World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Begins This Weekend on PokerStars
Poker players around the world are gearing up for what promises to be the most exciting online poker festival of the year, the 2015 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) on PokerStars from September 6-27.
The year's WCOOP marks the 14th edition of the poker series and promises to be the biggest in history featuring 70 events with a combined $45 million in guaranteed prize pools. This represents a sizable increase from 2014, when the WCOOP schedule consisted of 66 events with a combined $40 million in guaranteed prizes.
The highlight of this year's schedule is the $5,200 buy-in Main Event on September 27, where thousands of players will compete for a piece of the advertised $10 million guaranteed prize pool. Last year, Germany's Fedor "CrownUpGuy" Holz etched his name into the history books after shipping the WCOOP Main Event for a life-changing $1.3 million.
Over the years, we have witnessed many players become overnight millionaires by shipping the WCOOP Main Event. American poker pro Tyson "POTTERPOKER" Marks holds the record for largest first-place prize after winning the 2010 WCOOP Main Event for a whopping $2,278,097.50. Marks' record should be safe this year and in years to come, as when he shipped the Main Event, it was the last WCOOP before Black Friday rocked the poker world.
Other household names to win the WCOOP Main Event include high-stakes poker pros JC "area23JC" Tran, winning $670,000 in 2006, and Yevgeniy "Jovial Gent" Timoshenko, who won $1,715,200 in 2009.
While the first events don't start until Sunday, many players have already begun their journey to the WCOOP by playing in the many satellites, including the Mega Path satellites. In fact, records are already being broken thanks to Czech Republic's "DomMarty" qualifying for this year's WCOOP Main Event for just 12 FPPs, the fewest ever spent in the WCOOP's history.
Additionally, many players have begun to earn their seat to the two-day flighted WCOOP-01: $109 NL Hold'em, with the first flight starting last Sunday and continuing throughout the week until the second day begins on September 6 at 13:30 ET.
I think it only makes sense that the world's largest poker site is also the host of the largest buy-in online poker tournament ever.
This year's WCOOP schedule also features a bit of new excitement for many players with a few new events added to the schedule. Many high-stakes poker pros are thrilled about the addition of the new $51,000 buy-in Super High Roller event with a $1 million guaranteed prize pool.
Daniel Negreanu shared his excitement on the PokerStars Blog in a post titled WCOOP to Host Its First $51,000 Super High Roller.
"Over the last few years we have seen the emergence of Super High Roller events at live events across the globe," said Negreanu. "I think it only makes sense that the world's largest poker site is also the host of the largest buy-in online poker tournament ever. I'm excited to test my skills against the best of the best, online."
Also new to the WCOOP schedule are three different three-day events. In addition, 15 designated Championship events are now on the schedule for the first time. The Championship events include some of the bigger buy-ins events, incorporating many different types of poker games including hold'em, Omaha, stud, and draw poker variants.
Besides these big changes, the schedule includes what poker players have grown to expect from the WCOOP with a wide variety of poker variants and tournament formats. Here's a complete look at the entire 2015 WCOOP schedule:
