Canadian Glen Chorny wins over C$3 million at poker tournament

MONTE CARLO — Canadian Glen Chorny scored a huge payday with his first European Poker Tour victory since becoming a full-time poker professional four months ago.

The 22-year-old native of Timmins, Ont., earned 2.02 million euros (C$3.21 million) for winning the EPT's Grand Final on Thursday. Chorny defeated Denes Kalo of Hungary in the final at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. Kalo took home 1.18 million euros (C$1.87 million) for finishing second.

Chorny, who studies business and history at Wilfrid Laurier University, was dealt ace-five on the winning hand and had his ace paired on the flop. Kalo had a king and a queen.

Chorny said he was thrilled with the victory, which came three months after a 13th-place finish in his only other EPT appearance, the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

"It was tough out there, like a hard day at the office," Chorny said. "Only the rewards are a lot better."

Maxime Villemure, a 19-year-old from Montreal, finished third for a payday of 715,000 euros (C$1.13 million).