PokerStars Announces Biggest Ever World Championship of Online Poker 2013
Players from across the globe to compete for $40 million in guaranteed prizes
ONCHAN, Isle of Man –PokerStars today officially announced the schedule for the World Championship of Online Poker 2013, which will take place from September 8-29 and be the largest to date with 66 events.
The 2013 World Championship is guaranteeing a total of $40 million, with a two-day $5,200 NL Hold’em Main Event set for September 29-30, which guarantees $8 million – $3 million more than last year – and at least $1.25 million for first place. Check out the full tournament schedule at http://www.pokerstars.com/wcoop/tournaments/.
Two-time online World Championship bracelet winner, Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier, said: “The World Championship of Online Poker is definitely the biggest online tournament series of the year... My goal is to try and play as many events as possible and regain the overall leadership in bracelets. I think Dan Kelly has four, so I really would love to have five, but it’s a long way to go because I have two.”
TOURNAMENTS and satellites The 2013 World Championship has a huge range of buy-in levels, from the $109 series opener – the aptly named ‘Kickoff’ – to the $10,300 High Roller Heads-Up and 8-Game events, and dozens of diverse tournaments in between. Online satellites are now running for every event, with a multitude of qualifying paths and buy-ins available, which make the series accessible to players with any bankroll. Log onto PokerStars and click ‘Events’ > ‘WCOOP’ > ‘All’ in the lobby for more details.
player of the series In addition to the individual World Championship titles, PokerStars also rewards players for consistency in the series, awarding big prizes to those who cash in and final-table lots of events. The top prize on this year’s Leader Board is a Champion’s Trophy, a 2014 PCA package, and 2014 Turbo Championship of Online Poker, Spring Championship of Online Poker, and World Championship of Online Poker Main Event tickets, with a combined value of more than $33,000. Players who finish 2nd to 10th on the Leader Board will receive a combination of future Turbo Championship, Spring Championship and World Championship Main Event tickets depending on their finishing position. For more information, please visit http://www.pokerstars.com/wcoop/player-of-the-series/.
This year there is also a ‘Woman of the Series’ prize for the highest-placing female player on the Leader Board, with the prize being a $3,500 PCA package ($1,100 tournament entry plus hotel and travel expenses). As extra encouragement any player who final-tables a Women’s Guaranteed or Women’s Sunday tourney during the week of August 25-31, will receive World Championship Steps tickets for a chance to satellite into the events.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY The World Championship of Online Poker, which began in 2002, is not only the longest-running online poker series but also the richest, with well over $300 million in prize money awarded to date. It has long been regarded by players and media as a ‘must-play’ event that pitches world-class poker pros against aspiring recreational players, all in pursuit of life-changing sums of money. The World Championship gold and diamond bracelets awarded to event winners are the most iconic prizes in online poker.
MAIN EVENT HEROES Last year’s Main Event, which was won by Russian player ‘maratik’ for $1 million, was a highlight. The low stakes recreational player bought in to a satellite qualifier with just 40 Frequent Player Points and went on to qualify through several rounds to win his $5,200 seat. He then topped a field of 1,825 players, beating some of the world’s very best players, to win the $1 million first prize.
However, many former PokerStars World Championship winners come from the high stakes professional poker world, too, including JC ‘area23JC’ Tran (current chip leader of the final nine in the World Series of Poker Main Event, which resumes in November), who was a World Championship Main Event winner in 2006, and Yevgeniy ‘Jovial Gent’ Timoshenko, who took down a $1.7 million victory in the 2009 Main Event.
For further information, visit PokerStars.
