Mike Shariati Wins Legends of Poker Main Event

When the Legends of Poker Main Event from Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles, California final table got underway, Freedy Deeb was looking to join the elite company of Gus Hansen, Carlos Mortensen, and Anthony Zinno as the only players to win three WPT Titles. Standing in his way were many low-stakes grinders, most of who were guaranteed their largest career cash just by making the televised final table.

One of those players, Mike Shariati, proved to be a true adversary, taking Deeb through 117 heads-up hands before he emerged as the victor. Shariati needed two river cards through the course of the final table to save him from elimination to collect the $675,942 first place prize money becoming a first-time WPT Champion.

Here is a look at the chip counts when cards got into the air at 4 p.m. PT:

Seat 1. Aaron Kweskin – 7,675,000 (96 bb)
Seat 2. Freddy Deeb – 4,495,000 (56 bb)
Seat 3. Stan Jablonski – 1,560,000 (20 bb)
Seat 4. Mike Shariati – 5,230,000 (65 bb)
Seat 5. Craig Chait – 1,035,000 (13 bb)
Seat 6. Brent Roberts – 3,585,000 (45 bb)

The first all-in announcement came on the sixth hand of play when Craig Chait moved all-in for 855,000 with . Deeb called holding . There was a little excitement through the turn as Chait had a spade flush-draw, but when a fourth spade did not come on the river Chait was eliminated in sixth place, good for $91,523.

It took another 26 hands before the next all-in and call, this time Stan Jablonski was at risk holding , and Brent Roberts had him covered holding . The board bricked out and Jablonski was out in fifth place, good for $117,673.

Four-handed play lasted 47 hands with the players all within a few big blinds of each other at one point. Deeb opened things up when he took a 4.7M pot from Aaron Kweskin with a bluff, taking the chip lead while leaving Kweskin the short stack.

Kweskin moved all-in a few hands later holding , and Mike Shariati had him covered holding . The board brought no help to Kweskin eliminating him in fourth place, good for $168,664.

Only two players remained four hands later as Brent Roberts moved all-in holding , Deeb called him holding . Roberts could not catch one of the remaining nines eliminating him in third place, good for $251,035.

Deeb took 15,585,000 into battle against the 7,995,000 held by Shariati. It took Shariati 11 hands to take the chip lead away from Deeb. Over the next 50 hands the pair traded the lead back and forth until finally Deeb got things back to where the pair started their battle.

After chipping down to under 2M in chips, Shariati doubled through Deeb in back to back hands. The first came with Deeb holding the best hand , Shariati held . Shariati was down to one final card after the board had not brought him any help. The excitement happened when the fell on the river to give Shairiati a pair of sixes to avoid elimination. The very next hand saw Deeb’s fail to improve against Shariati’s .

Two hands later Shariati got another double, this time he got all his chips in the middle after the pair saw a flop. Shariati held for a flopped set of tens, while Deeb held for an open-ended straight draw. The turn provided some excitement, giving Deeb the draw to a royal flush. The river was a brick for Deeb, giving Shariati the double to 14.6M leaving Deeb at 9M.

Deeb took the lead back 13 hands later when his held against Shariati’s . Shariati chipped back into the lead getting Deeb down to under 4M at one point before Deeb got all-in holding after the pair saw a flop. Shariati held . The turn gave Shariati more outs along with giving Deeb a second pair. The river gave Deeb the double to 10M, while Shariati went down to 13.6M.

Six hands later Deeb had Shariati down to around 5M, all of which Shariati got into the middle after seeing a flop holding for middle pair, ace kicker. Deeb held for middle pair, seven kicker. The turn gave Deeb an inside straight draw, which did not come on the river. The pair’s stacks were within a big blind of each other after the hand.

The final hand of the night came when Deeb moved all-in holding against Shariati’s . The board was dealt and Deeb was eliminated in second place, good for $383.090. Shariati collects $675,942. That amount includes his $15,400 entry into the season-ending WPT World Championship. Shariati also received a Hublot Oceanographic 4000 Watch, and a WPT Champions Trophy. Shariati’s name will also be engraved on the one-and-only WPT Champions Cup, alongside all the other WPT champions from all 14 seasons.

Final Table Results:

1st: Mike Shariati – $675,942
2nd: Freddy Deeb – $383,090
3rd: Brent Roberts – $251,035
4th: Aaron Kweskin – $168,664
5th: Stan Jablonski – $117,673
6th: Craig Chait – $91,523

That concludes our coverage of the WPT Legends of Poker in Los Angeles, California. Thanks to the Bicycle Casino for hosting a great event. The next stop on the tour is the WPT Borgata Poker Open that will take place from September 20-25 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The WPT Live Updates team will be there to bring you all of the action.

Photos by Joe Giron.