2010 WCOOP Preview: Highlights from the 2007 and 2008 WCOOP
In three days, the PokerStars 2010 World Championship of Online Poker will be upon us. In 2002, the WCOOP consisted of nine events. Since then, it has grown every year in tournaments, entrants, and total prize-pool money. There will be 62 events on the docket this year, and you can bet that the guaranteed prize pool of $50,000,000 will be smashed. The monster paydays were out in full force in 2007 and 2008, with several big names claiming large scores and the first million-dollar prize being won.
2007 WCOOP
23 Events
40,280 - total entrants
$24,218,600 - total prize pool
Largest Cash – Kyle “ka$ino” Schroeder ($1,378,330.50)
Undoubtedly the biggest controversy in WCOOP history, Schroeder's victory in the $2,500 Main Event was not originally his. The tournament was won by Natalie “TheV0id” Teltscher, but it was determined by PokerStars that Mark Teltscher was playing under multiple accounts, including “TheV0id,” and was disqualified. The rest of the field moved up one spot in the payouts and Schroeder was awarded the victory.
Most Final Tables Made – 2 - Florian “spielraum.at” Oberauer, "Lystig," and "tralaira"
Notable Results
Vanessa "LadyMaverick" Rousso: Second place out of 2,998 entrants in the $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event for $700,782.50.
James "mig.com" Mackey: First place out of 3,325 entrants in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for $580,212.50.
Josh "nitbuster" Arieh: Fifth place out of 2,998 entrants in the No-Limit Hold'em Main Event for $307,295.
Greg "FossilMan" Raymer: First place out of 772 entrants in a $300 Pot-Limit Omaha with rebuys event for $168,362.40.
Mike "Sowerss" Sowers: First place out of 616 entrants in a $1,000 Limit Hold'em event for $120,184.85.
Shawn "buck21" Buchanan: First place out of 1,046 entrants in a $500 Pot-Limit Omaha six-max for $97,262.78.
Jason "TheMasterJ33" DeWitt: Second place out of 2,059 entrants in a $200 Limit Hold'em event for $53,629.87.
2008 WCOOP
33 Events
55,686 - total entrants
$39,958,000 - total prize pool
Largest Cash – "liberace" ($1,375,249.81)
The final table of the $5,000 Main Event was incredibly talented as Alex "AJKHoosier1" Kamberis and Kristoffer "Sumpas" Thorsson finished in third and sixth places, respectively. Vying for the title were Carter "ckingusc" King and "liberace," agreeing to a deal that guaranteed each over $1,000,000. They played for $200,000, with King battling back from a chip deficit to earn the victory, though still earning about $110,000 less than liberace.
Most Final Tables Made - 2 - Peter "#1PEN" Neff, "thevoice72," Scott "dorinvandy" Dorin, Greg "DuckU" Hobson, Chris "Money800" Moneymaker, "Mary 717," James "Andy McLEOD" Obst, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Ryon "7CardRyon" Nicholson, and "porcelet".
Notable Results
Alex "AJKHoosier1" Kamberis: Third place out of 2,185 in the $5,000 No-Limit Holdem Main Event for $782,542.90.
Scott "dorinvandy" Dorin: First place out of 321 entrants in the $10,000 High-Roller No-Limit Hold'em event for $617,925.
Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier: Second place out of 64 entrants in a $25,000 High-Roller Heads-Up event for $320,000.
Andre "aakkari" Akkari: Second place out of 125 entrants in a $10,000 HORSE event for $200,000.
Chris "Money800" Moneymaker: Sixth place out of 321 entrants in a $10,000 High-Roller No-Limit Hold'em event for $139,635.
Jonathan "Jcardshark" Little: Seventh place out of 321 entrants in a $10,000 High-Roller No-Limit Hold'em event for $107,535.
James "Andy McLEOD" Obst: First place out of 1,223 entrants in a $200 Pot-Limit Omaha 1R1A for $98,280.
For full details on the 2010 WCOOP schedule, check out our 2010 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Page.
PokerStars have once again announced an exclusive $10,000 Sunday Million Freeroll for Club PokerNews members in October. This is the fourth month in a row our players have benefited from a $10k satellite freeroll to some of the biggest online tournaments in the world.