| Event # | Buy-in | Name | Date & Time (ET) | Guarantee | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $215.00 | WCOOP-02: $215 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Sunday Warm-Up SE] | 06 Sep @ 11:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 2 | $10,300.00 | WCOOP-03: $10,300 NLHE [High-Roller, Heads-Up] | 06 Sep @ 12:30 | $300,000 | |
| 3 | $109.00 | WCOOP-01: $109 NL Hold'em [WCOOP Kickoff, Phase 2] | 06 Sep @ 13:30 | $1,500,000 | |
| 4 | $215.00 | WCOOP-04: $215 NL Hold'em [Sunday Million SE] | 06 Sep @ 14:30 | $1,500,000 | |
| 5 | $215.00 | WCOOP-05: $215+R NL Hold'em [6-Max] | 07 Sep @ 11:00 | $500,000 | |
| 6 | $700.00 | WCOOP-06: $700 PL Omaha [6-Max, Monday PLO SE] | 07 Sep @ 14:00 | $300,000 | |
| 7 | $700.00 | WCOOP-07: $700 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout] | 07 Sep @ 17:00 | $750,000 | |
| 8 | $700.00 | WCOOP-08: $700 NL Single Draw 2-7 Championship | 08 Sep @ 11:00 | $50,000 | |
| 9 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-09: $1,050 NL Hold'em [Super Tuesday SE] | 08 Sep @ 14:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 10 | $215.00 | WCOOP-10: $215 FL Hold'em [6-Max] | 08 Sep @ 17:00 | $75,000 | |
| 11 | $215.00 | WCOOP-11: $215 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout] | 09 Sep @ 08:00 | $400,000 | |
| 12 | $700.00 | WCOOP-12: $700 NL Draw Championship | 09 Sep @ 11:00 | $50,000 | |
| 13 | $320.00 | WCOOP-13: $320 NL Hold'em [Heads-Up] | 09 Sep @ 14:00 | $300,000 | |
| 14 | $215.00 | WCOOP-14: $215 NL Hold'em [Big Antes, Optional Re-Entry] | 10 Sep @ 08:00 | $200,000 | |
| 15 | $215.00 | WCOOP-15: $215 PL Omaha [1R1A] | 10 Sep @ 11:00 | $200,000 | |
| 16 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-16: $1,050 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout, Thursday Thrill SE] | 10 Sep @ 14:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 17 | $700.00 | WCOOP-17: $700 NL Hold'em [6-Max,3-Stack] | 11 Sep @ 11:00 | $200,000 | |
| 18 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-18: $1,050 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo Championship | 11 Sep @ 14:00 | $50,000 | |
| 19 | $320.00 | WCOOP-19: $320 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Zoom] | 11 Sep @ 17:00 | $400,000 | |
| 20 | $109.00 | WCOOP-20: $109 NL Hold'em [Optional Re-Entry] | 12 Sep @ 11:00 | $500,000 | |
| 21 | $530.00 | WCOOP-21: $530 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout] | 12 Sep @ 14:00 | $750,000 | |
| 22 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-22: $1,050 NL Omaha Hi/Lo Championship [6-Max] | 12 Sep @ 17:00 | $75,000 | |
| 23 | $215.00 | WCOOP-23: $215 PL Omaha [Knockout] | 13 Sep @ 08:00 | $250,000 | |
| 24 | $215.00 | WCOOP-24: $215 NL Hold'em [Sunday Warm-Up SE] | 13 Sep @ 11:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 25 | $10,300.00 | WCOOP-25: $10,300 NL Hold'em [8-Max, Optional Re-Entry, High-Roller] | 13 Sep @ 12:30 | $2,000,000 | |
| 26 | $700.00 | WCOOP-26: $700 NL Hold'em | 13 Sep @ 14:30 | $1,500,000 | |
| 27 | $215.00 | WCOOP-27: $215 PL Omaha [6-Max, Progressive Super-Knockout] | 14 Sep @ 11:00 | $200,000 | |
| 28 | $320.00 | WCOOP-28: $320 NL Hold'em [6-Max] | 14 Sep @ 14:00 | $200,000 | |
| 29 | $700.00 | WCOOP-29: $700 7-Card Stud Championship | 14 Sep @ 17:00 | $50,000 | |
| 30 | $215.00 | WCOOP-30: $215 PL 5-Card Omaha H/L [6-Max,2R1A] | 15 Sep @ 11:00 | $100,000 | |
| 31 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-31: $1,050 NL Hold'em [Super Tuesday SE] | 15 Sep @ 14:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 32 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-32: $1,050 FL Omaha Hi/Lo Championship [8-Max] | 15 Sep @ 17:00 | $75,000 | |
| 33 | $700.00 | WCOOP-33: $700 FL Badugi Championship, $50K Guaranteed | 16 Sep @ 08:00 | $50,000 | |
| 34 | $320.00 | WCOOP-34: $320 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Optional Re-Entry] | 16 Sep @ 11:00 | $200,000 | |
