This Monday marked the conclusion of the inaugural ONCOOP (Ontario Championship of Online Poker). 66 Events were played, each with a High and Low tier ranging from $5 to $2000 and with prizepools up to 200k in the main event. The series generated over a whopping 27,000 in entries.

‍

Unfortunately due to software outages caused by technical difficulties, 12 of these tournaments were cancelled. I was personally affected by this, having won my entry into the $2,000 event which didn't run, but it was bittersweet because that helped boost my bankroll which I subsequently ran up through another cancelled tournament, the $1,000 event which was cancelled after Day 1 but before Day 2. Since I had a decent top 3 stack, I was able to get out of that one with over $7k so I can't complain too much, as the compensation was fair.

‍

I still cannot understate how much of a letdown it was to not to get to play that final table, of the 2k event for that matter. I hope that fiasco serves to get Pokerstars to permanently rectify whatever the problem was so nobody has to experience that again. My Pokerstars bankroll certainly isn't complaining, being born out of those cancelled tourneys.

‍

There were 724 entrants in the $50 L-Main Event which we think is an impressive number for the not-so modest Ontario poker market. There were heaps of overlays, with over 75k being added to the prizepools by Pokerstars guarantees.

‍

Pokerstars team ambassador Arle Shaban was the talk of the series, winning 5 events.

It was a fun grind, I also made the FT of the $50 phased event but couldn't close the deal and got 6th place.

I'm looking forward to whatever series they come out with next, assuming there won't be any disconnections!