Friday, March 8, 2013

Kai Chang, Shooting Star Champion Photo Blog

Kai Chang, winner of the Bay 101 Shooting Star Main Event
Kai Chang is presented with the World Poker Tour Champions Cup.
Joe Nguyen joins Kai Chang and the WPT crew on stage.
Kai Chang and the Royal Flush Girls
Shooting Star Champion Kai Chang is joined by the Bay 101 staff.

Kai Chang Wins the Shooting Star Championship ($1,138,350)

Kai Chang, winner of the Bay 101 Shooting Star
Congratulations to Kai Chang, winner of the 2013 Bay 101 World Poker Tour Shooting Star.

Chang takes homes home $1,138,350 and gets his name on the World Poker Tour Champions Cup!

Joe Nguyen Eliminated in 2nd Place ($666,740)

Joe Nguyen
On a board reading [Th][7d][5s][9d], Joe Nguyen bet 530,000 and Kai Chang puts in a three-bet.  Nguyen then moves all-in for 7,010,000 and Chang immediately makes the call.

They turn over:

Chang - [8s][6d]
Nguyen - [Td][2d]

Nguyen has a pair of tens with a flush draw but Chang turns the straight.

The river comes the [6c] and Chang takes the massive pot, eliminating Nguyen from the Shooting Star event.

Joe Nguyen finishes in 2nd place, taking home $666,740.

Heads-Up Up WPT Shooting Star Photo Blog

Joe Nguyen (left) and Kai Chang are now heads-up for the Shooting Star title!
Tournament Director Matt Savage talks with Joe Nguyen before heads-up play gets underway.
The chip stack of Kai Chang as heads-up play begins.
Joe Nguyen and Kai Chang await the money presentation.
The Royal Flush Girls place the first place prize money on the table.

Paul Volpe Eliminated in 3rd Place ($435,610)

Paul Volpe
Paul Volpe moves all-in from the small blind for 1,500,000 and is called by Kai Chang in the big blind.

They turn over:

Volpe - [Qh][Th]
Chang - [Ac][9c]

The board runs out [Kh][Ks][7d][6d][3s] and Chang wins the pot with his ace high.

Paul Volpe finishes in third place and takes home $435,610.

Erik Seidel Eliminated in 4th Place ($295,590)

Erik Seidel

Action is folded around to Erik Seidel in the small blind, who moves all-in.  Paul Volpe, in the big blind, gets a count and then announces a call.

They turn up:

Seidel - [Js][Th]
Volpe - [Ad][4d]

The flop comes [Jd][Jh][7d], giving Seidel trips but giving Volpe a flush draw.

The [Kd] on the turn gives Volpe a flush and the lead.  The [8h] on the river does not help Seidel and the final Bounty in the Shooting Star has been eliminated in 4th place for $295,590.

Chris Johnson Eliminated in 5th Place ($208,910)

Chris Johnson
On a flop of [Td][8s][5h], Chris Johnson moves all-in and quickly called by Kai Chang.

They turn over:

Johnson - [Kh][Th]
Chang - [Tc][Ts]

Johnson flops top pair but is way behind top set of Chang.  The turn comes the [Js] and the river is the [Qc].

Kai Chang extends his chip lead with 7.6 million chips while Chris Johnson is eliminated in 5th place for $208,910.

Joe Kuether Eliminated in 6th Place ($162,240)

Joe Kuether
Kai Chang raises to 125,000 and Joe Kuether moves all-in for less than a million.  Joe Nguyen then moves all-in himself and Chang mucks.

They turn over:

Nguyen - [Ad][As]
Kuether - [Jh][Js]

The board runs out [Ah][Qs][7c][Qc][3d] and Nguyen improves to a full house to take the pot.

Joe Kuether is eliminated in 6th place, taking home $162,240.

Bay 101 Shooting Star Final Table Photo Blog

The final six at the televised World Poker Tour Final Table.
Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten on the set.
The chip stack and Bounty Medal of Erik Seidel, the only bounty remaining in the Shooting Star.
Paul Volpe comes into the final table as the chip leader for the second week in a row.
The Royal Flush Girls
The World Poker Tour Champions Cup and the over $1,100,000 first place prize.

Final Table About To Begin w/Live Audio Commentary

The players are currently being introduced, and play for the Shooting Star final table will begin shortly.  Here are the chip counts & seating assignments for the final table:

Seat 1: Joe Nguyen - 2,175,000
Seat 2: Erik Seidel - 3,435,000
Seat 3: Chris Johnson - 2,740,000
Seat 4: Paul Volpe - 5,525,000
Seat 5: Y.K. Chang - 2,590,000
Seat 6: Joe Kuether - 2,830,000

We are pleased to be able to bring you limited live audio commentary throughout the final table.  To tune in, head over to www.Bay101Live.com to listen to @veeRob and @WhoJedi bring you updates from the tournament floor.

For hand for hand updates and chip counts throughout this final table, make sure you head over to the WPT Live Updates page.

Videos: Shooting Star Championship - Day 3














Nick Schulman Wins the $25,000 Shooting Star High Roller Event


Congratulations to Nick Schulman, winner of the $25,000 Shooting Star High Roller event.  

Nick takes home $270,480 and the Shooting Star High Roller Trophy for his victory.

Final results were as follows:

1st - Nick Schulman - $270,480
2nd - Roger Sippl - $180,320
3rd - David "Doc" Sands - $112,700