A Whitehorse man has won $250,000 playing poker in Alberta.

Yukoner James Lopushinsky took top prize Sunday night at the 2006 Canadian Open Poker Championship at the Stampede casino in Calgary.

The event was held between last Wednesday and Sunday. It had a $5,000 buy-in with no betting limit and featured 64 players.

Speaking from Calgary this morning, Lopushinsky, 23, said he 'was flying high' after winning and that he had to beat some stiff competition to emerge the victor.

'I never knew I was going to win until the final hand. I didn't really think I was going to win anything,' he said.

His final hand, he added, included an ace and a nine while his opponent had an ace and a five.

To win, Lopushinsky took down Calgarian Karim Chatur, who brought home $125,000 for coming second.

Lopushinsky said he has only been playing poker for about two years. His biggest previous win was a $900 (US) pot.

He learned everything he knows from Brad 'Yukon' Booth, who now lives and gambles in Las Vegas.

Booth said this morning he is proud his protege.

'He had to beat me to go on. It's like an Obi-Wan Kenobi story ... the student beat his teacher,' Booth said.

He said while he did teach Lopushinsky everything he knows for the last two years, his student has learned to play his own game and earned the victory.

'I could only give him so much. He learned from my mistakes and developed his own style as a poker player.'

Lopushinsky said while he isn't sure yet what he'll do with the money, he's planning to invest some of it and is considering buying a vehicle.

He said he makes his living playing Internet poker.