RECORD ONLINE POKER WIN FOR U.S. PLAYER

Pokerstars' WCOOP ends on a high note
 
The main event close of the 2010 Pokerstars World Championship of Online Poker provided a record-setting climax this week, with the world's largest online poker company claiming that the winner's $2,278,097-and change prize is the biggest in internet poker tournament history.
 
Montana poker pro Tyson ‘potterpoker' Marks left the virtual table richer by that amount Tuesday after besting an original field of 2 443 who had each invested $5 200 to buy into the big competition, generating a total prize pool of $12,215,000 which allowed 306 entrants to cash.
 
The two day event saw the field down to 271 by Tuesday, which ultimately ended with a final table that comprised Marks holding a significant chip lead and eight other fiercely competitive online poker contestants.
 
The Montana pro turned his lead to good advantage, crushing the opposition and by three handed play holding an unassailable 36 million chip lead over closest rivals joeysweetp and Russian_Nuts.
 
The heads up was set when Russian_Nuts was eliminated by joeysweetp, who went on to face the mission impossible of taking on Marks and his gigantic chip stack.  The result was fast in coming and a foregone conclusion as Marks powered to victory and the main prize, leaving his opponent with a second placing check for $1,404,725.
 
The record winner's prize boosts Marks' internet and live tournament poker career earnings to around $3.6 million.