PokerStars US COOP: Sewnig, Kaye & Lestingi Claim Titles in Monday Action
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The prestigious PokerStars Championship of Online Poker (COOP) is currently running in a trio of US states in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey.
All three PokerStars US-facing sites offer state-specific versions of the COOP, with each running concurrently September 10-27.
The Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker (PACOOP) guarantees $2 million across 69 events on PokerStars PA. The two-day PACOOP Main Event runs Sept. 26-27, with a $300 buy-in and $200,000 in guaranteed prize money on the line.
The 2021 Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP) offers 68 events, with a combined guarantee of $1.5 million. The upcoming series marks the second time the MICOOP has run on PokerStars MI, which launched in January 2021. .
New Jersey poker players are well familiar with the NJCOOP series, which returns to PokerStars NJ with a schedule of 60 events. The guarantees add up to $1 million for the 2021 NJCOOP, including the $300 buy-in, $100,000 guaranteed Main Event Sept. 26-27.
PokerNews is providing live reporting coverage on selected events from all three US COOP series. Here’s a look at the most recent winners.
Sewnig Claims Second NJCOOP Sunday Title
Only two NJCOOP events took place on Monday including Event #37: $300 NLHE [4-Max], $22.5K GTD, which drew a 95-entry field and saw well-known Garden State grinder Dan "monkeyman067" Sewnig claim the title for $6,212.
It was his second win of the series after beating a 298-entry field to win Event #4: $100 NLHE [8-Max, Big Kickoff Trophy Event], $25K GTD for $5,187.
Sewnig learned poker at 11 years old when his cousin taught him the rules to Texas hold’em. In 2003 when Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker, Sewnig was in seventh grade and playing $5 SNGs with his friends.
“I'll always remember our friend's mom asked us who we thought was going to win. There were about 50 players left in the TV coverage and Ivey and Farha were the popular answers. I said, ‘I don't know, I've got a good feeling about that guy Moneymaker.’ She gave me a look at the time that I thought meant she thought I was stupid. I had no idea at the time that these shows were prerecorded and she already knew that he had gone on to win!”
For more on Sewnig, check out his feature profile here on PokerNews.
PokerNews will continue coverage of the 2021 NJCOOP on Thursday with NJCOOP Event #44: $250 NLHE (Thursday Thrill PKO SE Championship Trophy Event),$30k GTD, so be sure to tune in then for exciting Progressive Knockout action!
Recent 2021 NJCOOP Winners
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #37: $300 NLHE [4-Max], $22.5K GTD | 95 | $26,600 | Dan "monkeyman067" Sewnig | $6,212.01 |
| Event #38: $100 HORSE [6-Max], $6.5K GTD | 71 | $6,517.80 | #3lynchmob | $1,492.89 |
David "DavidKayePoker" Kaye Wins First MICOOP Title
On Monday night, three more MICOOP tournaments wrapped up including Event #42: $200 NLHE [MICOOP Freezeout], $15K GTD, which saw David "DavidKayePoker" Kaye top a 115-entry field to claim his first MICOOP title and $4,856 in prize money.
We shipped our first @PokerStars MICOOP #on stream tonight! 1/114 in the $200 Freezeout for $4,856. Thanks everyone… https://t.co/ma5tX8Iskp
— David Kaye (@DavidKayePoker)
PokerNews returns to bring you coverage of Event #49: $250 NLHE Thursday Thrill SE Championship Trophy Event, $40K GTD on Thursday, September 23rd at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Recent 2021 MICOOP Winners
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #41: $100 NLHE [6-Max, PKO, Nightly Stars SE, Battle Royale], $25K GTD | 254 | $25,000 | xvuszvs2739 | $4,772.27 |
| Event #42: $200 NLHE [MICOOP Freezeout], $15K GTD | 115 | $21,204 | David "DavidKayePoker" Kaye | $4,856.38 |
| Event #43: $50 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, PKO], $10K GTD | 274 | $12,467 | Tim "BishPlz94" Bishop | $2,660.92 |
Vince "FuglyFunGuy" Lestingi Nabs a PACOOP Title
On Monday, the 2021 PACOOP continued with three more tournaments, one of which was Event #42: $100 NLHE [6-Max, PKO, Nightly Stars SE, Battle Royale], $30K GTD, which snuck by its guarantee as 342 entrants generated a $31,395.60 prize pool.
It took over six hours of play before Vince "FuglyFunGuy" Lestingi emerged victorious to claim the title and $5,632 first-place prize,
PokerNews coverage of the 2021 PACOOP will continue Thursday, September 23rd, at 7 p.m. ET with updates from Event #50: $250 NLHE Progressive KO Thursday Thrill SE Championship Trophy Event.
Recent PACOOP Winners
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #42: $100 NLHE [6-Max, PKO, Nightly Stars SE, Battle Royale], $30K GTD | 342 | $31,395.60 | Vince "FuglyFunGuy" Lestingi | $5,631.80 |
| Event #43: $200 NLHE [PACOOP Freezeout], $20K GTD | 126 | $23,436 | tlamb43 | $5,136.92 |
| Event #44: $50 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, PKO], $12.5K GTD | 429 | $19,519.50 | 1WOLF8 | $3,193.47 |
Tournament buy-ins for each COOP series begin as low as $10. Satellites qualifiers into COOP tournament also run throughout each series. Main Event tickets are on the line in $3 Spin & Go’s, which run up until the start of the Main Event on Sept. 26. ‘
Sept. 26 also sees Depositor Freeroll's at all three PokerStars US sites, with all players that deposit at least $30 using a state-specific promo code (PACOOP, MICOOP, or NJCOOP) granted entry. The top 50 finishers in each depositor freeroll win a $300 ticket to their respective Main Event.
All players eliminated short of the money ladder in any COOP event also get entry to a Second Chance Freeroll the following day. The Second Chance Freerolls will award $5,000 in COOP tickets in each state’s series.
