The first Sunday in the 2019 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) was predictably hectic at the tables. Here’s what went down in our daily round-up from WCOOP.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
• Prize pools push past $10 million
• Stefan “mindgamer” Jedlicka and Adam “adamyid” Owen among winners
• First victories for players from China, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic and Ukraine
• Thousands settle in for huge Sunday session
• Charity tournament sends $56,375 to Right To Play
BEHIND THE HEADLINES
With 30 tournaments now completed in this year’s WCOOP, there have already been 142,429 entries and prize pools of more than $10.6 million. That does not even include the enormous Sunday events, which are at their mid-point at time of writing.
The biggest winner from completed events on Sunday was Stefan “mindgamer” Jedlicka, who added his first WCOOP victory to previous high-profile successes in SCOOP and the Sunday Million. Jedlicka won WCOOP-16-H $2,100 Turbo PKO for a total $108,173.43 score, including bounties. Each of his three biggest online outright victories earned him six-figure scores.
Adam Owen: A rare hold’em tourney victory
Adam “adamyid” Owen, the British player currently based in Mexico, also won his first WCOOP title having previously earned victory in SCOOP. Owen, who is known as a mixed games specialist, and who won the 5-Card Omaha Hi/Lo in SCOOP 2016 showed his got some hold’em game too, winning the low buy-in version of WCOOP-16. We recently caught up with Owen at the World Series, where he detailed his efforts to help displaced Latin American migrants on their arduous journey to the United States. All tournament successes send funds to the right place.
On that note, there were 11,275 entries to the $55 “Mini Million” on Sunday, which was also special as all its profits are heading to the Right To Play charity. With the tournament fee set at $5, that’s $56,375 heading straight to the most worthy causes.
TODAY’S RESULTS
| Tournament | Players | Prize pool | Winner | Country | Prize |
| WCOOP-07-L: $5.50 NLHE 8-Max | 13,613 | $66,704 | Leha1107 | Russia | $8,359.73 |
| WCOOP-07-M: $55 NLHE 8-Max | 5,345 | $267,250 | J. Gelades | Ukraine | $31,887.97* |
| WCOOP-07-H: $530 NLHE 8-Max | 789 | $394,500 | sksjohny | Czech Republic | $66,298.75 |
| WCOOP-08-L: $11 NLHE PKO | 25,531 | $250,204 | PrOdigYx1 | Finland | $14,309.94†* |
| WCOOP-08-M: $109 NLHE PKO | 8,256 | $825,600 | Virgilik | Romania | $86,305.72†* |
| WCOOP-08-H: $1,050 NLHE PKO | 1,002 | $1,002,000 | DeuceofDuc0 | UK | $159,127.96† |
| WCOOP-16-L: $22 NLHE 8-Max Turbo PKO | 9,762 | $195,240 | Adamyid | Mexico | $19,443.14† |
| WCOOP-16-M: $215 NLHE 8-Max Turbo PKO | 2,461 | $492,200 | v587nt | China | $63,672.90† |
| WCOOP-16-H: $2,100 NLHE 8-Max Turbo PKO | 270 | $540,000 | mindgamer | Austria | $108,173.43† |
†inc. bounties
*denotes deal
STAT TRACKER
Events completed: 30
Entries so far: 142,429
Prize pools so far: $10,660,199
First prizes so far: $1,630,702.49
In-the-money finishers so far: 22,637
Tournaments starting today: 9
COUNTRIES LEADER BOARD
Players from 21 countries have now won a WCOOP title this year, with those sharks from Brazil and Russia tied at the top with three apiece. Brazil typically pull away from the field midway through the second week, but for now it appears to be anyone’s game. On Sunday, all of China, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic and Ukraine won their first events.
Latest standings:
Three titles: Brazil, Russia
Two titles: Germany, Canada, UK, Finland, Mexico
One title: Malta, Hungary, Lithuania, Lebanon, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Argentina, Netherlands, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Romania, China, Austria.
TWITCH WATCH
“I’m actually the best player on this platform today.” Benjamin “Spraggy” Spragg was rather pleased with this hero call — actually a hero bet/call — on the river for his tournament life in WCOOP-15-M. He did end up busting in 1,083rd place, but who are we to argue?
TOP TWEETS
Fintan “EasyWithAces” Hand found what he described as the “dream stream” for WCOOP. Strap in, this one is a thrill ride:
DREAM STREAM LOCATED. pic.twitter.com/EQ9XkpT0pt
— Fintan Hand (@EasyWithAces) September 9, 2019
Also, good luck to “Pokerste1“, en route to his second final table?
Made it, not bad at all! 22bb and a dream, last time i made a day 2 #WCOOP i finale tabled it🌟 pic.twitter.com/RUib6fB0x3
— Stevennpoker (@pokerste1) September 8, 2019
ONGOING TOURNAMENTS
The regular Sunday tournaments were all given a boost by their inclusion on the WCOOP schedule. And, yes, the numbers were huge. The three levels of buy-in in the Sunday Kick-Off ($5.50, $55, $530) attracted 14,180, 7,110 and 1,194 entries, respectively, while the Sunday Warm-Up, with buy-ins of $11, $109, $1,050 drew 13,570, 4,810 and 770. All of these tournaments comfortably surpassed their guarantees and all play to a winner today.
Luuk “pokerkluka” Gieles leading the way
Two buy-in levels of Sunday Million had that magic $1 million guarantee, and both eclipsed it. In the $530 buy-in level, there were 2,770 entries and a prize pool of $1.38 million, with $202K up top. In the $5,200 buy-in high roller, there were 272 entries and a prize pool of $1.36 million, with $259K ear-marked for the winner. Team Pro’s Igor Kurganov bubbled the event, busting in 36th, leaving Luuk “pokerkluka” Gieles to lead the field.
COMING UP
After a glut of full ring no limit hold’em on Sunday, time for something a little different today. We’ve got a lovely no limit Omaha hi/lo event on offer, as well as a four-max hold’em event. If those are your speciality, good luck. And if they’re not, well, the buy-ins start at $5.50 so have a crack anyhow.
WCOOP-17: NLHE PKO – Buy-ins: $11, $109, $1,050
WCOOP-18: NL Omaha Hi/Lo – Buy-ins: $5.50, $55, $530
WCOOP-19: NLHE 4-Max – Buy-ins: $5.50, $55, $530
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