This Week's Big Winner: Sam Panzica Wins WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star

A total of 806 entries were made in the 2017 World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star $7,500 no-limit hold’em main event, a record field for the unique event that dates back to 1997. This year’s six-handed final table played the host to a number of exciting storylines, including Chino Rheem looking to become the first-ever, four-time WPT main event champion and two-time bracelet winner Paul Volpe going for his first title on the WPT at his third final table.

In the end, the storyline that won out was Sam Panzica capturing his second title on the tour less than six months after winning his first. Panzica overcame the record field and the stacked final table to emerge victorious, earning the first-place prize of $1,373,000 and adding his name the WPT Champions Trophy.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Panzica to the win.

Tournament: WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star
Buy-In: $7,500
No. of Entries: 806
Prize Pool: $5,722,600
1st Place Prize: $1,373,000

The Action

Sitting as the short stack eight-handed, Sam Panzica was forced to move all in from the small blind for his last 465,000. Paul Volpe called from the big blind with K 7, which was ahead of Panzica’s 9 6. The board ran out A K 10 5 9, however, giving Panzica a club flush and a double up. A short while later, Panzica and Volpe got into another preflop all-in confrontation, this time with Volpe’s A K going up against Panzica’s 8 8. Once again, four clubs hit the board, giving Panizca another flush double up.

The Action

After expertly staying out of harm’s way and laddering up his way to three-handed play, Panzica was forced into action by the mounting blinds and antes. He raised to 500,000 from the button and Anthony Spinella called from the small blind. Chino Rheem then moved all in from the big blind and Panzica quickly called all in for 4,325,000. Spinella folded and Panzica showed pocket aces. Rheem needed help with Q J, and it never came on a board of 10 7 6 4 2. After facing an uphill climb as the short stack, Panzica suddenly found himself just a couple big blinds short of the chip lead.

The Action

Just a few hands after doubling up, Panzica completed from the small blind. Spinella checked his option and the two players took a flop of 7 6 5. Panzica bet 300,000 and Spinella called. The turn was the 2 and both players checked. The river was the 9 and Panzica bet 550,000. Spinella took his time before eventually raising to 1,850,000. Panzica went into the tank for almost a minute before emerging with a call. Spinella showed K 6 for just a pair of sixes, despite the straight and flush possibilities on board. Panzica turned over 9 6, however, for two pair and an even bigger lead.

The Action

Panzica raised to 500,000 on the button and Rheem called from the big blind. The flop was A 3 2 and Rheem checked. Panzica bet 500,000 and Rheem called. The turn was the K and Rheem checked again. This time, Panzica bet 950,000 and Rheem called. The river was the Q. Rheem checked, and Panzica bet 2,100,000. Rheem got up, leaning over the table to study the board. After almost 90 seconds, he called and Panzica turned over A K for top two pair. With that pot, Panzica held about 75 percent of the chips in play.

The Action

Even though Spinella took out Rheem in third place, he was still facing a 3:1 chip deficit entering heads-up play. He had chipped away slightly, but was still far behind when he decided to raise to 650,000 on the button. Panzica simply moved all in and Spinella called off his stack with A 8. Panzica held a dominating A 10, and it held as the board fell J 5 3 4 5 to give him his second World Poker Tour title in an six-month span.

Final Table Results

1. Sam Panzica — $1,373,000*
2. Anthony Spinella — $786,610*
3. Chino Rheem — $521,660
4. Paul Volpe — $349,610
5. Dennis Stevermer — $243,090
6. Rainer Kempe — $188,460
7. Sergio Aido — $144,760
8. Igor Yaroshevskyy — $106,520
9. Stephen Graner — $74,290

*Unknown deal made during heads-up play.