We’re just a few weeks away from the 2008 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker. In fact, the tournament series starts on September 5th. This year’s WCOOP sports a healthy $30 million in guarantees, including a $10 million guaranteed Main Event which will be one of the most talked-about tournaments of all time. This week, Natalie TheV0id Teltscher, who won the 2007 WCOOP Main Event, dropped her lawsuit against PokerStars. Teltscher was disqualified after PokerStars officials accused her of not being the one who played her account last year during the WCOOP Main Event. Teltscher filed a lawsuit in the Isle of Man alleging wrongdoing by PokerStars.

A statement released by PokerStars sums up the proceedings after legal action was taken against the online poker room: “Ms Teltscher brought her claim against PokerStars because she was disqualified from first place of the 2007 WCOOP Main Event after PokerStars internal investigations demonstrated beyond doubt that she had not played on the account. On her disqualification all other players were moved one place higher in the prize table and the money confiscated from her account, TheV0id, was redistributed in full.”

Because of the disqualification, ka$ino was awarded first place, or nearly $1.4 million. The tournament had 2,998 entries and guaranteed a prize pool of $5 million. Vanessa “LadyMaverick” Rousso finished in third place originally in the 2007 WCOOP Main Event, but due to Teltscher’s transgressions, Rousso was awarded second place. Her payday: $700,000. She also became a member of Team PokerStars and has become one of the most successful female poker players of all time.

The release given by PokerStars notes that Teltscher's story changed midway through the investigation: "Ms Teltscher initially claimed that she had played the account. However, when faced with the results from PokerStars' investigation she eventually admitted she hadn't played." Additionally, she has agreed to pay PokerStars' legal fees as a consequence of dropping her case.

Teltscher’s brother, Mark, is a professional poker player. He won the European Poker Tour’s London event during its second season (2005-2006). Mark took home €408,400 for the win, defeating Norway’s Jonas Helness heads up. He also finished second in the Barcelona event during the fourth EPT, cashing for €673,000. It is not known whether Mark Teltscher was involved in the WCOOP cheating in any way. The PokerStars Terms and Conditions clearly state, “A User may only have one account with PokerStars and shall only use the Service using such single account. Furthermore a User shall not permit another person to use the Service via his account.” Therefore, Teltscher’s actions were in direct violation of PokerStars policy.

In 2008, the WCOOP Main Event is a $5,200 buy-in two day tournament. The prize pool will be at least $10 million. In the first WCOOP Main Event, which was held back in 2002, MultiMarine finished first and cashed for $65,450. In 2003, DeOhGee took home a much larger grand prize of $222,750. In 2004, when the poker boom was in full swing in the United States, Ragde cashed for $424,945 for his WCOOP Main Event victory. In 2005, Panella86 pocketed a first place prize of $577,342. J.C. Tran solidified himself as a formidable foe in both the live and online poker worlds by taking down the 2006 WCOOP Main Event; his win was good for $600,000. Teltscher’s $1.4 million payday last year was nearly 22 times as large as the grand prize awarded in 2002.

The statement by PokerStars added, “The decision of Ms Teltscher to withdraw her claim fully vindicates PokerStars' decision to disqualify her from the tournament and subsequently defend the claim, actions which were taken in order to protect the integrity of the games on offer at PokerStars.” When asked for further information by PocketFives.com, PokerStars declined to comment.

Here’s a look at the full schedule for the 2008 WCOOP on PokerStars:
Event 1 – September 5th
$215 NL Hold'em [6-max]
$1,000,000 Guaranteed

Event 2 – September 5th
$215 PL 5-Card Draw
$100,000 Guaranteed

Event 3 – September 6th
$215 Limit Hold'em
$300,000 Guaranteed

Event 4 – September 6th
$215 2-7 Triple Draw
$100,000 Guaranteed

Event 5 – September 7th
$10,300 High-Roller NL Hold'em
$2,000,000 Guaranteed

Event 6 – September 7th
$530 NL Hold'em Two Day Event
$3,000,000 Guaranteed

Event 7 – September 8th
$215 PL Omaha [6-max]
$300,000 Guaranteed

Event 8 – September 8th
$320 8-game Mixed Event
$200,000 Guaranteed

Event 9 – September 9th
$215 NL Hold'em [4-max]
$400,000 Guaranteed

Event 10 – September 9th
$215 Razz
$100,000 Guaranteed

Event 11 – September 10th
$320 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
$300,000 Guaranteed

Event 12 – September 10th
$320 Mixed Hold'em [6-max]
$300,000 Guaranteed

Event 13 – September 11th
$215 NL Hold'em w/Rebuys
$1,000,000 Guaranteed

Event 14 – September 11th
$320 7-Card Stud
$100,000 Guaranteed

Event 15 – September 12th
$320 NL Hold'em [Heads-Up]
$500,000 Guaranteed

Event 16 – September 12th
$215 PL Omaha [1R1A]
$300,000 Guaranteed

Event 17 – September 13th
$530 PL Hold'em [6-max]
$400,000 Guaranteed

Event 18 – September 13th
$215 HORSE
$300,000 Guaranteed

Event 19 – September 14th
$25,500 High-Roller HU NL Hold'em
$1,600,000 Guaranteed

Event 20 – September 14th
$1,050 NL Hold'em Two Day Event
$3,000,000 Guaranteed

Event 21 – September 15th
$530 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo
$200,000 Guaranteed

Event 22 – September 15th
$530 Mixed Omaha Hi/Lo [6-max]
$200,000 Guaranteed

Event 23 – September 16th
$530 NL Hold'em [1R1A]
$500,000 Guaranteed

Event 24 – September 16th
$530 NL 2-7 Single Draw
$200,000 Guaranteed
Event 25 – September 17th
$320 PL Omaha w/rebuys
$500,000 Guaranteed

Event 26 – September 17th
$320 NL Hold'em [6-max]
$500,000 Guarantee

Event 27 – September 18th
$530 NL Hold'em Triple Shootout
$300,000 Guaranteed

Event 28 – September 18th
$530 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
$400,000 Guaranteed

Event 29 – September 19th
$530 NLHE w/Rebuys [6-max]
$400,000 Guaranteed

Event 30 – September 19th
$1,050 PL Omaha
$500,000 Guaranteed

Event 31 – September 20th
$1,050 Limit Hold'em [6-max]
$500,000 Guaranteed

Event 32 – September 20th
$10,300 HORSE
$500,000 Guaranteed

Event 33 – September 21st
$5,200 NL Hold'em Main Event Two Day Tournament
$10,000,000 Guaranteed