LA Poker Classic High Roller Event Draws Top Poker Pros
March 1st, 2010
Andrew Lichtenberger looks to improve on his NAPT Venetian finish at the LAPC
The $25,000 High Roller No Limit Hold’em event is the last event on the schedule at the 2010 LA Poker Classic, but it’s by no means the least. Even with a field of just 41 players the first-place prize is still be an impressive $425,330, and the list of the 23 remaining players after Day 1 is loaded with some of poker’s top pros.
Leading the field with 237,900 in chips after Day 1 is Andrew Lichtenberger, known online as “luckychewy.” In addition to numerous online poker scores, he cashed four times at the 2009 WSOP and finished 18th in last year’s Main Event. Lichtenberger also led the recent NAPT Venetian main event before finishing in 10th place after losing two big pots to eventual runner-up Sam Stein.
Lichtenberger enjoys a pretty significant lead over his closest opponent, past WSOP and WPT winner Daniel Alaei, who holds a stack worth 157,800, but he will by no means have an easy time because of that. Among the list of top poker pros who remain alive with a chance of winning are tournament powerhouse Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, NAPT Venetian High Roller Shootout overachievers Scott Seiver and Ashton Griffin, former WPT and WSOP Player of the Year Erick Lindgren, 2009 Bluff Magazine Player of the Year Jason Mercier, as well as Tommy Vedes, Nick Schulman, Steve Billirakis, and Jennifer Tilly.
While the high rollers were busy getting their high roll on, the LA Poker Classic Main Event continued to work its way toward a final table. The leader after Day 3 is Mark Newhouse, also known online as “newhizzle.” In addition to having won several Sunday Major online poker tournaments, Newhouse is also an accomplished live player – he won the 2006 WPT Borgata Poker Open for $1.5 million, and has cashed in other events on the WPT, the WSOP Circuit, and at the WSOP.
