In 2002, PokerStars, which at that time was one of the top online poker sites available to users around the world, launched a new promotion that would try to bring a little bit of Las Vegas to the virtual PokerStars felts. The PokerStars executives decided to launch the very first World Championship of Online Poker, a multi-day online tournament series very similar in feel to the World Series of Poker, also held every year. There were eight events that made up the 2002 WCOOP, beginning with a $109 limit tournament, and then hosting a pair of $265 events, followed by three $320 buy-in tournaments. Two tournaments with $530 entries preceded the $1,050 Main Event, which attracted 238 players and offered up a grand prize of $65,450. Swedish native MultiMarine took home the Man Event bracelet and was one of just two Swedes to cash in the Main Event. The rest of the final table of the Main Event was composed entirely of Americans. Sdm9201 finished second for $41,650. ElmerFudd cashed for $27,370. He finished in third place. Other players to cash for over $10,000 included van h, JeffYoak, and animalmother. Pete “TheBeat” Giordano finished seventh.
A $530 limit event attracted 273 players. kerrdawg emerged victorious from this enormous field, defeating boon1 heads up. $37,537.50 would be shipped kerrdawg’s way; $23,887.50 would wind up in boon1’s pocket. Bacchus finished third, taking home $15,697.50 and one of my favorite screen names in the tournament, Messy, cleaned out fourth place and won $10,920. TheBeat finished sixth in this event.
The $320 no limit hold’em event attracted 287 entrants. michigangirl won $23,677.50. The American defeated fatk1d, who took home $15,067.50. Six different countries were represented at the final table, setting the table for a multitude of international events to come in the future on PokerStars. This is part of what has made the WCOOP so successful. Where else are you able to run down to your living room, fire up for Gateway, and be connected to thousands of poker players from all over the world, each with completely different stories to tell?
A $320 Pot Limit Hold’em event attracted 287 players and awarded $23,667.50 to MIK22. The payouts were very similar to the $320 no limit hold’em event that coincidentally attracted the same number of players. In second place was magician and in third place was GBTROT.
The WCOOP would gradually expand year after year, upping the buy-in of its Main Event and expanding the tournament game offering to include HORSE and Triple Draw. PokerStars has possibly the best marketing team of any online poker site, so there’s never any shortage of ways to satellite and qualify into the WCOOP events. Make sure you check out PokerStars today! Who knows? Maybe next year we’ll be seeing your name next to a big payday. Check out the 2003 WCOOP results today.