David Ross White is B.C.'s poker champion

Local David Ross White became British Columbia's latest poker champion Sunday, following 32 hours of play at the River Rock Casino in Richmond. The Abbotsford, B.C., man collected $600,000 prize money and the tournament champion's watch.

White outplayed 784 competitors to win the $2 million No-Limit Texas Hold'em event - the largest legal prize awarded in Canada - at the B.C. Poker Championships. Derrick Law, protégé of Brad "Yukon" Booth, placed second and earned a $290,000 chunk of the prize money.

Booth was among some big-name poker pros who were in attendance, including Johnny Chan and Canadian Gavin Smith, who placed 27th in the main event.

The tournament, which stretched from Nov. 20-26, drew 2,002 people from across Canada and the U.S. The championship saw a big boost in players over its inaugural year in 2005 after spreading the No-Limit Hold'em main event over two days and adding a satellite to expand the field of entrants, said a spokeswoman.

The championship also included Pot-Limit Omaha and Hold'em events. Earlier in the week, B.C.'s Aaron Duczak claimed the Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Split and earned $58,000. Jody Trainer of B.C. made $130,000 by scoring first place in the Pot-Limit Texas Hold'em competition.

All 10 players who made the main event final table at the tournament will be featured on the Canadian Poker Tour, airing on Sportsnet in Canada.

For detailed tournament results, please visit http://bclc.com/cm/casino/BCPokerChampionships2006.htm.

courtesy of Erin Warner

News Added: 28 November, 2006

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