Sean Jazayeri Gives the Pros the Boot at the LA Poker Classic

Sean Jazayeri went to WPT Boot Camp with the hopes of improving his game and maybe winning a $1,000 buy-in event.  Now he is not only a newly-minted WPT Millionaire, he is a WPT Champion.

Jazayeri came into the final table of this season’s LA Poker Classic as the chip leader, but when it came to experience, he was the proverbial short stack compared to his accomplished tablemates.  Jazayeri was nonplussed though.  He had the chips, he had a plan, and he also picked up some hands, which turned out to be a recipe for success.

The first point in Jazayeri’s final table plan was to wait it out until the two short stacks at the table busted.  They did in short succession. First, Jason Somerville headed home on the second hand of play when Jazayeri’s [AdQd] managed to river a queen against Somerville’s [8c8d].  Then, ten hands later, Jason Burt busted out in fifth place at the hands of Dan Kelly.  Burt called all-in on a [Kd4h3hQs] board with [KhJc] for top pair, but Kelly’s open-ended straight draw with [Jh10c] spiked the [Ad] on the river to trim the field to four.

Noah Schwartz had more WPT experience than anyone with two final tables already under his belt, but even he admitted he was having an off day at his third final table appearance.  Schwartz saw a good spot to pick up chips after Jazayeri opened for a raise and Kelly called, so he shoved all-in with [AcJh] only to run into Jazayeri’s pocket kings.

Jazayeri was worried that once the field thinned, his more experienced competition would catch up with him in the chip counts.  That wasn’t the case three-handed though.  He held a monstrous lead over Kelly with more than twice his stack, while short stack and WPT Ones to Watch David Sands was sitting on just 2 million chips.

Sands was a man on a mission though.  He doubled thru Kelly, then doubled thru Jazayeri to ascend up the counts.  Then, a one-two punch of hands saw Sands first take a big bite out of Kelly’s stack, then send him to the rail when SAnds’ pocket deuces outflipped Kelly’s [KsJh].

When heads-up play began, Sands held a slight lead over Jazayeri and had both momentum and experience on his side.  Jazayeri held his own during heads-up action though, losing a few chips, but keeping himself in contention.

Jazayeri came into the final table with a plan and that plan got him to heads-up play, but it was a little good fortune that helped him finish the match on top.  The pivotal hand of the final table came in a classic coin flip situation with Jazayeri holding [AhKd] to Sands’ [QdQh].  The [AdJd6h] flop was a great one for Jazayeri and he held to double up to a commanding 11-2 chip lead.

The very next hand, the two were all-in again, this time with Sands holding [KsQh] to Jazayeri’s [Ad5d].  It was Sands who hit the [Kc10s5c] hardest, but Jazayeri did pick up a pair of fives.  The [Jc] on the turn kept Sands out front and left Jazayeri dead to either a queen or a five.

Jazayeri had five outs and Sands was poised to get right back in the thick of things, but the [5h] on the river meant the amateur defeated the pro.  At a final table filled with pivotal river cards, this one took the cake and gave Jazayeri the title and the seven-figure payday, leaving the One to Watch as runner-up.

Yes, WPT Boot Camp certainly seemed to work out for Jazayeri.  After a win like this, he might be the one giving the lessons instead of getting them.

Here are the final table results of the Season X LA Poker Classic:

1st: Sean Jazayeri – $1,370,240
2nd: David Sands – $806,370
3rd: Dan Kelly – $521,770
4th: Noah Schwartz – $355,750
5th: Jason Burt – $252,980
6th: Jason Somerville – $202,910