The newest version of the Los Angeles Poker Classic $10,000 essential occasion was a cry for assist, if I’ve ever seen one. The undeniable fact that one of the historic tournaments in poker may draw 50 entries signaled that LAPC’s points have hit vital ranges.
Well, the World Poker Tour is driving in to avoid wasting the day (hopefully). The WPT and the LAPC have rekindled their relationship, the WPT introduced in a press launch. After working in every of the previous six years as an impartial, unaffiliated $10,000 poker match, the LAPC will as soon as once more be a part of the WPT in 2027.
Hopefully, this isn’t “Bennifer 2.0,” and we’re studying concerning the divorce paperwork in a number of years. Because these two have pure synergy that makes them higher collectively, and it will be a disgrace to see issues proceed down the best way it appeared they have been going.
LAPC Hasn’t Been the Same Without The WPT
It’s no secret that the LAPC has turn into a shell of its former self.
Just how unhealthy has the occasion devolved from its glory days? Well, think about the next quantity: $4,727,550. That was the prize pool the final time the WPT and LAPC have been affiliated in 2020.
Now, think about one other quantity: $5,908,100. That’s the whole quantity of prize cash the LAPC essential occasion has doled out within the final 5 years — I’m omitting 2021, because the post-COVID haze was nonetheless in impact at that time. So, the final 5 years mixed have paid out virtually precisely 25% extra prize cash than the 2020 LAPC did by itself whereas beneath the WPT banner.
The WPT impact is very, very actual. It’s pure to doubt it. I’ve. It doesn’t appear to make a complete lot of sense on the floor. They’re simply working the very same match, functionally, however it has completely different branding. If I have been an L.A.-area resident, I wouldn’t deal with the 2 occasions any otherwise.
But gamers care concerning the status of competing for a WPT title, clearly. To put yet another quantity on the disaster, the LAPC drew a mean of 513 entries in its final 5 years with the WPT. It has drawn 634 complete within the 5 years since.
WPT Needs Events For Its Schedule, Too
Every wholesome relationship is a two-way road, and the WPT has loads of cause to reunite with its outdated flame, too.
This yr, the WPT competed immediately with the LAPC with an occasion on the Venetian in Las Vegas. Obviously, it harm the LAPC extra, however it probably took some enterprise away on each side.
And the WPT wants occasions for its personal stateside schedule. By the time the calendar turns, WPT may have wound up internet hosting eight U.S. occasions at $3,500-plus, what the corporate used to name “main tour” occasions — it now lists every thing beneath one schedule.
At least a kind of occasions is most likely going away. The January occasion at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in Florida, Lucky Hearts Poker Open, is conspicuously absent from the present schedule. My spies inform me there’ll solely be one WPT at Seminole within the first half of the yr, fairly than two.
I feel it’s nice that the WPT is having success working occasions in locations like Cambodia and Australia, however it wants loads of North American presence as effectively.
The LAPC is a pure match. It’s additionally a novel occasion due to its excessive buy-in and freezeout construction. Regarding that, the press launch particularly used the phrase freezeout, so it does appear that the LAPC will return to its outdated one-and-done construction. This yr, gamers may fireplace as much as thrice — as soon as on every beginning day, and as soon as on Day 2. That places much more dire framing across the 50-entry 2026 discipline.
Freezeouts are a little bit of a troublesome promote lately. Both venues and touring gamers want extra entry alternatives, however the strong schedule of the LAPC competition at massive not less than supplies the latter with secondary taking part in choices.
Will Institutional Commitment To The LAPC Bear Fruit?
The LAPC and the WPT most likely can’t simply slap some additional branding on the occasion and anticipate every thing to revert to the outdated days of million-dollar first-place prizes. Luckily, there are some indicators that the powers that be are conscious of this.
From the WPT’s press launch, emphasis mine:
“To celebrate the momentous return of WPT to the LAPC, The Commerce Casino & Hotel is planning something special for the players. Through promotions, giveaways, and satellite tournaments, hundreds of seats will be awarded to the $10,000 buy-in WPT LAPC Championship.”
There are some ways for the WPT and Commerce to pump up the numbers. The key will undoubtedly be satellites. Run them typically, and run them beginning as quickly as potential.
Extra avenues that haven’t existed prior to now can ship much more gamers to the 2027 LAPC. I’m considering particularly of ClubWPT Gold, which has run into some regulatory snags of late, shrinking its participant pool. Still, implementing some sort of steps system there may qualify dozens of gamers.
Commerce, for its half, can get gamers in with each reside satellites and money recreation promos. I simply returned from a poker journey to MSPT Potawatomi in Milwaukee (don’t ask the way it went). They had an indication within the poker site explaining that gamers may win promotional seats by taking part in a sure variety of money recreation hours. Something related within the previously bustling money room at Commerce could be superb.
Hundreds of seats are a robust promise. But even qualifying 200 gamers for the following LAPC would go a great distance. The execs would absolutely see the worth in displaying up. Surpassing the pre-COVID 500-player norm appears very doable, and it will be nice to see the LAPC again in power.
Mo Nuwwarah is a workers author for Card Player and a extremely profitable match poker participant. Not solely has he lined the sport since 2013, however he additionally racked up north of $1 million in profession match earnings. He received a WSOP bracelet in 2024, taking down the $1,000 on-line pot-limit Omaha six-max occasion, and not too long ago added a second MSPT trophy to his assortment. He additionally owns two WSOP Circuit rings.
