PokerStars WCOOP Offers $30 Million Guaranteed Prize Pool

The final schedule for this year’s PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) has been announced, leaving Team Poker Stars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier eager to get started and “take a shot at my third WCOOP bracelet”.

The WCOOP, which runs from September 4-25, is to feature 62 events, with the guarantee of $30 million (approximately £18.5 million/€20.9 million) in prize money sure to attract countless entries to the poker website’s series.

Additionally, the WCOOP main event – to be held on Sunday, September 25 – will possess a $5 million (£3.06 million/€3.5 million) guaranteed prize pool with the winner picking up at least $1 million (£612,00/€700,000). That is some big bucks on offer, people.

Event buy-ins vary dramatically, from $109 (£67/€76) right up to a staggering $10,300 (£6,300/€7,168) for entry to the three high roller tournaments, while there will also be turbos, shootouts and knockouts to cater for all tastes.

Frenchman Bertrand Grospellier said that he “can’t wait to start playing WCOOP (as) it’s the only online tournament series in the world that gives such amazing structures and prize pools”.

That is, of course, perfectly understandable – and the 30-year-old won’t have too long to wait as the WCOOP begins with three events on Sunday, September 4. They are a $215 (£131/€150) Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em event, as well as a $10,300 No-Limit Hold’em high roller tournament, and a $215 No-Limit Hold’em contest.

PokerStars have, thankfully, recognised that poker is now a global game and have set aside six distinct start times for events to cater for players around the world.

Full 2011 PokerStars WCOOP schedule (all times Eastern Time Zone):

• Sunday, September 4
  • WCOOP 01, 10:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em (six-max);
  • WCOOP 02, 12:00, $10,300 No-Limit Hold’em (high roller);
  • WCOOP 03, 14:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em.
• Monday, September 5
  • WCOOP 04, 11:00, $320 Pot-Limit Omaha;
  • WCOOP 05, 14:00, $320 No-Limit Hold’em (six-max, shootout, no late registration);
  • WCOOP 06, 17:00, $215+Rebuy No-Limit Hold’em (turbo).
• Tuesday, September 6
  • WCOOP 07, 11:00, $215 Pot-Limit Draw;
  • WCOOP 08, 14:00, $215 Triple Stud;
  • WCOOP 09, 17:00, $1,050 No-Limit Hold’em.
• Wednesday, September 7
  • WCOOP 10, 6:00, $265 Pot-Limit Omaha (knockout);
  • WCOOP 11, 11:00, $320 No-Limit Hold’em (ante up);
  • WCOOP 12, 14:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em (heads-up, no late registration).
• Thursday, September 8
  • WCOOP 13, 6:00, $215 Pot-Limit Omaha High/Low (six-max, one rebuy/one add-on);
  • WCOOP 14, 11:00, $265 No-Limit Hold’em (six-max, knockout);
  • WCOOP 15, 14:00, $215 Razz.
• Friday, September 9
  • WCOOP 16, 11:00, $215 Pot-Limit Omaha (six-max);
  • WCOOP 17, 14:00, $215 No-Limit Single Draw 2-7;
  • WCOOP 18, 17:00, $320 No-Limit Hold’em (10-minute levels).
• Saturday, September 10
  • WCOOP 19, 10:00, $109 No-Limit Hold’em;
  • WCOOP 20, 14:00, $215 Fixed-Limit Hold’em.
• Sunday, September 11
  • WCOOP 21, 10:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em;
  • WCOOP 22, 14:00, $530 No-Limit Hold’em.
• Monday, September 12
  • WCOOP 23, 11:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em (four-max);
  • WCOOP 24, 14:00, $320 Stud;
  • WCOOP 25, 17:00, $215 Pot-Limit Omaha (turbo, one rebuy/one add-on).
• Tuesday, September 13
  • WCOOP 26, 11:00, $320 Mixed Hold’em (six-max);
  • WCOOP 27, 14:00, $320 Fixed-Limit Badugi;
  • WCOOP 28, 17:00, $1,050 No-Limit Hold’em.
• Wednesday, September 14
  • WCOOP 29, 6:00, $265 No-Limit Omaha High/Low (six-max, knockout);
  • WCOOP 30, 11:00, $530 No-Limit Hold’em (10-max, triple shootout, no late registration);
  • WCOOP 31, 14:00, $320 Eight-Game.
• Thursday, September 15
  • WCOOP 32, 6:00, $320 No-Limit Hold’em (six-max);
  • WCOOP 33, 11:00, $320 Pot-Limit Omaha (six-max, one rebuy/one add-on);
  • WCOOP 34, 14:00, $320 Triple Draw 2-7.
• Friday, September 16
  • WCOOP 35, 11:00, $215+Rebuy No-Limit Hold’em;
  • WCOOP 36, 14:00, $530 Fixed-Limit Omaha High/Low;
  • WCOOP 37, 17:00, $109 Eight-Game (10-minute rounds).
• Saturday, September 17
  • WCOOP 38, 10:00, $530 No-Limit Hold’em (heads-up, no late registration);
  • WCOOP 39, 14:00, $320 H.O.R.S.E.
• Sunday, September 18
  • WCOOP 40, 10:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em;
  • WCOOP 41, 12:00, $10,300 No-Limit Hold’em (high-roller heads-up, no late registration);
  • WCOOP 42, 14:00, $1,050 No-Limit Hold’em.
• Monday, September 19
  • WCOOP 43, 11:00, $320+Rebuy Pot-Limit Omaha (six-max);
  • WCOOP 44, 14:00, $320 No-Limit Hold’em (2X chance);
  • WCOOP 45, 17:00, $265 No-Limit Hold’em (turbo, knockout).
• Tuesday, September 20
  • WCOOP 46, 11:00, $320 Mixed Pot-Limit Hold’em/Omaha;
  • WCOOP 47, 14:00, $530 Stud High/Low;
  • WCOOP 48, 17:00, $1,050 No-Limit Hold’em.
• Wednesday, September 21
  • WCOOP 49, 6:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em (one rebuy/one add-on);
  • WCOOP 50, 11:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em (big antes);
  • WCOOP 51, 14:00, $320 Pot-Limit Omaha High/Low.
• Thursday, September 22
  • WCOOP 52, 6:00, $320 No-Limit Hold’em;
  • WCOOP 53, 11:00, $530+Rebuy No-Limit Hold’em;
  • WCOOP 54, 14:00, $2,100 Pot-Limit Omaha (six-max).
• Friday, September 23
  • WCOOP 55, 11:00, $530 No-Limit Hold’em (one rebuy/one add-on);
  • WCOOP 56, 14:00, $1,050 Fixed-Limit Hold’em (six-max);
  • WCOOP 57, 17:00, $215 No-Limit Omaha High/Low (10-minute levels).
• Saturday, September 24
  • WCOOP 58, 10:00, $530 Pot-Limit Omaha (heads-up, no late registration);
  • WCOOP 59, 14:00, $2,100 H.O.R.S.E.
• Sunday, September 25
  • WCOOP 60, 10:00, $215 No-Limit Hold’em;
  • WCOOP 61, 12:00, $10,300 Eight-Game (high roller);
  • WCOOP 62, 14:00, $5,200 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event (first place guaranteed $1 million).