Cornel Cimpan Wins the L.A. Poker Classic

March 2nd, 2009 | 10:34 am

The final six players of the 2009 LA Poker Classic took their places at the table ready to vie for their chance to be the winner of the $10,000 No Limit Hold’em Championship Event.

The final six players of the 2009 LA Poker Classic took their places at the table ready to vie for their chance to be the winner of the $10,000 No Limit Hold’em Championship Event. Play at the table started off tight, taking 66 hands before the first player was eliminated which happened to be the most well known player at the table. Chris Ferguson went out in sixth place, taking home $240,538 in prize money for his efforts. Pat Walsh put on a good show, doubling up several times before ultimately falling victim to Binh Nguyen 96 hands in and going out in fifth place, earning $310,694.

Play at the table then began to pick up speed as the blinds and antes started to gobble up players’ chip stacks, bringing the next two
eliminations on quickly. Chris Karagulley went out in fourth place ($430,963) and Mike Sowers went out in third place ($654,797).

Still standing at the final table were Binh Nguyen who blazed his way into the chip lead going into heads up play and Cornel Cimpan who played tightly to make his way to the final two. The heads up match lasted an incredible five and a half hours with Nguyen pushing Cimpan around at the beginning but the tide began to turn when Cimpan flopped two pair when Nguyen had him dominated preflop, drawing out the match. Cimpan managed to repeat his lucky streak three times as he continued to double up until he ultimately took the chip lead. Cimpan finally walked away with the tournament win shortly before 3 am, taking $1,686,760 in prize money with him. As for the runner up, Nguyen earned $935,424 in prize money.