Seidel takes down another high roller event

COMMERCE, California -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Beware the players that get in the way of the Erik Seidel locomotive! The stoic veteran pro has been steamrolling everything in site when it comes to high roller poker tournaments around the world and the LA Poker Classic's $25K Tournament is his latest conquest.

In defeating an illustrious field Monday night, he added $144,570 to his two-month 2011 total winnings, bringing him to $3.5 million!

He previously took down $2.4 million at the $250K Aussie Millions High Roller, $618,139 in the Aussie Millions $100K and the $25K Poker Stars Caribbean Adventure.

Still shaking his head in amazement upon collecting his Commerce Casino trophy, check and Breitling watch, 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 final table consisted of 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. And he's doing it in style.

Two days after he cashed for $57,726 in a PokerStars online Quarter Million event, Elias claimed $35,610 at the LAPC $2,575-No Limit Tourney with a third. But he was already coming off a hot January, collecting $176,175 for a third and fifth in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and $21,825 to win a $2,500-No Limit Hold'em event at the Southern Poker Championship. His other major cash -- $195,335--came at the Venetian Deep Stacks in July, 2010.

Elias came into the second day of the LAPC $25K event leading. The tournament, which drew an elite field of 18 players and boasted a $444,600 prize pool, seemed to be his for most of the day. Seidel was short stacked much of the time, until the event, down to three-he, Elias and Grospellier-took a turn. Seidel tripled up, taking out Grospellier with pocket aces to Elky's AQ with a flopped queen. That gave Seidel the momentum he needed and he just kept wearing down Elias in heads-up play.

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."

But not quite. Seidel has the trophy to prove it. And the Seidel Express moves on...