PokerStars releases Final 82-Event Schedule for 2016 WCOOP
In the live poker realm, there’s nothing more prestigious than the World Series of Poker, held every summer in Las Vegas. But for online poker players, the most anticipated tournament series of the year comes in September when PokerStars hosts its annual World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP).
From its humble beginnings in 2002, the WCOOP has grown immensely over the years, in popularity, tournament volume, and a most lucrative pay structure. This year’s WCOOP hasn’t even begun yet, and it’s already setting new records.
PokerStars unveiled the Final Schedule for the 2016 WCOOP, and it’s packed with action across a record 82 events (up from 70 in 2015), slated to run from September 4th–26th.
Highlights of 2016 WCOOP
This year’s WCOOP series will be highlighted by a number of new and returning events, including unique formats like ‘Win the Button‘, 3-Max PLO, ‘Zoom‘ Progressive Knockouts, and a 4-Day ‘Marathon‘ event. For loftier bankrolls, the series will feature a $102k NLHE High Roller, $21k PLO High Roller and max $320 buy-ins for less common games like Omaha Hi/Low, Razz and Stud Hi/Low.
PokerStars is hosting a pair of “Player‘s Choice” events in the 2016 WCOOP as well. Upon registering for these events, players will be asked what poker variant they wish to play, one being based on NLHE, the other a Non-NLHE variety. Majority vote among participants will determine the actual style and structure before the event starts.
New Mini-WCOOP Companion Events
As was always successful with Full Tilt Poker‘s FTOPS series, PokerStars has decided to launch a new companion series for this year’s World Championship of Online Poker, aptly titled, Mini-WCOOP.
The mini-events will mirror the original series in all ways, but with smaller buy-ins equivalent to 1/100th the size of the standard WCOOP events. The only exceptions will be standard events with buy-ins of $1,000 or more, as the Mini-WCOOP will have a cap of $11 per event. For instance, the Mini-WCOOP Main Event will be priced at $11, rather than $50.
What You Won’t Find at 2016 WCOOP
This year, PokerStars has decided to do away with several common features. All ‘2nd Chance‘ tournaments have been eliminated. Due to the vast expansion of the series over the last 14 years, the operator felt there was simply no need for them any longer.
Also gone from the series are the signature WCOOP bracelets for each event’s winner. Now if the WSOP got rid of bracelets, there would certainly be a backlash from players, but according to PokerStars Blogger Brian Slick, the online poker operator discovered that the majority of players aren’t all that keen on winning one.
“As part of an extensive review, we have found that although some players have been highly appreciative and valued the bracelets as the prestigious trophies we intended them to be from the start, the vast majority of players have made it clear that going after a bracelet is not something which motivates them to play the series,” wrote Brian.
“Given the fact that the spending on the bracelets represents a significant cost which is devoted to a very small percentage of the WCOOP population each year, the decision to discontinue them was clearer than it might have seemed initially,” he continued. “We will of course continue to send all WCOOP final table participants and winners a token of recognition of their achievement, in addition to the massive prize awaiting each WCOOP Champion at the top of each prize table.”
Complete 2016 WCOOP Schedule
Sunday, September 4th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 1 | 08:00 | $109 NL Hold’em |
| 2 | 11:00 | $215 NL Hold’em 6-Max |
| 3 | 12:30 | $1,050 NL Hold’em 4-Day Marathon |
| 4 | 14:00 | $215 NL Hold’em |
| 5 | 17:00 | $320 NL Omaha Hi/Lo6-Max |
Monday, September 5th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 6 | 10:00 | $215 NL Hold’em6-Max |
| 7 | 13:00 | $700 NL Hold’em8-MaxProgressive Knockout |
| 8 | 16:00 | $700 PL Omaha3-Max, Progressive Knockout |
Tuesday, September 6th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 9 | 10:00 | $1,050 NL Single Draw 2-7 Championship |
| 10 | 13:00 | $1,050 NL Hold’em |
| 11 | 16:00 | $320 FL Omaha Hi/Lo8-Max |
Wednesday, September 7th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 12 | 10:00 | $1,050 NL 5-Card Draw Championship |
| 13 | 13:00 | $215 NL Hold’emProgressive Knockout (50%) |
| 14 | 16:00 | $215 NL Hold’em (Big Antes) |
Thursday, September 8th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 15 | 10:00 | $215 PL Omaha |
