25 mainly professional and famous names in the game signed up for this week’s $25,400 buy-in Commerce High Roller competition at the L.A. Poker Classic, fighting for a spot in the final three in order to get a return on the investment.
By the second day the field was down to 12, including Chris Moore, Phil Galfond, Anthony Zinno, and Paul Volpe, none of whom reached the final three.
Eventually it was Jason Koon, Matt Marafioti and Californian ace Kevin Jonna who reached the significant money, with Koon clearing the way for the heads up when he was busted by Jonna for $125,000 in third.
Facing each other in the heads up, Jonna and Marafioti agreed a chop that left $25,000 on the table for the winner before they got down to business and Marafioti was eliminated in second place for $237,160, leaving the first prize of $262,840 and the honours to his Californian opponent – his biggest career win yet.