| 35 | $320.00 | WCOOP-35: $320+R PL Omaha [6-Max] | 16 Sep @ 14:00 | $250,000 | |
| 36 | $215.00 | WCOOP-36: $215 NL Hold'em [1R1A] | 17 Sep @ 08:00 | $300,000 | |
| 37 | $320.00 | WCOOP-37: $320 8-Game | 17 Sep @ 11:00 | $100,000 | |
| 38 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-38: $1,050 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout, Thursday Thrill SE] | 17 Sep @ 14:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 39 | $700.00 | WCOOP-39: $700 Triple Draw 2-7 Championship | 18 Sep @ 11:00 | $50,000 | |
| 40 | $530.00 | WCOOP-40: $530 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Shootout] | 18 Sep @ 14:00 | $250,000 | |
| 41 | $320.00 | WCOOP-41: $320 NL Hold'em [Ante Up] | 18 Sep @ 17:00 | $150,000 | |
| 42 | $215.00 | WCOOP-42: $215+R NL Hold'em | 19 Sep @ 11:00 | $400,000 | |
| 43 | $320.00 | WCOOP-43: $320 HORSE | 19 Sep @ 14:00 | $75,000 | |
| 44 | $215.00 | WCOOP-44: $215 NL Hold'em [4-Max] | 19 Sep @ 17:00 | $400,000 | |
| 45 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-45: $1,050 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Ultra-Deep] | 20 Sep @ 08:00 | $500,000 | |
| 46 | $215.00 | WCOOP-46: $215 NL Hold'em [Sunday Warm-Up SE] | 20 Sep @ 11:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 47 | $51,000.00 | WCOOP-47: $51,000 NL Hold'em [8-Max, Super High-Roller] | 20 Sep @ 12:30 | $1,000,000 | |
| 48 | $2,100.00 | WCOOP-48: $2,100 NL Hold'em | 20 Sep @ 14:30 | $2,000,000 | |
| 49 | $530.00 | WCOOP-49: $530 NL Hold'em [Optional Re-Entry] | 21 Sep @ 11:00 | $500,000 | |
| 50 | $215.00 | WCOOP-50: $215 NL Hold'em [Knockout] | 21 Sep @ 14:00 | $500,000 | |
| 51 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-51: $1,050 PL Omaha Hi/Lo Championship [6-Max] | 21 Sep @ 17:00 | $50,000 | |
| 52 | $530.00 | WCOOP-52: $530 PL Omaha [6-Max,3-Stack] | 22 Sep @ 11:00 | $100,000 | |
| 53 | $2,100.00 | WCOOP-53: $2,100 NL Hold'em [Super Tuesday SE] | 22 Sep @ 14:00 | $1,500,000 | |
| 54 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-54: $1,050 Razz Championship | 22 Sep @ 17:00 | $50,000 | |
| 55 | $320.00 | WCOOP-55: $320 PL 5-Card Omaha [6-Max,1R1A] | 23 Sep @ 08:00 | $150,000 | |
| 56 | $530.00 | WCOOP-56: $530+R NL Hold'em | 23 Sep @ 11:00 | $500,000 | |
| 57 | $2,100.00 | WCOOP-57: $2,100 PL Omaha Championship [6-Max] | 23 Sep @ 14:00 | $150,000 | |
| 58 | $530.00 | WCOOP-58: $530 NL Hold'em [Ultra-Deep] | 24 Sep @ 08:00 | $150,000 | |
| 59 | $215.00 | WCOOP-59: $215 NL Omaha Hi/Lo [6-Max] | 24 Sep @ 11:00 | $100,000 | |
| 60 | $2,100.00 | WCOOP-60: $2,100 NL Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout, Thursday Thrill SE] | 24 Sep @ 14:00 | $1,500,000 | |
| 61 | $700.00 | WCOOP-61: $700 NL Hold'em [1R1A] | 25 Sep @ 11:00 | $500,000 | |
| 62 | $320.00 | WCOOP-62: $320 PL Omaha H/L [6-Max] | 25 Sep @ 14:00 | $100,000 | |
| 63 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-63: $1,050 FL Hold'em Championship [6-Max] | 25 Sep @ 17:00 | $100,000 | |
| 64 | $700.00 | WCOOP-64: $700 PL Omaha [Heads-Up] | 26 Sep @ 11:00 | $150,000 | |
| 65 | $700.00 | WCOOP-65: $700 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Progressive Super-Knockout] | 26 Sep @ 14:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 66 | $2,100.00 | WCOOP-66: $2,100 HORSE Championship | 26 Sep @ 17:00 | $200,000 | |
| 67 | $215.00 | WCOOP-67: $215 NL Hold'em [8-Max, Optional Re-Entry, Sunday Warm-Up SE] | 27 Sep @ 11:00 | $1,000,000 | |
| 68 | $10,300.00 | WCOOP-68: $10,300 8-Game Championship | 27 Sep @ 12:30 | $500,000 | |
| 69 | $5,200.00 | WCOOP: $5,200 NL Hold'em Main Event | 27 Sep @ 14:30 | $10,000,000 | |
| 70 | $1,050.00 | WCOOP-70: $1,050 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Optional Re-Entry] | 27 Sep @ 18:30 | $1,000,000 |
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