Heads Up Cash Game
World Championship:
Challenger Edition
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$50,000 in Prizes
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2 Stakes. 2 Formats.
Last Updated: 20 April 2026
The HU CGWC: Challenger Edition
Cash Game World Championships crown and reward the best online cash game players.
From June 1 to July 5, the Challenger Edition brings this competitive series to the low and mid-stakes heads-up crowd.
Hold’em and Omaha competitions at $0.10/$0.25 and $1/$2 run side-by-side, for a total of four different events.
Leaderboards decide who moves from one stage to the next, until the Grand Finals prove CoinPoker’s most elite heads-up players.
$50,000 worth of prizes and permanent spots in the CoinPoker history books are waiting.
Welcome to the Heads Up CGWC: Challenger Edition.
Event Overview
Hands above 2,500 will not contribute to progression.
How the HU CGWC: Challenger Edition Works
Now, we’re going to explain the schedule and progression system of the Challenger Edition.
Players can join a single stake and format, or all of them. There are no restrictions.
1
Opening Stage
📆 June 1 to June 14
This is where your leaderboard run begins. Join NLHE and PLO heads-up tables ($0.10/$0.25 or $1/$2) in the Cash Game lobby to start ranking.
Play at least 2,500 hands in your selected leaderboard. Hands played after the first 2,500 do not count toward your Opening Stage ranking.
Leaderboards update daily and include competitors’ in-client rewards. The top eight players on each leaderboard advance based on the highest dollar amount won.
2
Quarter Finals
📆 June 15 to June 21
The top eight on each leaderboard are paired up for matches based on their placement. Everyone in the Quarter Finals has already secured prizes.
Each Quarter Finals match spans 1,000 hands, with four of the eight players advancing to the Semi Finals.
During this stage, matches are scheduled through the official CGWC Discord. CoinPoker staff will work with players, making their best effort to find times that work for everyone.
3
Semi Finals
📆 June 22 to June 28
The four remaining players from each leaderboard face off in the Semi Finals heads-up matches.
Semi Finals are played over 1,000 hands, with winners advancing to the Grand Finals, where 1st and 2nd places are decided.
Match scheduling continues through CoinPoker’s CGWC Discord.
4
Grand Finals
📆 June 29 to July 5
The final two players from each leaderboard meet in a 1,500-hand heads-up showdown for the champion’s title.
Everyone will be able to watch these matches unfold, live in the CoinPoker app or on our YouTube channel.
Winners are crowned the champions for their stake and format.
$50,000 in Total Prizes
The HU CGWC: Challenger Edition has a $50,000 total prize pool split across NLHE and PLO leaderboards.
NLHE prize pools are larger to reflect the higher volume of players.
Each stake and format has its own payout, and all prizes are paid following the Grand Finals.
$1/$2 NLHE:
$25,000 in Prizes
🥇 1st: $10,000
🥈 2nd: $5,000
🥉 3rd–4th: $3,000 each
💰 5th–8th: $1,000 each
$1/$2 PLO:
$12,500 in Prizes
🥇 1st: $5,000
🥈 2nd: $2,500
🥉 3rd–4th: $1,300 each
💰 5th–8th: $600 each
$0.10/$0.25 NLHE:
$7,500 in Prizes
🥇 1st: $3,000
🥈 2nd: $1,500
🥉 3rd–4th: $800 each
💰 5th–8th: $350 each
$0.10/$0.25 PLO:
$5,000 in Prizes
🥇 1st: $2,000
🥈 2nd: $1,000
🥉 3rd–4th: $600 each
💰 5th–8th: $200 each
How to Join the CGWC: Challenger Edition
This event is open to all, but there are still a few basic things to check off your list first.
Sign Up to CoinPoker
Create your CoinPoker account with an email and a password. Verify through a link sent to your inbox, and you’re in.
Fund Your Account
Deposit enough to cover 100BB buy-ins at your chosen stake level. Use crypto or bank cards to complete your deposit.
If you haven’t deposited before, pick up our 150% Welcome Bonus up to $2,000.
Join The Tables
On June 1, head to the CoinPoker lobby and join the heads-up $0.10/$0.25 and $1/$2 tables in the main Cash Game lobby.
After the Opening Stage, scheduled matches will be shown inside the CGWC tab of our app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about the HU CGWC Challenger Edition.
The HU CGWC: Challenger Edition is a heads-up cash game series on CoinPoker featuring No Limit Texas Hold’em (NLHE) and 4-Card Pot Limit Omaha (PLO). Two different stakes will be used for this event ($0.10$0.25 and $1/$2).
This creates four different events within the HU CGWC: Challenger Edition.
- $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Texas Hold’em
- $1/$2 No Limit Texas Hold’em
- $0.10/$0.25 4-Card Pot Limit Omaha
- $1/$2 4-Card Pot Limit Omaha
Players compete across four separate leaderboards and knockout stages for a combined $50,000 prize pool.
