/ Matthew Pitt / 21 March 2011 / Leave a Comment 
From left ot right, Mike Sexton, Alan Sternberg and Vivek Rajkumar. Photo credit to the World Poker Tour
Although it may not have been as epic as Chris Moneymaker turning a $38 online satellite win into $2,500,000 when he won the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event but Alan Sternberg's win at the Bay 101 Shooting Star World Poker Tour event will go down as one of the great success stories.
The Bay 101 Shooting Star Main Event is one of the toughest fields on the WPT circuit due to the heavy presence of well-known and respected professional players taking part but that did not seem to bother Sternberg who handled himself impeccably throughout the tournament despite finding himself on the end of a horrible bad beat early at the final table.
The six handed final table played for just under an hour, during which time 27 hands were played, before it lost its first player. With blinds at 12,000/24,000/4,000a Mike Matusow raised to 55,000 from the button and then called when Mike Sexton moved all in for 200,000 from the big blind. Sexton's KcQs was dominating the KhJd of Matuswo but by the river the board read Ah-8d-4s-2h-Jc and Sexton was sent to the rail to pick up $148,000.
Casey McCarrel followed him just three hands later, his AhQh losing to the JcTs of World Series of Poker bracelet winner Steven Kelly. The money went in preflop and Kelly spiked a ten on the flop, which held, to eliminate McCarrel in fifth place, worth $221,800.
Then on the 45th hand of the final table disaster struck for Sternberg. On a board reading As-6c-5h-Qd-Qc he called an all in bet from Vivek "Psyduck" Rajkumar whilst holding 6d6s for a full house, only for Rajkumar to flip over QhQs for rivered quads! Losing a 1,800,000 chip pot would be enough to tilt most players but Sternberg kept his cool, did not panic and sat patiently choosing his spots to accumulate chips
Whilst he was doing so Rajkumar was busy losing the chips he had won from Sternberg, though it took another 100 hands for him to do so. On hand #131 with blinds now at 30,000/60,000/10,000a Rajkumar found himself with just 750,000 chips and these found their way into the middle when he open shoved from the button. Kelly re-shoved and Matusow showed king-queen before folding. This didn't please Kelly as he also held king-queen and Matusow had two of his outs but Rajkumar had made the play with KdJc and was badly dominated. The final board ran out Ac-3c-2h-7d-Th and Rajkumar was eliminated in fourth place, worth $295,800.
Matusow followed suit another hour later as his dream of a first WPT title lay in ruins. The blinds had increased to 40,000/80,000/10,000a and when Sternberg raised to 180,000 on the button, Matusow moved all in for 1,380,000 from the big blind. Sternberg made the call and turned over KhQh, nicely in front of the lowly 9d2s of Matusow. A Qd-Tc-6d-4d-2h board was enough to bust Matusow in third place which netted him $369,800.
Going into heads-up there was only 50,000 chips difference between the two players but Sternberg quickly put some distance between them. On hand #182 he raised to 200,000 preflop, Kellyt made it 560,000 to play and Sternberg made the call. The flop came down Ts-8s-5d, Kelly bet 470,000 and Sternberg smooth called. The turn saw the 5h make an appearance and Kelly upped the ante by betting 1,100,000 and again Sternberg just called. The river was the Td and both players checked, Kelly turning over 9h7h, losing out to the 9c8c of Sternberg, who now lead 8,300,000 to 4,160,000.
Seven hands later and he won another 2,300,000 chips when he forced Kelly to fold on a Td-4h-3h-5c-Kh board to give himself a five-to-one chip lead. Despite the massive advantage it took 46 hands for Sternberg to dispatch of his opponent. Kelly min-raised to 240,000 which prompted Sternberg to move all in. Kelly made the call and looked set for a double up as his AhQh was much stronger than the Ts8c of his opponent. Both players made a pair on the Qd-8h-7h flop and when the turn was the 7s it looked like Kelly was back in business. However the dealer put out the 8c on the river to give Sternberg a full house and the win! $1,039,000 from a small satellite win will be one of the best ROIs ever seen!
Final table payouts
1: Alan Sternberg: $1,039,000
2: Steven Kelly: $595,300
3: Mike Matusow: $369,800
4: Vivek Rajkumar: $295,800
5: Casey McCarrel: $221,800
6: Mike Sexton: $148,000
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