Clarissa Hannem of Esquimalt took top honours and won $22,680.00 this week when she became Canada’s first ever Women’s Poker Classic champion.
Hannem out-manoeuvered and out-played 249 other womenpoker players to nab the top prize after about five hours of play in the $75,000 No Limit Texas Hold’em tournament held at Cascades Casino in Langley.
“It was great to play in a tournament for women only and to see so many women turning out to have a good time playing poker,” said Hannem.
Friday, February 17, Limit Texas Hold’em kicked it all off at noon with a $37,500 prize pool. February 18 and February 19, No Limit Texas Hold ’em, the main event, started at noon and featured a $75,000 prize pool. The top 20 players in both the Limit and No Limit games finished in the money.
With over $112,000 up for grabs, Canada’s first women’s poker tournament made Canadian poker history and supported Breast Cancer research at the same time. Cascades Casino made a $25,000 donation, $50 for every registered participant to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Treasure Cove Casino & Hotel donated an additional $5,000. In total, over $30,000 went directly toward breast cancer research in British Columbia.