The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is one of the most prestigious events for dab hands who like to crunch numbers and call their opponents’ bluffs. As the event inches to a start, WSOP reminders seem to be quite abundant and every one is sharing in the hype, from players to organizers.
The event features three separate legs, which are all unique in their own right, namely the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC), and finally the World Series of Poker Dot Com (WSOP.com). The events promise to bring back some of poker’s most noteworthy faces.
Enter the WSOP Fray
Entering WSOP for the big money is certainly what tempts players to sally forth and join the competition. The Main Event will feature a respectable starter’s prize pool worth $10,000. Definitely not too shabby to begin with.
Despite the current legal consternation when it comes to online poker in the United States, courtesy of Black Friday, the day when a federal ban was issued to prohibit all forms of online gambling, or almost.
However, US players have continued to dominate the world of poker, albeit admittedly – mostly abroad. A good example would be Jason Koon who recently managed to clinch an all-too-dear victory, winning $4 million at the Maaestral Casino & Resort in Montenegro.
However, WSOP may be here to stay and that is emboldening for players of all stripes. Playing on home turf is definite encouraging enough. The first positive signs are already on the cards, as it is. Over the weekend, WSOP.com ended its Tri-State online tournament known as the Coast to Coast.
What Transpired at Coast to Coast
Well, for starters, the competition was quite the generous one. The prize pool soared to over $200,000, bringing in a serious amount of money for a poker competition in the states. Buy-ins stood at $320 a pop, allowing most players to participate, with 526 competitors coming to test their poker mettle.
Following hours of strife, a player, one Pierre “P_aire_146” Deissler was able to take home $61,411. Not a bad sum by all estimates. Meanwhile, the final results looked liked this:
- 1. Pierre “P_aire_146” Deissler – $61,411
- 2. XcrazylegsX – $34,390
- 3. Frankslatery – $20,880
- 4. Beastro – $15,967
- 5. Baileykins – $13,510
- 6. Filthydiaper- $11,054
- 7. Deezz_nutzz – $8,352
- 8. Nomercy03 – $5,650
- 9. StackMcChip – $2,410
Meanwhile in New Orleans
Pierre Deissler clinched his victory in the main event, but there were other winners too. Jerry Monroe won in New Orleans where the WSOPC; event was held. The event saw higher number of participants, with 677 signing up and playing. Despite the heftier entry costs pegged at $1,675, the event managed to generate stronger buzz, mostly because of the prize pool worth $750,000.
Mr Monroe managed to finish first and added hefty $208,184 to his poker war chest. The event offered generous rewards to a number of participants, up to the first 9 players. WSOP is definitely one of the most promising series events, which may see the fate of online poker change drastically. With the recently repealed PASPA, this seems even more plausible now.
