This Week's Big Winner: Stefan Schillhabel Wins WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Main Event

The World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star main event drew a record field of 753 entries, creating a total prize pool of more than $5.3 million. The unique tournament designates some celebrity poker players as shooting stars with bounties on their head for anyone who knocks them out to claim.

In the end, the lion’s share of the winnings went to German student and poker pro Stefan Schillhabel, who banked just shy of $1.3 million. Schillhabel’s previous career best was a fourth-place finish at EPT Malta for $284,515. He now has $1.77 million in live tournament earnings.

Here are the five biggest hands that gave Schillhabel the title.

Tournament: WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star
Buy-In: $7,500 • No. of Entries: 753 • Prize Pool: $5,346,300 • 1st Place Prize: $1,298,000

The Action

Stefan Schillhabel raised to 115,000 from under the gun and Connor Drinan reraised to 300,000 from the button. Schillhabel then four-bet to 760,000 and Drinan called. The flop was 9 7 6 and Schillhabel made a continuation bet of 460,000. Drinan then moved all in for 2.15 million and Schillhabel called with pocket aces. Drinan showed his J 10 for a gutshot straight draw and failed to connect as the turn and river fell 6 then 4. For his eighth-place showing, Drinan took home $102,760.

The Action

On the televised final table bubble, Stefan Schillhabel raised to 140,000 from the hijack. Anthony Gregg then reraised to 375,000 on the button and the blinds folded. Schillhabel then moved all in, and Gregg instantly called off his stack with pocket Kings. Schillhabel turned over A 4, which was only 33 percent to win. The board ran out Q J 8 3 A, however, pairing Schillhabel’s Ace on the river to give him the pot and the chip lead going into the official six-handed final table. Gregg was eliminated in seventh place, earning $138,720.

The Action

Adam Geyer raised to 240,000 on the button and Stefan Schillhabel reraised to 735,000 from the small blind. Bryan Piccioli then moved all in for his last 4.655 million from the big blind and Geyer folded. Schillhabel called with A Q, which had Piccioli’s K Q dominated. The board ran out 10 10 5 J 6 and, although Piccioli turned an open-ended straight draw, he failed to come from behind and was eliminated in third place, earning $493,350. The pot left Geyer and Schillhabel virtually tied entering heads-up play.

The Action

Stefan Schillhabel raised to 450,000 and Adam Geyer called from the big blind. The flop came down A 9 2 and Geyer checked to Schillhabel, who bet 300,000. Geyer check-raised to 900,000 and, after about 45 seconds, Schillhabel called. The turn was the J and both players checked. The river was the 6 and Geyer bet 2 million. After about a minute, Schillhabel decided to just call. Geyer showed K 8 for a bluff, but Schillhabel revealed J 10 for a rivered flush, giving him the pot and a 2-1 chip lead.

The Action

After building up a massive chip lead during heads-up play, Stefan Schillhabel decided to gamble by calling with 8 7 after Adam Geyer moved all in for his last 1.85 million. Geyer held K 9, which became a 96 percent favorite to double up after a flop of K 10 3. The turn, however, was the 8, pairing Schillhabel and giving him five outs to win. The river was the 8, giving Schillhabel trips and the pot. Geyer earned $752,800 for his runner-up finish, the largest score of his career. Schillhabel took the title, the trophy and the $1.298 million first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Stefan Schillhabel — $1,298,000
2. Adam Geyer — $752,800
3. Bryan Piccioli — $493,350
4. Andjelko Andrejevic — $331,500
5. Griffin Paul — $231,310
6. Maria Ho — $179,930