Even though the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is still in full swing, PokerStars is already preparing for September through the release of a tentative schedule for the 2009 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP).
The WCOOP, which is considered the online version of the WSOP, is the longest running online tournament series around, with the inaugural event held in 2002. Back then, the WCOOP consisted of only nine events and awarded $730,000, an astronomical sum at the time. In the past seven years, the WCOOP has grown into a month-long event that last year featured 33 tournaments and paid out just under $40 million in prize money. Over the history of the WCOOP, $104 million has been awarded to its cashing players and 121 champions, who receive a 14 karat gold bracelet along with a huge payday for their achievement.
The tentative schedule issued by PokerStars calls for this year’s WCOOP to begin on September 3rd. PokerStars continues to make the tournament even better by offering more events and larger guaranteed prize pools. This year’s tournament schedule offers 42 tournaments and guarantees prize pools of over $40 million during the 17 days that the WCOOP will run. On September 20th, the traditional $5,200 buy in Main Event takes place alongside the $10,300 High Rollers Event, which has also become a staple of the PokerStars sponsored European Poker Tour (EPT).
Here’s a complete look at what is being advised by the PokerStars brass to be a tentative schedule of events for the 2009 WCOOP:
Sep 3 14:30 $215 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max, $1.25 million guaranteed
Sep 3 16:30 $215 Razz, $200,000 guaranteed
Sep 4 14:30 $215 Pot Limit Omaha Six-Max, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 4 16:30 $215 No Limit Single Draw 2-7 with Rebuys, $200,000 guaranteed
Sep 5 12:45 $109 No Limit Hold’em, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 5 14:30 $215 No Limit 5 Card Draw, $200,000 guaranteed
Sep 5 16:30 $215 Limit Hold’em, $400,000 guaranteed
Sep 6 12:45 $215 Special Sunday Warm-Up, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 6 14:30 $10,300 No Limit Hold’em, $2 million guaranteed
Sep 6 16:30 $530 No Limit Hold’em, $3 million guaranteed
Sep 7 14:30 $320 Mixed Hold’em Six-Max, $350,000 guaranteed
Sep 7 16:30 $215 Pot Limit Omaha Cubed Six-Max, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 8 14:30 $320 Stud, $150,000 guaranteed
Sep 8 16:30 $320 Badugi, $100,000 guaranteed
Sep 8 20:00 $1,050 No Limit Hold’em, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 9 14:30 $530 No Limit Hold’em Triple Shootout 10-Max, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 9 16:30 $320 Eight Game Mixed Event, $300,000 guaranteed
Sep 10 14:30 $530 Pot Limit Hold’em Six-Max, $400,000 guaranteed
Sep 10 16:30 $320 2-7 Triple Draw, $100,000 guaranteed
Sep 11 14:30 $215 No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys, $1.25 million guaranteed
Sep 11 16:30 $530 Limit Omaha H/L, $400,000 guaranteed
Sep 12 14:30 $530 Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 12 16:30 $320 HORSE, $400,000 guaranteed
Sep 13 12:45 $215 Special Sunday Warm-Up, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 13 14:30 $25,500 Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em, $800,000 guaranteed
Sep 13 16:30 $1,050 No Limit Hold’em, $3 million guaranteed
Sep 14 14:30 $320 Half Pot Limit Hold’em, Half Pot Limit Omaha, $400,000 guaranteed
Sep 14 16:30 $320 No Limit Hold’em 2X Chance, $800,000 guaranteed
Sep 15 14:30 $320 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys, $700,000 guaranteed
Sep 15 16:30 $530 Stud H/L, $200,000 guaranteed
Sep 15 20:00 $1,050 No Limit Hold’em, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 16 14:30 $215 No Limit Hold’em Big Antes, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 16 16:30 $320 Pot Limit Omaha H/L, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 17 14:30 $530 No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys Six-Max, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 17 16:30 $2,100 Pot Limit Omaha Six-Max, $600,000 guaranteed
Sep 18 14:30 $530 No Limit Hold’em Cubed, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 18 16:30 $1,050 Limit Hold’em Six-Max, $400,000 guaranteed
Sep 19 14:30 $530 Heads-Up Pot Limit Omaha, $500,000 guaranteed
Sep 19 16:30 $2,100 Eight Game Mixed Event, $400,000 guaranteed
Sep 20 12:45 $215 Special Sunday Warm-Up, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 20 14:30 $10,300 HORSE, $1 million guaranteed
Sep 20 16:30 $5,200 No Limit Hold’em Main Event, $10 million guaranteed
The reason that PokerStars is calling this a “tentative” schedule is that the site is seeking input from players as to any changes that could potentially be made to make it better. By e-mailing PokerStars at wcoop@pokerstars.com, the voices of those who make up the tournament fields will be heard. Although there has not been a date announced for the official 2009 WCOOP schedule, it is suggested by PokerStars management to get any comments in quickly so that it can be finalized.
