The North American Poker Tour’s first visit to Los Angeles has ended with Joe Tehan outlasting Chris DeMaci to take the $725k first prize. Tehan began the final table ranked fifth in chip-count, but grimly mowed down his opposition one by one, except when he knocked off Ray Henson and Anh Van Nguyen on the same hand. Tehan previously held a 2006 WPT Manadalay Bay title, so at least his NAPT prize will have some company on the mantelpiece. The win also gives Tehan over $3m in career live tournament winnings.
DeMaci began the final table with a substantial chip lead, but his $440k consolation prize substantially beats his previous largest live table cash of $99k. The rest of the final table finished as follows: (3) Al Grimes – $250k; (4) Anh Van Nguyen – $195k; (5) Ray Henson – $145k; (6) Michael Binger – $114k; (7) Jason Mercier – $85k; (8) Jake Toole – $60k.
In tournament news from the other side of the pond, Poland’s Michal Polchpolek took pole position at the Italian Poker Tour Malta main event, besting a field of 385 players to earn €190k. Polchpolek endured a marathon five-hour heads-up play against runner-up Oleksandar Sharov of the Ukraine. Sharov took home €120k. The next stop on the IPT calendar is Dec. 9-13 in San Remo.
