[CAPTION=100%]Dietrich Fast added a WPT title to his resume Thursday night in L.A.[/CAPTION]
Dietrch Fast denied Mike Shariati a chance at World Poker Tour History Thursday night at the Commerce Casino and captured the L.A. Poker Classic Main Event title for just over $1 million.

Shariati, who won the Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino last August, was looking to become the first player to win both Los Angeles-based WPT events. It wasn’t meant to be, though.

Fast, who started the final table fifth in chips, eliminated the final three players to claim the title.

Anthony Spinella, winner of the online WSOP bracelet event last summer, started the final table with the chip lead, but was actually the first player eliminated.

The downhill slide for Spinella began on just the fifth hand when he dropped nearly 1 million chips to Fast. Seven hands later, he dropped another million to Sam Soverel and before 20 hands had been played, Spinella doubled Alex Keating up as well.

The 27th hand spelled the end for Spinella. Left with just 550,000, Spinella moved all in from the cutoff and Fast and Soverel called from the blinds. Fast and Soverel checked the flop. After the turn, Fast checked and Soverel bet 475,000, forcing Fast to fold. Spinella turned over and Soverel showed . The river was no help for Spinella and he was out in sixth.

It took 31 more hands for the next elimination. After Keating raised to 195,000 from the cutoff, Farid Jattin moved all in from the big blind. Keating called instantly and tabled . Jattin showed . The board ran out and Jattin was out in fifth.

With just four players left, Fast went to work. His first victim was Soverel in a blind vs blind battle. Action folded to Fast in the small blind. He called and Soverel checked. After the flop, Fast bet 110,000 and Soverel called. After the turn, Fast bet 225,000 and Soverel called.

The river got Fast to bet 450,000 before Soverel tanked for nearly a minute. He moved all in for 2,750,000 and Fast took his time in the tank. After nearly four minutes, Fast called and after Soverel showed for a busted straight, Fast turned over to take the pot, eliminate Soverel in fourth, and assume the chip lead for the first time.

Fast didn’t wait long to bust somebody else. On the very next hand, Keating raised from the cutoff to 250,000, Fast re-raised from the button to 675,000. Keating announced he was all in for 4,885,000 and Fast called. Keating turned up , but found himself behind Fast, who held . Keating found no help on the board and was out in third.

Thanks to those two eliminations, Fast held 11,975,000 of the 15,445,000 chips in play. It took only two hours for Fast to end the tournament. Despite a small double-up from Shariati, Fast held control for the entire heads-up battle.

On the final hand of the night, Fast opened with a raise to 450,000 before Shariati moved all in for 4,850,000. Fast took his time before calling and tabling . Shariati showed . The flop changed little, but the turn put Shariati ahead, but the river counterfeited Shariati’s second pair and gave the title to Fast.

Fast, who won the €550 Oktoberfest event at WSOP Europe in October 2015, pocketed $1,000,800 for the victory. He also gets a pair of gold Monster 24K headphones, a Hublot King watch, and a seat into the WPT Tournament of Champions next month in Florida.

Final Table Payouts

1. Dietrich Fast – $1,000,800
2. Mike Shariati – $656,540
3. Alex Keating – $423,890
4. Sam Soverel – $316,440
5. Farid Jatten – $238,070
6. Anthony Spinella – $191,250