Eddy Sabat Charges Ahead on WPT Bay101 Day 1a

As if bagging up the overnight chip lead wasn’t enough, Eddy Sabat also collected a $10,000 “Chip Leader Bonus” for collecting 265,600 chips on Day 1 of the World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star event.

The annual fan-favorite event at the San Jose casino drew a crowd of 361 entries on Day 1a, including 38 Shooting Stars who had a $2,500 bounty on their heads. Seven of the aforementioned Shooting Stars opted to use the option to do a single re-entry, and a total of 14 managed to make it through to Day 2.

Todd Brunson’s elimination was partly responsible for Sabat’s chip lead, and the WSOP bracelet winner spent the better part of 30 minutes putting together what will now be known as “the most epic Shooting Star shirt of all time.” Sabat’s lead was contested by Justin Young and Sergio Aido, who ultimately fell short of collecting the $10,000 bonus by 34,600 and 14,100 chips respectively. Young leads all remaining Shooting Stars.

When the dust settled, 119 players survived Day 1a, including Noah Schwartz (165,300), Ryan Riess (124,100), Marvin Rettenmaier (75,200), Joe McKeehen (70,500) and three-time Super Bowl champion Richard Seymour (59,300).

WPT Champions Club members Chris Moorman, Ema Zajmovic and Erik Seidel, were knocked out, as were Poker Central Ambassadors and Champions Club members Daniel Negreanu and Antonio Esfandiari. 

Last season Stefan Shillhabel notched up a breakout victory in this event for $1.3 million, beating Adam Geyer heads up. Shillhabel will be participating in the 2017 Super High Roller Bowl. Poker Central ambassador Maria Ho finished sixth for $179,720.