A true poker veteran that knows the game of poker from the ground floor up, Erik Seidel has been steamrolling over the poker playing field around the world since 2011 began - justly deserved too! His latest accomplishment was winning the LA Poker Classic's $25K High Roller Event.
Even Seidel is a bit in awe of his accomplishments in the last few months, perhaps shaking his head in amazement when he collected the Breitling watch and the Commerce Casino Trophy, and the check for $144,570. Seidel said, "This is a once in a life deal...truly unbelievable. You have to be running really well to have a streak like this. It was a great field-and no easy task to come out on top."
The LA Poker Classic High Roller final table looked like this: Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier (UK), Josh Arieh (Atlanta), Chris Sparks (Columbus, OH), Cary Katz (Las Vegas) and a young up-and-comer Darren Elias from Philadelphia who is transitioning from internet play to tournament play.
Elias has had one hot run too, cashing for $57,726 in a PokerStars Online Quarter Million event and two days later claiming third place for $35,610 at the LA Poker Classic $2,575 NLH. And January found him taking home $176,175 for a third and fifth at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and $21,825 when he won a $2,500-No Limit Holdem event at the Southern Poker Championship. Elias also had another major cash at the Venetian Deep Stacks in July, 2010, for $195,335.
The High Roller Event boasted a prize pool of $444,600 and drew an elite field of 18 players. The second day of the LAPC $25K event found Elias in the lead. Seidel was short stacked much of the time until it got down to three players. Seidel tripled up when he took out Grospellier with pocket aces when Grospellier was holding A-Q and a queen hit the flop. Seidel then began grinding Elias down in heads-up play.
| PLACE | NAME/HOMETOWN | PRIZE |
| 1 | Erik Seidel, Las Vegas, NV | $144,570* |
| 2 | Darren Elias, Erie, PA | $153,975* |
| 3 | Betrand "Elky" Grospellier, London, United Kingdoms | $146,055* |
*denotes 3-way deal made. (Posted Prizes, 1st:288,990, 2nd: $155,610)
Seidel acknowledged Elias, saying: "I have to hand it to him, he really outplayed me for much of the tournament. He nearly got the best of me."
Full Tilt Poker Pro Erik Seidel's first two months of 2011 went like this: In January Seidel won over US$3.3 million; The 2011 PCA High Roller Event found Erik in a 4th place finish worth US$295K, followed by a 3rd place finish in the AU$100K Aussie Millions tournament that added another US$618K to his stack of 2011 cash. He added the Aussie Millions Super High Roller Event for US$2.47 Million (AU$2.5 Million) to his list of accomplishments and with the LAPC High Roller Event win, he is now in second in the all-time career poker tournament money list . Watch out Daniel Negreanu, Erik is THE tournament tidal wave.