMaci responded. "I do know Al Bari though, we're not like good friends but I know him and I've played with him a bunch.
Tehan had a story. "He and I played an insane pot together on, like, the first hand of the tournament."
"Yeah, he's been known to get a lot of chips in with not that much. Even on Day 1," DeMaci kept going. "He, like, seven-bet someone on Day 1 of the Bellagio."
"Yeah," Tehan said. "We both got a lot in with not that much on that hand." There were smiles exchanged, and Tehan began to inquire about his opponent's poker background. "Have you always played tournaments?"
"No, I played cash for 6 years before I started playing tournaments."
"Tournaments are tough," Tehan empathized.
DeMaci concluded the conversation. "Tournaments are making me hate poker. I never used to hate poker before."
We've never been in the spot these two guys are in, but there's nothing we'd hate about being guaranteed to walk out the door with at least $440,000 in our pockets from a poker tournament.
Joe Tehan raised to 200,000 and Chris DeMaci moved all in for 2,280,000 more. Tehan asked for a count before smiling and saying, "I'm running pretty lucky today." Tehan must not have wanted to press his luck as opted to fold.