Last weekend, the World Poker Tour (WPT) Bay 101 Shooting Star played from a starting field of 584 runners down to a final table of six, which will play out this December in Las Vegas during the WPT World Championship.
The tournament is well-known for its “Shooting Star bounties,” with well-known poker players and personalities who have a $2,500 bounty on their head. And for anyone who knocks them out, they not only get that bounty, but also a signed T-shirt with the fallen player on it.
There were 55 Shooting Bounties this year, each immortalized on a playing card. Among them were the three hosts of the PokerNews Podcast, but how did they do? Their fate was among some of the biggest hands captured by the WPT Live Reporting Team, comprised of reporters Mickey Doft & Jim Murray and photographer Rachel Kay Winter.
One and Done for Holtz
On Day 1A, it was Level 8 (600/1,200/1,200) when PokerNews Podcast cohost Mike Holtz got in a preflop raising way against Nicholas Ralph. Eventually, his stack of 74,000 wound up in the middle and the three-time bracelet winner tabled the K♠K♥. Unfortunately for him, Ralph had the A♣A♥ for the one hand that had him beat.
Holtz picked up a little help as the Q♣J♦9♦ flop gave him a gutshot straight to a ten, but he missed as the J♠ turn and 6♥ river both bricked. With that, Ralph collected the $2,500 bounty while Holtz exited the tournament, opting to return to Las Vegas to chase the WSOP Online Bracelet leaderboard.
Holloway Done & Dusted
On Day 1B, it was Level 5 (300/600/600) when PokerNews Podcast host Chad Holloway raised to 1,500 from the cutoff only to have Bruan Luo, fresh off winning the WSOP Circuit Atlantic City for $189K, three-bet from the small blind. Holloway four-bet jammed for 26,000, Luo called, and it was off to the races.
Chad Holloway: 10♦10♣
Brian Luo: A♠J♥
Holloway was looking to hold, but that proved easier said than done as the flop came down J♠5♥4♣. Both the turn and river changed nothing, and Luo collected the $2,500 bounty from his fellow Wisconsinite.
Holloway reentered before the start of play on Day 2, but in the last hand before the first break, he got his last 42,000 all in preflop with the K♠Q♥ and was in dire straits against the A♥A♣ of regular podcast guest Jeff Madsen. Holloway was left drawing dead on the turn as the board ran out A♦9♣6♣8♣3♠ and his first-ever WPT Bay 101 came to an end.
Madsen Falls in Last Hand of Day 2
As for Madsen, he went on to make it all the way to the end of Day 2, well, one hand short of bagging. In the last hand of the night, which took place in Level 17 (5,000/10,000/10,000), Madsen jammed his last 125,000 under the gun with the A♣K♥, and Shawn Daniels came along from the button with the J♦J♠.
It was a classic flip, and Madsen was looking to improve.
Unfortunately for him, that proved easier said than done as the board ran out a lackluster Q♠9♥8♦2♥7♣. Daniels collected the $2,500 bounty while Madsen exited the tournament in 56th place for $10,300.
What About Ben?
Speaking of Day 2, PokerNews Podcast co-host Ben Ludlow made it there, though he was short-stacked and fell in the first hand of play.
With the blinds at 1,000/2,000/2,000, Ludlow got his stack fo 39,500 all in preflop and was flipping against Dan Maor.
Ben Ludlow: 9♦9♥
Dan Maor: A♠J♣
Ludlow was ahead but not for long, as Maor flopped the joint on the K♣Q♥10♣ flop. The K♦ turn gave Ludlow a little hope, but he missed when the 4♣ bricked on the river.
Hellmuth Falls on Day 3
On Day 3, Nick Hellmuth bowed out in 51st place for $11,400, and a short time later his dad followed him out the door.
It happened in Lev el 18 (6,000/12,000/12,000) when Phil Hellmuth got his stack of 290,000 all in preflop from the button and was at risk against WPT champ Michael Wang.
Phil Hellmuth: A♣J♠
Michael Wang: 9♠9♦
Hellmuth took the lead on the J♥7♠6♣ flop, but the P10♦ turn gave Wang some straight outs. The straight didn’t come in on the river, but the 9♥ was just as good as Wang made a set of nines to eliminate Hellmuth in 49th place for $11,400.
Big Double Elimination with 10 Remaining
With 10 players remaining in Level 23 (20,000/40,000/40,000), Chahn Jung raised to 85,000 from the button only to have Aaron Massey three-bet jam for 1.05 million from the small blind. Adam Hendrix then four-bet all in for 1.85 million from the big and Jung called to put both the poker pros at risk.
Aaron Massey: 3♥3♣
Adam Hendrix: A♠J♥
Chahn Jung: K♠K♣
Jung had the best of it and scored the double Shooting Star knockout after the board ran out 10♥7♣5♣2♠5♠. Meanwhile, Jung went on toe bag the second biggest stack at the final table, which you can learn more about here.
*Photos courtesy of WPT/Rachel Kay Winter.
Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager