PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker Starts with a Bang

Wednesday, September 20, 2006 | Adrian Milewski

This year’s record breaking World Championship of Online Poker which is held on PokerStars every year is underway and the first four events have been completed with $3.6million of prize money already won.

The WCOOP is running until October 1st with at least one event every day and is the online equivilent to the World Series of Poker. You can Signup at PokerStars here and once signed up you will be able to enter any WCOOP event directly or enter any one of the thousands of satellite tournaments and SitnGo’s running for the event of your choice.

Event # 1 $215 Razz

The WCOOP kicked off on Saturday with it’s first ever Razz event and it hit the ground running with 1,297 entrants smashing the $100,000 guarantee for this event. The prize pool actually came out at $259,400 which is unheard of for a Razz tournament.

The eventual winner was ‘Nabokov’ who walked away with a first prize of $58,365 and was also the first to be awarded a 2006 WCOOP bracelet with another 17 events and bracelets to go.

WCOOP Event # 1 - $215 Razz - Final Results
1st ($58,365): Nabokov
2nd ($35,019): TS Long
3rd ($22,827.20): solody
4th ($16,861): 2badd4u
5th ($13,748.20): FellKnight
6th ($11,154.20): respekmestak
7th ($8,560.20): debrisfish
8th ($5,706.80): BadgerDawg

Event # 2 $530 NL Holdem

This event occupied the slot of the usual Pokerstars Sunday Million tournament and attracted much fo the same crowd plus many others all attracted by the $1.5million guarantee. Once again this guarantee was smashed with total entrants numbering 4,495 and a huge prize pool of $2,247,500. In fact there was 5 digit payouts all the way down to 18th place with a total of 600 places finishing in the money.

A notable prize money finisher here was 10th place finisher ‘micon’ who is a player we have a huge amount of respect for at Poker Professor and we talk about his guide The Micon System on our Tournament Strategy page. ‘micon’ walked away with a five figure payout for his 10th place finish.

This event was eventually won by ‘Rambo5′ from Sweden after the tournament lasted 13 hours. He walked away with a first prize of $320,865 after a deal was made on the final table between him and second place finisher ‘LUNOID’.

WCOOP Event # 2 - $530 NL Holdem - Final Results
*1st: ($320,865): Rambo5
*2nd ($250,000): LUNOID
3rd ($119,117.50): polpolpol
4th ($94,395): lasbas
5th ($76,415): gski6986
6th ($59,558.75): Mr Neverquit

7th ($46,073.75): Feb19
8th ($34,836.25): Sassenage
9th ($22,475): Striker 10
* final payouts based on two-way deal

Event # 3 $330 Pot-Limit Omaha

Day 3 of the WCOOP saw the first of four Omaha events being held this year. Once again the guarantee of $400,000 expanded to a prize pool of $678,300 with not only 773 entrants but also 987 re-buys and 501 add-ons to help build the prize pool.

‘thegiant’ took home the third 2006 WCOOP bracelet and along with it a first prize of $151,261.

WCOOP Event # 3 – $300 PLO w/Rebuys - Final Results
1st: ($151,260.90): thegiant
2nd ($92,927.10): Bebop86
3rd ($61,250.49): nomoballer
4th ($43,411.20): lara15fiona
5th ($35,949.90): doidovarrido
6th ($29,166.90): bastet2004
7th ($22,383.90): AnalAce
8th ($15,940.05): TillerMaN
9th ($10,513.65): gnsd22

Event # 4 $215 NL Hold’em Matchplay

The fourth event this year was a heads-up matchplay event and had no problem reaching the tournament cap of 2,048 players again smashing the guarantee of $300,000 with an actual prize pool of $409,600.

’spawng’ won this event and became the first player to become a Two-time WCOOP winner after he won Event #13 Pot Limit Omaha in 2005.

WCOOP Event # 4 - $215 No Limit Heads Up Matches - Final Results
*1st: ($58,248): spawng
*2nd ($48,248): k-knuts
3rd ($22,528): YdotheyPLAY
4th ($22,528): Beatiful Man
5th ($11,264): Sirens
6th ($11,264): Purr of Aces
7th ($11,264): Bettishldum
8th ($11,264): Piquette

Remaining WCOOP Events

The are still 14 WCOOP events to run and we’re all still waiting for the Main Event which is the final event on October 1st with a $3million guarantee which if the first four events are anything to go by will be smashed once again. It’s not too late to get involved in this year’s WCOOP so head over to PokerStars here and get signed up to the event or satellite to the event of your choice.

World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) schedule

DAY	DATE	EVENT	BUY-IN	GUARANTEE
Saturday	September 16	Razz	$215	$100,000
Sunday	September 17	No Limit Hold’em	$530	$1,500,000
Monday	September 18	Pot Limit Omaha (rebuys)	$320	$400,000
Tuesday	September 19	No Limit Hold’em Match Play	$215	$300,000
Wednesday	September 20	Limit Omaha High/Low	$530	$300,000
Thursday	September 21	No Limit Hold’em (rebuys)	$215	$1,000,000
Friday	September 22	Limit Hold’em	$215	$200,000
Saturday	September 23	HORSE	$215	$100,000
Saturday	September 23	Pot Limit Hold’em	$530	$400,000
Sunday	September 24	No Limit Hold’em	$1,050	$1,000,000
Monday	September 25	Seven Card Stud	$320	$100,000
Tuesday	September 26	Pot Limit Omaha8	$320	$200,000
Wednesday	September 27	Pot Limit Hold’em	$320	$400,000
Thursday	September 28	Seven Card Stud High/Low	$530	$200,000
Friday	September 29	Pot Limit Omaha	$530	$300,000
Saturday	September 30	HORSE	$5,200	$100,000
Saturday	September 30	Limit Hold’em	$1,050	$400,000
Sunday	October 1	No Limit Hold’em	$2,600	$3,000,000