Live tournament updates brings you news of Chris Moorman’s first major live tournament title as he takes the $1m first prize at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Los Angeles Poker Classic (LAPC).
The monkey is no longer on the back. Instead, it is lying underneath an empty chair in the Commerce Casino, as it’s previous carrier Chris Moorman is being hugged and kissed by his adoring rail.
The most feared; respected and best online tournament player in the history of the game has finally won a major live tournament title after 5 years and 10 months of trying.
Ivey Poker Pro James Dempsey could not have said it any better as he wrote on Moorman’s Facebook wall.
BREAKING NEWS: THE WORLD’S BEST TOURNAMENT PLAYER WINS TOURNAMENT.
What an amazing week it has been from the young man from Brighton after picking up the award for the Best Online Tournament Player of 2013 at the British Poker Awards and regaining the world number one online tournament ranking just days before taking the title, and $1m in prize money, at the WPT LAPC.
Moorman would have come into the final table brimming with confidence. Not only was he second in chips, but he was the most talented and experience person occupying a chair.
But he has been here so many times before and failed to convert the chances when it truly mattered.
Seventh at the Aussie Millions Main Event in 2011, third in a $2,500 Shootout event at the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP), second in a $10,000 event at that same series, second in the WSOPE Main Event in 2011, eighth at the European Poker Tour (EPT) London Main Event in 2013, and fifth in a $1,500 Ante Only event at the 2013 WSOP.
Heartache, devastation and lots of: ‘is this ever going to happen?’
Well it has Chris.
Moorman managed to get the better of Glenn Lafaye after around 10-hours of final table action at the Commerce Casino in Las Vegas.
The pivotal hand of the competition occurred when three handed with Glenn Lafaye covering both Moorman and Michael Rocco when all the chips went into the middle in a hand the television viewers will be licking their lips over.
Glenn Lafaye opened the button for 325,000, Michael Rocco moved all-in from the small blind for a little over 2m in chips, Chris Moorman did likewise in the big blind for 2.8m and Lafaye – who had both players covered – made the call.
It was [Qd] [Jd] for Lafaye, [Ac] [8d] for Rocco and pocket tens for Moorman. The flop was [Kh] [Qs] [Jh] and Lafaye had flopped two pair to take the lead and was just two cards away from the title. The [3s] bricked on the turn before the [As] hit the river to give Moorman a straight to take him into heads-up action neck and neck with the vastly inexperienced American.
Moorman pummeled Lafaye in heads-up action to take a commanding lead until the very last hand of the night.
Lafaye limped for 200,000, Moorman raised to 600,000 and Lafaye called. The flop was [Jc] [7c] [6d], Moorman bet 525,000, Lafaye moved all-in for 3.9m and Moorman called. It was pocket aces for Moorman, [5s] [4d] for the open ender for Lafaye and neither the turn or river could help the man from Connecticut and Moorman had crossed the finishing line at last.
Final Table Standings
1. Chris Moorman – $1,015,460
2. Glenn Lafaye – $662,840
3. Michael Rocco – $423,440
4. Patrick Bruel – $332,190
5. Josh Neufeld – $264,520
6. Adam Friedman – $200,440
