Players in PokerStars’ global .COM market have a lot to look forward to during the month of September, as the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) promises plenty of opportunities to etch their names in the history books with a life-changing win.
One week into the series we’ve already seen victories for the likes of Ole Schemion, Denis Strebkov and Andras Nemeth, while those falling just short have included Patrick Leonard, Talal Shakerchi and even Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar Jr.
And obviously, there’s far more than notoriety on the line: A big series means big fields, which translates to big prizepools. $186K is the biggest first prize awarded so far, but with $65M guaranteed across the series — including $4M in the High Main Event alone — that’s a number we can expect to be eclipsed sooner rather than later.
It’s an opportunity that comes along just once a year, and when it does it’s a good idea to head into it with a strategy and the right mindset. So who better to speak to than PokerStars ambassadors — and WCOOP enthusiasts — Sebastian Huber and Fintan Hand?
'I was hooked'
Both Huber and Hand are well-known for streaming their online play on YouTube and Twitch under the names ‘peacendloove’ and ‘EasyWithAces’ respectively. You can follow along with their progress during WCOOP — see the links below.
Did you play WCOOP events before becoming a PokerStars ambassador? What are your first memories of the series?
Fintan Hand: Yes — I had a big swap with a friend who got to the final two tables with $300K up top.
The deal was, if he won I'd quit my job on the spot and fly to Ibiza with him for a full season. Probably for the best he bubbled the final table!
Sebastian Huber: My first memories are quite some time back, probably about 10 years ago, but I remember exactly how I found out about WCOOP and I was completely stunned about the prize pools.
Since that moment I was hooked to win a trophy one day.
Sebastian Huber became a PokerStars ambassador after winning a contest for poker streamers.What are some of your best memories from the series? If you haven’t won a WCOOP title yet, what’s the closest you’ve come?
SH: Definitely winning my first WCOOP event. It was a $5.50 Low-Event PKO with over 5,000 runners.It doesn’t matter how big the first prize is, if you can win such a big field, you are very pumped and happy about it.
FH: Nothing but pain. Lots of final tables, but I believe 3rd is the best I've finished.
What are your tips for those playing WCOOP for the first time?
FH: Just enjoy it. Make the bluff. Get the cape on for the hero call! It's just a game and you should play the way you find the most fun.
SH: Don’t rush yourself! It is such a long grind that you have an incredible number of chances to win something.
Most days won’t work out, so you need to stay focused over the whole series.
Do you tend to focus on no-limit hold’em, or do you play other game variants during WCOOP?
SH: I love to go for the leaderboards, the small and medium ones. Because of that I am playing every single game and I’ve been enjoying mixed games a lot over the past couple of years. Can’t wait to play them again.
FH: I might dabble in some PLO this year but overall I stick to the two cards!
‘Playing against the best in the world is just fun, isn't it?’
How much does a series leaderboard affect your schedule? Are you likely to play more events when leaderboard prizes are at stake?
SH: I am definitely a guy who wants to go for the leaderboard, but for me it is more about battling against the other good players over such a long time. The prizes are a nice side effect if you can come far.
FH: Zero. Without playing the mixed games I'm drawing dead.
While he doesn't have a WCOOP win yet, Fintan Hand won three SCOOP titles in successive years from 2020-22.How are the fields different during WCOOP? Are they tougher? Easier?
SH: The fields during WCOOP are way bigger than they are normally. Because of that they are a lot easier, but on the other hand the variance goes through the roof.
You need to have very strong bankroll management to survive bad periods in these long series.
FH: It's exciting. Playing against the best in the world is just fun, isn't it?
Sitting down on a Monday in my own house and playing against thousands of other players chasing titles. It’s the dream.
Do you have any words of advice for playing such a long and packed series like this?
FH: If you're playing every day you’ve got to look after yourself. Do what you know is right for you. For me that's walking my dog, getting some exercise in and writing in my journal.
It'll be different for everyone, but you know what you gotta do.
SH: Don’t rush yourself, you have enough time to get your run. Just because one day doesn't work out, you should not get stressed. Most days are very tough anyway.
A second really important thing is your bankroll management: Don’t get too tempted to play higher tournaments just because they look so good. They will be tough and if you don’t have the bankroll, don’t play them.
You can follow the WCOOP progress of Sebastian Huber and Fintan Hand on their live Twitch streams.
WCOOP runs until October 1 at PokerStars, with Low ($109), Medium ($1,050) and High ($10,300) Main Events kicking off on September 28.
Images courtesy of Danny Maxwell/Rational Intellectual Holdings Ltd.
