The 2008 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker continued on Tuesday, with the $530 buy-in cubed event kicking off. The tournament sported a $530 price tag and allowed one rebuy and one add-on per person, meaning the most anyone could invest was $1,590. At the end of the day, ddrufnek walked away with a $194,902 first place prize, the seventh largest given to a WCOOP winner this year.
The $530 buy-in tournament attracted 1,159 entrants and generated a prize pool of $1.46 million. The top 171 places cashed and the four best took home more than $100,000. A four-way chop occurred in this tournament, accounting for the massive paydays at the top of the pack. The field was paced by ddrufnek, who pocketed $194,902. He defeated German PokerStars member luckyuli heads-up. The runner up pocketed $182,902 for his efforts. American imeasy2read was also part of the chop, taking home $166,805, and ILAN17 grabbed $166,805 for fourth place. The final four players continued after the chop with $10,000 and a WCOOP bracelet in the prize pool.
Here’s a look at the top fifteen finishers in the event. Each received over $10,000:
1. ddrufnek (United States), $192,902.00
2. luckyuli (Germany), $182,902.00
3. imeasy2read (United States), $166,805.00
4. ILAN17 (Belgium), $166,805.00
5. MPetes (United States), $76,650.00
6. dinkel (Sweden), $62,050.00
7. MaxHam (Sweden), $47,450.00
8. 1bigbluffer1 (Netherlands), $32,850.00
9. MT456 (Sweden), $20,440.00
10. smellmuth (Canada), $13,870.00
11. mindgamer (Austria), $13,870.00
12. thechemist83 (United States), $13,870.00
13. Break-Necks (Canada), $10,950.00
14. marzello (Uruguay), $10,950.00
15. ElkY (United Kingdom), $10,950.00
As you can see, the WCOOP has lived up to its hype as the world’s premier international online poker tournament series. There were nine countries represented in the top 15 finishers. Other in the money finishers include players from Bahrain, Russia, Brazil, Australia, Denmark, Hungary, Estonia, Poland, Mexico, Ireland, Norway, Lebanon, Italy, Iceland, Greece, and Costa Rica. Talk about a global event.
Also playing out on Tuesday was a $530 buy-in No Limit 2-7 Single Draw tournament. It attracted 308 players, falling short of its $200,000 guarantee. American luvgamble gambled his way to a first place payday of $42,000. World Poker Tour Bellagio Cup IV winner Mike SirWatts Watson finished second, taking home $30,000. Coming in third place was newhizzle, who earned $21,000. The top 49 spots paid out in this fairly unique tournament.
All eyes are now focused squarely on Sunday, when the $5,200 buy-in WCOOP Main Event will take place. It boasts a $10 million guaranteed prize pool and should dole out over $2 million to the winner.
Event 27: Thursday, September 18th at 14:30
$530 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Triple Shootout
$300,000 Guaranteed
Event 28: Thursday, September 18th at 16:30
$530 buy-in Limit Omaha High-Low
$400,000 Guarantee
Event 29: Friday, September 19th at 14:30
$530 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Six-Max with Rebuys
$400,000 Guaranteed
Event 30: Friday, September 19th at 16:30
$1,050 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha
$500,000 Guaranteed
Event 31: Saturday, September 20th at 14:30
$1,050 buy-in Limit Hold’em Six-Max
$500,000 Guaranteed
Event 32: Saturday, September 20th at 16:30
$10,300 buy-in HORSE
$500,000 Guaranteed
Event 33: Sunday, September 21st at 16:30
$5,200 buy-in WCOOP Main Event
$10,000,000 Guaranteed
Note that the Main Event is a two day tournament. It will award one of the largest first place prizes ever given out online.