Grand Forks Poker Player Blazed her way to Shootout Victory

Richmond, B.C., September 4, 2007 – Vivencia Kiraly of Grand Forks was the last player standing at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s 2nd Annual Pacific Poker Shootout. After three days of No Limit Texas Hold’Em Shootout, Kiraly walked away with two prizes for a total of $51,300.

“This was the first major poker tournament I’ve played, and I promise to come back,” said Kiraly, who was nicknamed “Tigress” by her opponents at the final table. A fairly new poker player, she took up the game a couple of years ago, and credits her husband for teaching her how to

play so well.

Held at Cascades Casino from August 31 to September 2, the Pacific Poker Shootout featured two events with 530 players competing for a total prize pool of $285,000.

Kiraly entered both events, and made it to the final tables of each. She came in 5th place in the first event and won $6,300, and she placed first in the second event and took home the grand prize of $45,000.

“Congratulations to all the winners,” said Darryl Schiewe, British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s Acting Vice President of Casino Gaming. “Pacific Poker Shootout was a great way to cap off the summer. Cascades Casino has, once again, done a terrific job in hosting this popular event.”

The top winners from each event were as follows:

$300 No Limit Texas Hold’Em Shootout
Gary Laboucan of Sidney won $26,250
Harold Kullman of Westbank won $14,500
Raymond Debruyn of Richmond won $10,300
Albert Walmsley of Langley won $8,400
Vivencia Kiraly of Grand Forks won $6,300
Lorinda Faasse of Kelowna won $4,600
Tyson Moulton of Port Moody won $3,150

$1,000 No Limit Texas Hold’Em Shootout
Vivencia Kiraly of Grand Forks won $45,000
Harold Fitzpatrick of Surrey won $30,000
Joshua Mammon of Richmond won $21,000
Alex Tsougrianis of Chilliwack won $16,000
Lee Miller of Kelowna won $12,000
Paddy O’hara of Delta won $9,000
Dan St. Pierre of Canoe won $7,000
Jody Trainer of Abbotsford won $5,000

Visit www.bclc.com/cm/casino/PacificPokerShootout.htm for the complete list of winners from each event.