| 16 | 13:00 | $1,050 NLHold’emProgressive Knockout (50%) |
| 17 | 16:00 | $320 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo |
Friday, September 9th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 18 | 10:00 | $320 NL Hold’emHeads-Up |
| 19 | 13:00 | $1,050 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo Championship |
| 20 | 16:00 | NL Hold’em3-Max ZoomProgressive Knockout (25%) |
Saturday, September 10th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 21 | 04:00 | $215 NL Hold’em |
| 22 | 07:00 | $215 PL 5-Card Omaha Hi/Lo6-Max |
| 23 | 10:00 | $10,300 NL Hold’emHeads-UpHigh-Roller |
| 24 | 13:00 | $530 NL Hold’emProgressive Knockout (25%) |
| 25 | 16:00 | $1,050 NL Omaha Hi/Lo6-Max Championship |
Sunday, September 11th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 26 | 08:00 | $215 PL Omaha6-MaxProgressive Knockout (25%) |
| 27 | 11:00 | $215 NL Hold’emDeep Payouts |
| 28 | 12:30 | $102,000 NL Hold’em8-MaxSuper High-Roller |
| 29 | 14:00 | $700 NL Hold’em |
| 30 | 17:00 | $109 NL Hold’em6-Max |
Monday, September 12th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 31 | 10:00 | $215 NL Hold’em |
| 32 | 13:00 | $320 PL Omaha Hi/Lo8-Max |
| 33 | 16:00 | $320 NL Hold’em6-Max |
Tuesday, September 13th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 34 | 10:00 | $215 NL Hold’em |
| 35 | 13:00 | $1,575 NL Hold’em |
| 36 | 16:00 | $1,050 PL Omaha Hi/Lo8-Max Championship |
Wednesday, September 14th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 37 | 10:00 | $215 PL Omaha6-MaxProgressive Knockout (50%) |
| 38 | 13:00 | $320 NL Hold’em6-MaxShootout |
| 39 | 16:00 | $1,050 FL Omaha Hi/Lo 8-Max Championship |
Thursday, September 15th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 40 | 10:00 | $320 NL Hold’em8-Max |
| 41 | 13:00 | $1,575 NL Hold’emProgressive Knockout (50%) |
| 42 | 16:00 | $320 Eight-Game Mix |
Friday, September 16th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 43 | 10:00 | $1,050 Triple Draw 2-7 Championship |
| 44 | 13:00 | $320 NL Hold’emAnte UpProgressive Knockout (33%) |
| 45 | 16:00 | $320 FL Hold’em 6-Max |
Saturday, September 17th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 46 | 04:00 | $320 NL Hold’em |
| 47 | 07:00 | $1,050 Badugi Championship |
| 48 | 10:00 | $215 Players’ Choice Event #1 (NL Hold’em) |
| 49 | 13:00 | $700 NL Hold’em Mix-MaxPart 1 |
| 50 | 16:00 | $215 Players’ Choice Event #2 (Non-NL Hold’em) |
Sunday, September 18th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 51 | 08:00 | $1,050 NL Hold’em6-MaxUltra-Deep |
| 52 | 11:00 | $215 NL Hold’em |
| 53 | 12:30 | $10,300 NL Hold’em8-MaxHigh-Roller |
| 54 | 14:00 | $2,100 NL Hold’em |
| 55 | 17:00 | $530 NL Hold’em |
Monday, September 19th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 56 | 10:00 | $215 NL Hold’emProgressive Knockout (25%) |
| 57 | 13:00 | $1,050 FL Hold’em Championship6-Max |
| 58 | 16:00 | $320 Razz |
Tuesday, September 20th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 59 | 10:00 | $320 NL Hold’emWin the Button |
| 60 | 13:00 | $2,100 NL Hold’em |
| 61 | 16:00 | $1,050 Razz Championship |
Wednesday, September 21th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 62 | 10:00 | $530 NL Hold’em |
| 63 | 13:00 | $2,100 PL Omaha Championship6-Max |
| 64 | 16:00 | $320 HORSE |
Thursday, September 22th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 65 | 10:00 | $700 NL Hold’emUltra-Deep |
| 66 | 13:00 | $2,100 NL Hold’emProgressive Knockout (50%) |
| 67 | 16:00 | $1,050 7-Card Stud Championship |
Friday, September 23th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 68 | 07:00 | $320 PL Omaha 6-Max |
| 69 | 10:00 | $700 NL Hold’em6-Max5-Stack |
| 70 | 13:00 | $21,000 PL Omaha6-MaxHigh-Roller |
| 71 | 16:00 | $2,100 HORSE Championship |
Saturday, September 24th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 72 | 07:00 | $109 NL Hold’em |
| 73 | 10:00 | $700 PL Omaha |
| 74 | 13:00 | $10,300 Eight-Game Championship |
| 75 | 16:00 | $700 NL Hold’em6-MaxProgressive Knockout (50%) |
Sunday, September 25th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 76 | 07:00 | $320 PL Omaha Mix-MaxPart 1 |
| 77 | 11:00 | $215 NL Hold’em8-Max |
| 78 | 14:00 | $5,000 NL Hold’em Main Event – $10M GTD, $1.5M to 1st |
| 79 | 17:00 | $320 NL Hold’em |
Sunday, September 25th
| Event | Time | Details |
| 80 | 10:00 | $700 NL Hold’em |
| 81 | 13:00 | $320 PL 5-Card Omaha6-Max |
| 82 | 16:00 | $1,050 NL Hold’em WCOOP Wrap-Up |
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