$10,000 LAPC Main Event
Day 4 Completed
2025 LA Poker Classic
$10,000 LAPC Main Event
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
2025 LA Poker Classic
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,348,500
Entries
145
Level
23
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
40,000
Entries
9
Players Left
1
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
The LA Poker Classic has a long and storied history in the poker world, and few players would know that history better than Michael Nia. The Southern California native has been playing this event for more than 15 years, and earned a special piece of hardware at The Commerce Casino & Hotel.
After four days of dramatic action, the 71-year-old Nia reached a heads-up deal with Elvyn Bello, earning the victory in the $10,000 LAPC Main Event.
“I am seriously honored to have been able to take this one down because it’s LAPC,” Nia told PokerNews while preparing to take his winner photos. “It was a dream since 2010 for me to actually take this down and take the trophy home.”
The prestigious tournament attracted 145 entries over two starting flights and an hour of late registration on Day 2. That created a total prize pool of $1,348,500, split up among the top 19 finishers.
Nia takes home the largest share, earning $308,270 for the largest tournament score of his career.
2025 LAPC Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Nia | United States | $308,270* |
| 2 | Elvyn Bello | Dominican Republic | $300,000* |
| 3 | Faraz Jaka | United States | $138,900 |
| 4 | Frank Brannan | United States | $84,320 |
| 5 | Adam Weinraub | United States | $65,400 |
| 6 | Gevork Kasabyan | United States | $54,010 |
| 7 | Cecile Ticherfatine | France | $47,200 |
| 8 | Anthony Hu | United States | $42,140 |
| 9 | Jonathan Pastore | France | $37,230 |
* Denotes heads-up deal
Star-Studded LAPC Field
The LAPC Main Event field was full of notable names, including start-of-day chip leader Faraz Jaka. Nia was quick to erase that deficit and claim the chip advantage on the opening level of the day, staying at the top of the counts throughout the rest of the final table.
Nia explained that he was prepared for the high level of competition that this LAPC event provided. “The players that I’ve been playing with the past days, every time I played with that individual, I changed my strategy because individuals would also change the way they play.”
“When I lose a hand,” Nia continued, “I don’t lose it, I don’t lose my energy, and when I win, I don’t show any celebration or anything, because that’s just the process and it’s a long process.”
That process served him well, watching his competitors head to the payout desk one by one throughout the day. That included WSOP bracelet winners Jonathan Pastore and Frank Brannan, plus high-stakes veteran Anthony Hu.
Others to earn a spot at the final table were Cecile Ticherfatine, Gevork Kasabyan and Adam Weinraub.
Heads-Up Deal
Jaka survived to three-handed play, but his exit in third place saw Nia and Bello call for the floor to discuss a deal. Once they had an agreement in place, Bello celebrated with his rail as the result and $300,000 runner-up prize represented the biggest score of his young career.
“I been getting prepared for this kind of moment,” Bello told PokerNews shortly after play had concluded. “It means a lot because a lot of people don’t believe that I’m capable of being here competing with really good players, but this is just the beginning.”
“I’ve only been playing tournaments for a year and a half, and with this $300,000 it will be almost a million, so you’re going to see in the future more of me, so they gonna know me soon.”
As for the champion, Nia was able to reflect on his accomplishment and success here at The Commerce.
“It means a lot, because you come to the casino and grind all day long, spend so much time and so much money, so much effort for one goal, and that it to achieve first place in a tournament.”
Nia explained that he loved the level of competition and that is what bring him back to this special venue. “I’m a retired person, I do this for fun and a challenge, Commerce has been one of the better card rooms in the industry overall.”
“It’s a huge joy achieving this level of success in a tournament.”
That concludes PokerNews coverage of the LAPC Main Event, but be sure to check back for more live reporting of other exciting poker tournaments around the globe.
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
After taking a look at the numbers during the break, Michael Nia and Elvyn Bello have reached a deal.
Bello will receive $300,000 for his runner-up finish, while Nia has been declared the LAPC Main Event champion and will earn $308,270.
Stay tuned for a full recap and reaction from both players.
2025 LAPC Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Nia | United States | $308,270* |
| 2 | Elvyn Bello | Dominican Republic | $300,000* |
| 3 | Faraz Jaka | United States | $138,900 |
| 4 | Frank Brannan | United States | $84,320 |
| 5 | Adam Weinraub | United States | $65,400 |
| 6 | Gevork Kasabyan | United States | $54,010 |
| 7 | Cecile Ticherfatine | France | $47,200 |
| 8 | Anthony Hu | United States | $42,140 |
| 9 | Jonathan Pastore | France | $37,230 |
* Denotes heads-up deal
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Play has been paused, as the final two players have agreed to take a short break.
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Faraz Jaka moved all in on the button and Michael Nia made the call in the small blind. Elvyn Bello got out of the way and the hands were turned up.
Faraz Jaka: K?4? 
Michael Nia: 7?5?
Nia was the only one to improve on the 8?A?9?6?7? runout, making a straight to send Jaka to the rail in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,005,000
770,000
|
770,000 |
|
3,800,000
-315,000
|
-315,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
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Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Faraz Jaka limped in the small blind with 7?4? and Michael Nia checked his big blind option holding 9?8?.
Jaka checked his pair on the 10?J?4? flop, with Nia quickly checking behind. The 7? turn saw Jaka check after hitting two pair, while Nia fired 280,000 with a straight.
Jaka put in the call and the A? hit the river. Jaka checked again and Nia checked behind. Jaka showed his two pair and Nia raked in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,235,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
|
|
4,115,000
1,215,000
|
1,215,000 |
|
|
355,000
-690,000
|
-690,000 |
|
|
||
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Elvyn Bello opened to 80,000 with A?4? on the button and Faraz Jaka replied with a three-bet to 285,000 holding J?8? in the small blind.
Jaka checked the J?10?K? flop and called after Bello fired 150,000. The Q? turn saw Bello find Broadway, while Jaka led out for 400,000 with his pair.
Bello called to see the 8? river, giving Jaka two pair. After taking some time, Jaka moved all in and Bello flipped in the call. Bello celebrated after seeing Jaka's hand, earning the full double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,760,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
|
2,900,000
970,000
|
970,000 |
|
|
1,045,000
-1,770,000
|
-1,770,000 |
|
|
||
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Faraz Jaka looked down at J?J? on the button and raised to 80,000. Michael Nia called in the small blind with 6?4? and Elvyn Bello came along holding 10?8? in the big blind.
Nia led out for 80,000 after hitting a pair on the 5?4?K? flop, with Bello folding and Jaka making the call. Nia spiked two pair on the 6? turn and fired again for 125,000.
Jaka called to see the 8? river and Nia slowed down with a check. Jaka checked behind and Nia tabled his two pair to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,960,000
650,000
|
650,000 |
|
|
2,815,000
-410,000
|
-410,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,930,000
-240,000
|
-240,000 |
Level 23
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Faraz Jaka opened to 80,000 on the button with A?8? and Elvyn Bello made the call holding K?9? in the big blind.
Bello checked the 4?J?Q? flop and called after Jaka continued for 55,000. The 4? turn produced another check from Bello, with Jaka sliding out a bet of 160,000.
The call was made to the K? river, and Bello checked his top pair. Jaka took his time before firing a bet of 450,000, which was quickly called by Bello to recover some lost chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,310,000 | |
|
|
3,225,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
2,170,000 | |
