Qualifiers for the highly popular World Cup of Poker start this weekend so if you like the idea of playing for your country in a live two-day tournament in the Bahamas, at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure no less, then clear your schedule. Players from Peru were glad that they did last year. They claimed the cup, $90,000 between them and the holiday of a lifetime to boot. It's a hell of a story to tell the grand-kids.

Eight qualifying groups consisting of 72 countries in total (including a 'rest of the world' team so that no-one is left out) will play four qualifying tournaments apiece on the 11, 12, 18 and 19 August with the highest finisher from each country picking up points. The more entries from your homeland the better the chance you'll have of getting your nation through so tap up all your friends to join in the $2.20 No Limit Hold'em Super Knockout tournaments.

Do the players get emotionally involved? What do you think...

The highest scoring team in each group will then bring four qualifiers through to the final through four qualifying tournaments on the 26 August.

• Freeroll - open to all players from the qualifying nation
• TLB Freeroll - open only to the top 10 TLB from each country for 2011
• $1.10
• $11

Each team will be designated a team captain who they'll join at the Atlantis resort and hotel, where flights and accommodation will be paid for by Pokerstars. Those eight teams will meet one of Spain, Italy or France who will compete separately for a place in the live final.

Find which group your country is in and who you'll all have to beat to make it through by clicking on the PokerStars World Cup of Poker qualification page.

Flying the flag for Peru

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: World Cup of Poker]