California players dominated the LAPC’s this year; however some titles did head home to other states and countries. One of Canada’s best poker professionals, Owen Crowe from Halifax, claimed a trophy and watch in LAPC’s Event #40, a $1065 No Limit Hold’em that begins as a normal tournament, but is played as a 6-max when only 36 players remain. Owen bagged $37,610 for the win. Toronto’s Matt Marafioti had a nice run in $10,000 WPT No Limit Hold’em Championships, one of several World Poker Tour events held at the Commerce during the LAPC. Finishing 17th earned Marafioti $50,340. Almost seven hundred players competed in the 10k, generating a prize pool of $6,537,600, paying $1,654,120 to first place finisher Gregory Brooks. Jonathan Roy of Boucherville Quebec also cashed in the event, finishing in 45th for just over $28,000.
The $3000 Event #14, 64 max-Heads Up takes place at “The Big Event” on March 8th and is followed by a $10,000, No Limit Hold’em shoot-out, Event #25 on March 10th, so hopefully some of our Canucks are in for a big pay day next week.
While many players mark their calendars for the WSOP from May-July, LA lays claim to a few massive poker series, the “Las Angeles Poker Classic “at the Commerce Casino & “The Big Event 2011” at the LA Bicycle, both which attract players worldwide beginning in late January, right through to April. 
With warmer weather and cash game action at almost any stakes and just under 100 combined events, find many of Canada’s traveling players taking an extended “vacation” to the south west. Very affordable buy-ins with massive guaranteed prize pools, along with perhaps the best variety of different poker discipline events make it staple stop for those looking to build bank as the worlds tournament poker circuit builds it’s momentum for the year. Short-handed, Heads Up, Pot Limit Omaha, Chinese, Stud, standard 8 or better games, shoot-out, bounty, mixed games and HORSE are only part of the list of events that just are not often found elsewhere, giving a great opportunity for players to test the waters before they decide to try to make a bracelet run.
A $125 entry at the LAPC’s can see you winning $100,000 for first prize in a $300,000 guaranteed, bump it to $335 and one particular event guarantees a million in the pot. The majority of the events at “The Big Event 2011” at the LA Bicycle, AKA “The Bike”, have buy-ins of less than $600, a fair amount under $300 and of course the staple $1000-$10,000 majors have seats open if you have the roll. The series also offers some guaranteed prize-pools and multiple entry day formats, with a healthy variety of disciplines of its own. The event series began in late February and continues until April 4th.
