WCOOP Satellites Breakdown: A Guide to Your Selection Options
The Grand Showdown Begins: World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Commences on September 6th
Kick off your poker chairs, folks! The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) is set to take the stage tomorrow, promising a thrilling spectacle for all online poker aficionados. Here's a lowdown on the juicy satellites up for grabs, hand-picked by Mickey Petersen, a pro from the PokerStars squad, to help you navigate through the action and secure your spot at the high-stakes events.
Last-Minute Thrillers: Deadline Satellites
You better be on your toes, because these babies offer some of the best bang for your buck. Most kick off an hour before the target tournament, ensuring a large number of seats (usually around 100, but sometimes even more!). The buy-ins vary, generally around one-third of the target tournament's price. If your wallet's feeling a bit light, don't sweat it! There's a smorgasbord of feeder satellites waiting to help you win your WCOOP seat for less. Just remember, these satellites tend to wrap up after the WCOOP tournament has begun. That means you can't cancel your registration or claim tournament dollars for it, so plan accordingly!
FPP Satellites: A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned
If you'd rather not part with your hard-earned cash for satellites but have FPP points lurking in your account, these puppies are just what the doctor ordered. FPP satellite buy-ins range from a single point to a whopping 100,000. These satellites are always played in turbo or hyper-turbo format. You can choose between direct satellites that grant you immediate entry to the target tournament or multi-stage satellites that require multiple rounds to secure your seat. If you're gunning for a spot in the $5,200 Main Event via a multi-stage satellite, for example, you'd need to conquer 8 rounds. Pick a round that fits snugly within your FPP point budget.
Turbo Rebuys: Non-Stop Action
If you're a thrill-seeker who enjoys turbo tournaments and endless action, these qualifiers are tailor-made for you. They run around the clock and usually offer more guaranteed seats than the target tournament. The secret to these tournaments? Embrace the rebuys. Add-ons usually come with more chips than a rebuy, so it pays to last as long as you can in these tournaments. Set aside and prepare to spend ten buy-ins on these satellites. For instance, if a $1 Rebuy 3x tournament requires a $1 buy-in, make sure you're ready to drop at least $10.
Multiple Options: Something for Everyone
If you fancy a change of pace, there are plenty of other satellites to tickle your fancy. Hyper Deeps, where players start with 500 big blinds and the satellite turns turbo as it progresses, Deepstacks, with the same starting stack but playing at a regular pace, turbo SNGs for a quick fix, and sit-and-go tournaments galore! Don't worry about scheduled satellites - just hop into the PokerStars lobby and check out the 'Online Events - WCOOP' tab to find the schedule for all satellites, including Championship events.
Tales from the Archive: The Legend of maratik
Lastly, let's remember the incredible victory of Marat "maratik" Sharapudinov in the 2012 WCOOP Main Event. He won a whopping $1,000,907.26 after qualifying through a multi-round satellite for just 40 FPP points. Winning against all odds - that's the spirit of poker, folks!
As we edge closer to the World Championship of Online Poker 2015, we'll soon share the captivating results from our online performance review of Kazakhstani players (which usually publishes on Mondays).
Stay tuned and good luck at the tables!
- Historic Moments: For those who love diving into the annals of poker history, here's an interesting tidbit. The first World Championship of Online Poker was held in 2002, and the series has grown steadily over the years, attracting thousands of players from all corners of the globe. While we don't have explicit details about WCOOP-specific satellite structures, general PokerStars satellite models and comparable events (like WSOP Online satellites) offer insights into what you might expect. For instance, you can find buy-in-based satellites, multi-orbit satellites, direct Main Event satellites, freerolls, and promotional satellites. Some key features across all types include game variety, guaranteed prize pools, and opportunities for winning WCOOP seats for mere fractions of the tournament price. Historically, WCOOP satellites have evolved to include hyper-turbo, bounty, and multi-flight options. For exact structures and more details, PokerStars typically releases detailed WCOOP schedules ahead of the September series.
- What about jumping into some last-minute thrillers before the WCOOP begins? TheseDeadline Satellites, hand-picked by Mickey Petersen, offer seats to the high-stakes events for around one-third of the target tournament's price, and could be your ticket to the action if you're ready.
- If you're low on bankroll but have FPP points, consider entering the FPP Satellites. Ranging from a single point to 100,000, these satellites offer direct entries or multi-stage routes, and could help you secure a seat at the Main Event or other WCOOP tournaments without spending a dime.
- For those who love non-stop action, Turbo Rebuy Satellites are the perfect choice. Running around the clock and guaranteeing more seats than the target tournament, these qualifiers require ten buy-ins and offer endless excitement with the opportunity to add-on for even more chips.
