Tsawwassen man wins poker crown and $420,500

Canada -- RICHMOND - Daniel Idema outlasted 643 players to win the British Columbia Lottery Corp.'s B.C. Poker Championships, which wrapped up Sunday at the River Rock Casino Resort.

Idema, a 23-year-old from Tsawwassen, ended up with all the chips to win $420,500 over three days of tournament play in the no-limit Texas Hold'Em main event. It was his first major tournament win.

"I caught some major breaks in this tournament and I was fortunate enough to win," said Idema, who ended up with pocket kings as his winning hand. "It's been a great experience. I never expected to make it this far."

Almost 1,700 poker fans from all over North America competed in the week-long tournament, which featured four Texas Hold'Em events for a total prize pool of more than $2.4 million.

Other first-place finishers were: Paula Stregger of Vancouver, who beat 200 players to win $30,000 in the ladies-only event on Nov. 18; Brian Joslin of Hamilton, Ont., who defeated 591 players to win $148,000 in the no-limit event on Nov. 19; and Scott Craig of Vancouver, who beat 240 players to win $63,500 in the pot-limit event on Nov. 20.

News Added: 27 November, 2007

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