The HU CGWC: Challenger Edition runs from June 1 to July 5, starting with the Opening Stage and ending with the Grand Final.
To join the Opening Stage of the HU CGWC: Challenger Edition, all you have to do is play at heads up $0.10/$0.25 or $1/$2 tables, from June 1 to June 14.
No Limit Texas Hold’em and 4-Card Pot Limit Omaha are the two eligible poker formats for this event.
Yes, players are not restricted in the HU CGWC: Challenger Edition. Competitors can join one, two, three, or all of the available events.
The events are:
- $0.10/$0.25 – No Limit Texas Hold’em
- $1/$2 – No Limit Texas Hold’em
- $0.10/$0.25 – Pot Limit Omaha (4-card only)
- $1/$2 – Pot Limit Omaha (4-card only)
Each event runs a separate leaderboard, and runs at the same time as other events.
Play a minimum of 2,500 hands on your selected leaderboard. The top eight players by total winnings (from their first 2,500 hands only) advance to the Quarter Finals stage.
In the Quarter Finals, players must join the official CGWC Discord server to schedule their matches.
Leaderboard rankings are based on total winnings in your chosen stake, format, and leaderboard pool. The leaderboard standings will include competitors’ in-client rewards.
Each stage has a different number of hands that competitors need to play.
- Opening Stage: The first 2,500 hands only.
- Semi Finals: 1,000 hands (fixed limit).
- Quarter Finals: 1,000 hands (fixed limit).
- Grand Finals: 1,500 hands (fixed limit).
In the Semi, Quarter, and Grand Finals, players are paired into scheduled heads-up games. Each round is played over fixed hand counts.
The series features No Limit Holdem and Pot Limit Omaha at $0.10/$0.25 and $1/$2 stakes, each running separate leaderboards and prize pools.
HU CGWC: Challenger Edition Terms & Conditions
Below, you’ll find the Terms and Conditions for the Heads Up Cash Game World Championship: Challenger Edition, also known as the HU CGWC: Challenger Edition.
1. Gameplay
- The HU CGWC: Challenger Edition runs from June 1 until July 5.
- Competitors in the Heads Up Cash Game World Championship: Challenger Edition can choose to enter both the No Limit Texas Hold’em (NLHE) competitor pool and the 4-Card Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) competitor pool, at the stake(s) of their choosing.
- Between June 1 and June 14 (the Opening Stage), everyone is eligible to play on the main $1/$2 heads-up and $0.10/$0.25 heads-up NLHE/PLO tables, where the top 8 finishers for each leaderboard (determined by highest $ won) will advance to the Quarter Finals. Competitors’ in-client rewards will be factored into the leaderboard calculations.
- After the Opening Stage, there will be a series of “play-off” stages (Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, and Grand Finals). These play-off stages involve scheduled matches, whereas the Opening Stage matches do not need to be scheduled.
- In play-off stages, participants must schedule their matches ahead of time using the official CGWC Discord, with CoinPoker staff acting as mediators between players. If no time can be agreed upon, CoinPoker will schedule the match, taking into account both players’ availability on a best-effort basis.
- Failure by either player to play their match at the scheduled time will constitute forfeit.
Forfeit of a match will advance their opponent into the next stage of the play-offs. - In the CoinPoker lobby, these play-off matches will occur in the CGWC tab, where private tables are created for every match.
2. The Quarter Finals
- The Quarter Finals occur from June 15 to June 21, 23:59 UTC.
- The top 8 finishers from each leaderboard (NL25, NL200, PLO25, and PLO200) will move from the Opening Stage to the Quarter Finals.
- In the Quarter Finals, each player will schedule their matches with their opponent. A CoinPoker employee will act as mediator in these conversations. If no time can be agreed upon, CoinPoker will schedule the match, taking into account both players’ availability on a best-effort basis.
- From the top 8 finishers of a leaderboard, players will be paired with their opponents depending on where they finished on the leaderboard. They will be paired in the following: 1st/8th, 2nd/7th, 3rd/6th, 4th/5th.
- Players must play 1000 hands against their opponent, with the winner advancing to the Semi Finals.
3. The Semi Finals
- The Semi Finals occur from June 22 to June 28, 23:59 UTC.
- The 4 winners from each leaderboard of the Quarter Finals will face off in the Semi Finals.
- Players must play 1000 hands against their opponent, with the winner advancing to the Grand Final.
4. The Grand Finals
- The Grand Finals last from June 29 to July 5, 23:59 UTC.
- The 2 winners from each leaderboard of the Semi Finals will face off in the Grand Finals.
- Players must finish 1500 hands against their opponent, with the winner being awarded the grand prize of a particular format.
5. General
- Any play exceeding the hand requirements, both in the leaderboard and play-offs, will not affect player standings in the event.
- Participation in this promotion implies full acceptance and understanding of these Terms & Conditions.
- This promotion is subject to CoinPoker’s General Terms & Conditions.
- All decisions made by CoinPoker regarding calculations, disputes, enforcement actions, or interpretation of these Terms are final and binding.
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