It was just last June that 'Yukon' Brad Booth, a well-known pro poker player on the national and international scene, collected a hefty chunk of cash at the World Poker Tour's Mandalay Bay Championship.

And it was a few months previously that fellow Yukoner James Lopushinsky hit a fairly big pay day at the 2006 Canadian Heads-Up Poker Championship in Calgary.

Not to be outdone, another local poker guru has posted an impressive showing on the big scene. This time, it was Derrick Law, who finished second at the largest poker tournament in British Columbia's history Sunday, taking home $290,000.

Nearly 800 players took part in the $2 million No Limit Texas Hold'Em event at River Rock Casino Resort in Vancouver.

The tournament attracted players from Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and the Yukon, and from states as far away as Florida, Texas, Nevada, California and Washington.

'The response we received from players and spectators at this year's tournament is truly remarkable,' said Brian Lynch, vice-president of BCLC's Casino Gaming, in a press release.

'This week, we've witnessed some of the best poker players in Canada and the U.S., playing their best game. It's a testament to the first-class gaming experience we offer at B.C. casinos.'

Well-known players who competed in the tournament included Gavin Smith, who finished 27th, Booth and poker legend Johnny Chan.

Nov. 23 and 24 marked round one of the event, with the top 195 players advancing to the second round on Nov. 25. Then, the best of the best battled it out to earn a seat at the final table on Nov. 26.

All 10 players at the final table will be featured on Sportsnet, as Sunday's action was filmed for Canadian Poker Tour.

Law, who first made waves when he finished first in the Mandalay Bay daily tourney in 2001, in just his fourth live tourney ever entered, made it through two, 12-hour days of play, which then culminated in a final table where battle was waged for another eight hours.

'By the end of play Thursday, I was down to 43,000 chips, which was precisely where I needed to be in order to have succes on day two,' he stated, in an interview from Vancouver Tuesday. 'On day two, after another 12 hours, I finished with $494,00 chips, which put me into seventh place for the final table.'

Law managed to become the chip leader when there were just two players left at the final table, but lost a crucial hand to become the short stack and was eliminated from the tournament shortly after.

He may not have won the top prize of $600,000 an honour that went to Abbotsford, B.C.'s Davis Ross White but $290,000 is not bad for three days' work.

'It worked out fairly well,' he said modestly, paying tribute to his large support group throughout his time at the event.

'The audience watching the final table of play was filled with Yukoners and they were all fired up. I couldn't have asked for better. They were easily the loudest group there.'

With nearly $1 million won by the three Yukoners in three major competitions this year, Law said people are starting to take notice.

'People are starting to fear players from the Yukon. There's some definite talent,' he said, adding much of the credit for that should go to Booth.

'You learn from playing with good players and Brad is one of the best in the world.'

It's the support of two amazing players like Booth and Lopushinsky that was critical in Sunday's win, said Law, who, with six years of serious poker experience under his belt is considered a rookie compared to Booth, who has playing professionally for more than 10. Lopushinsky has been playing seriously since 2003.

'I think I've got an aptitude for it,' explained Law, when asked what draws him to high stakes poker. 'The fourth live tournament I ever entered, I ended up winning. This last year, I won a seat to a preliminary event for the World Series of Poker.

'It really is a fantastic game. It's easy to learn but very difficult to master. There are so many different skills involved in playing well and to play consistently.'

It's an adrenaline rush at times, added Law, pointing out poker is the most popular card game in the world. Major sports networks such as TSN, The Score and Sportsnet now televise World Poker Tour and Canadian Poker Tour events on a regular basis.

This past weekend's event will be televised over three, one-hour episodes on Sportsnet in March, 2007.

'It's fun to watch and even more exciting to play,' said Law. 'I can vouch for that.'

So what's he going to do with his first major cash prize?

'I'm certainly going to kill off my mortgage,' he laughed. 'That's the first thing. There's definitely going to be a holiday in the future. But it's not so much money that it's going to drastically change my life.

'It will just make a few things easier.'