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Yevgeney Podolsky Wins the 2008 California State Poker Championship

Gioi Luong and Minh Nguyen Each Win Preliminary Events

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The 18 events that comprised the 2008 California State Poker Championship have come to a conclusion at Commerce Casino in Southern California, and Yevgeney Podolsky has been crowned the champion of the $1,500 no-limit hold’em championship event. Podolsky emerged from a field of 484 players to win $183,120 in prize money and 960 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points. The total prize pool for the championship was $704,220.

Gioi LuongGioi Luong took 11th place and took home $7,390 prize money, but this was not his first cash at the tournament series in the largest poker room in the world. Luong took 15th place in Event No. 14 ($500 no-limit hold’em) and he won Event No. 12 ($300 no-limit hold’em w/re-buys). The re-buy event attracted 380 entries and they re-bought 406 times, as well as purchased 96 add-ons. This built a nice first-place prize for Luong, totaling $69,294. Luong also picked up 456 POY points.

Another professional that came up big in a preliminary $300 no-limit hold’em re-buy event was Minh Nguyen, who took home $81,481 when he won Event No. 5. This event attracted 421 players, and they re-bought 516 times, as well as purchased 140 add-ons. Nguyen was awarded 480 POY points for the win.

Two players that are a little less known had success at the California State Poker Championship as well. Harry Lee won two events, taking homing the top prize in Event No. 8 ($500 no-limit hold’em) to win $34,045 and 300 POY points, and Event No. 11 ($300 H.O.R.S.E.) to win $16,092 and 216 POY points. Dung Le also made two final tables at Commerce. Le won Event No. 2 ($300 no-limit hold’em) to win $24,356 and 360 POY points. He followed that up by making the final table in Event No. 8 ($500 no-limit hold’em) and finishng in fourth place to take home $8,890 and 150 POY points.