By
Dan
The L.A. Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino is currently home to some of poker’s greatest stars. Home to 30 high stakes poker events throughout the past few weeks, the LAPC has taken center stage for some of poker’s biggest and brightest stars to showcase their talents. One PocketFiver, Armando Fernandez, known to you as
highyield6, recently took down a $2,500 No Limit Hold’em event at the LAPC, beating out 253 other entrants. PocketFives.com caught up with highyield6 to learn about his victory, which earned him just under $100,000.
Highyield6 commented on the LAPC event: “The field was tough; anytime you play in an event at the LAPC, you will find a pro-rich field. I was on vacation with my girlfriend traveling through California with the intention of taking Friday to play this tournament while she went shopping. I drew a tough opening table with ZeeJustin (pictured at left) to my immediate left.” After surviving through his first table, highyield6 was moved and quickly increased his chip stack: “I limped with A-5 and the flop came A-9h-2h. The other player in the pot led out I flat called. The turn was the ace of hearts and he bet about the pot. At this point, I had a feeling he had hit his hand, so I just elected to flat call again. I hit a miracle five on the river for a boat and he lead out for about half the pot. Then came one of my better decisions: I thought about value betting, but instead I decided to shove 15,000 chips into a 4,000 chip pot. He insta-called with a flush.”
Entering final table play, highyield6 was second to last in chips and found himself at a table with World Series of Poker bracelet winner Max Pescatori, Jared “TheWacoKidd” Hamby (pictured at right), and cash game veteran Tom Lee. Highyield6 eventually doubled through fellow PocketFiver Hamby: “I picked up A-K under the gun with 44,000 chips and blinds of 3,000-6,000. I acted weak (I tried to at least) and then shoved. I didn’t raise because it would give away the strength of my hand. My though process was that most players would figure I'd shove with a wide range of hands. TheWacoKidd pondered for a few minutes before re-popping all-in for about 85,000. He showed A-10 and I won the pot. To my benefit, Warren Karp admitted to folding pocket jacks after Waco shoved.”
Another key hand against a player known as “Tuna” would vault highyield6’s chip stack even further: “I had about 85,000 in chips with blinds at 4,000-8,000. I picked up A-Q off-suit in the cutoff and raised to 22,000. Tuna was on the button re-popped for 65,000. I shoved, figuring he didn’t think I was this strong and he could have a wide range of hands. He flipped over pocket sevens. The flop came all rags and all diamonds; I had no diamonds and he had the seven of diamonds. The turn was a blank and the river was the queen of hearts. Miracle! Best feeling ever! After that card, I felt like it was my tourney.”
Eventually down to just four players left, a deal was struck based on chip counts, allowing the four remaining to play out the rest of the tournament for $30,000 more to the winner. Highyield6 grinded it out with Tom Lee: “Tom and I played heads up for an hour and a half. I went into heads up play behind 4-1 in chips. I battled and battled and clearly he was exhausted.” At 6:30am, just as the rest of the world was about to get started on their day, highyield6 finally took down the event.
Now $100,000 richer, the financial advisor can breathe a sigh of relief that his time away from work was well spent: “My business allows me flexibility to travel. I plan to travel to a circuit event at least once a month.” Highyield6 has been playing poker for about three years and usually plays live four to five times each year if he is able to qualify online. He’s been focusing on playing more live poker at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
PocketFives.com congratulates highyield6 on this phenomenal accomplishment. We wish him the best of luck in the future!