The single most prestigious online poker tournament of the year, the PokerStars World Championship Of Online Poker Main Event began Sunday, following the weekend's final four truly amazing preliminary events.

Like Metallica opening for Ozzy back in '86, the action of those final four events of the 2009 WCOOP almost outshone the start of the big dance itself, action that included a $10,300 buy-in "High Roller" H.O.R.S.E. event, four more easily busted guarantees- including one crushed by more than $800,000- and two more WCOOP 2009 multiple bracelet winners (take that 73.80% PokerRoad Poll takers) which included a second win and $263,323 score for PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier. 


Event #41
$530 Pot Limit Omaha Heads-up Match Play
526 Entrants

1st.  robert07- $52,600.00

2nd.  AB_illusive- $26,300.00

3rd.  hartwith- $15,780.00

4th.  GambleAB- $15,780.00

5th.  Scary_Tiger- $8,153.00

6th.  WhySoSerius7- $8,153.00

7th.  tallgeir- $8,153.00

8th.  Andy McLEOD- $8,153.00


Event #42
$2,100 8-Game
245 Entrants

1st.  David "RugDoctor" Williams- $107,800.00

2nd.  Alexander "joiso' Kostritsyn- $75,215.00

3rd.  Van "Sirens" Marcus- $56,350.00

4th.  luetch1- $39,200.00

5th.  Matt "plattsburgh" Vengrin- $29,400.00

6th.  grampabumkin- $19,600.00
 

Event #43
$215 No-Limit Hold 'em
9,220 Entrants

1st.  Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier- $263,323.20

2nd.  jektiss- $193,620.00

3rd.  chilipepp- $137,285.80

4th.  KNtheKid- $92,200.00

5th.  Profesigh- $73,760.00

6th.  kezug- $55,320.00

7th.  jm18- $36,880.00

8th.  bundesmiro- $20,284.00

9th.  Trippple_A- $12,908.00


Event #44
$10,300 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.
103 Entrants

1st.  Daniel "djk123" Kelly- $252,350.00

2nd.  ozenc- $175,100.00

3rd.  NoraFlum- $133,900.00

4th.  Matt "Hoss_TBF" Hawrilenko- $92,700.00

5th.  Noah "Exclusive" Boeken- $66,950.00

6th.  wallfly- $51,500.00

7th.  matchpoint20- $41,200.00

8th.  Jorj95- $30,900.00.
 

For more information on all the events of the PokerStars 2009 World Championship Of Online Poker visit www.pokerstars.com, or check out the PokerStars blog right here at PokerRoad.com.

Story by Mark Anderson