TOP OF THE WORLD ! - 16/09/2006

The 2006 PartyPoker.com World Open finished in dramatic style when English woman Pippa Flanders stunned the World by winning the Title against all odds.

Final day of Les Bordes Tour Champs underway

Flanders beat a whole host of top names to the $200,000 first prize including Tony G, Roland De Wolfe, Marc Goodwin, Tony Bloom, Kenna James, Harry Demetriou and last Year's Champion Lee Nelson to claimed the biggest prize ever collected by a European female player.

In a tense final table that saw Flanders and Tony G begin as chip leaders, there were immediate fireworks as Tony G slow played pocket Kings as did Flanders with pocket 10's. The flop came 10 J x and Tony G's 50,000 bet was immediate raised by Flanders as she moved all in. Tony pondered and then made the call and a 10 on the turn hammered the nail into Tony's coffin and gave Pippa a massive chip lead with over 600,000 chips. Irishman Bryan Lyttle was next to go, shortly followed by on-line qualifier Paul Christoffersson and it was left to Flanders, Kevin Atkin and Jon Hewston to battle it out. When Hewston took care of Kevin Atkin he took the chip lead for the first time but after some gutsy play by Pippa, she clawed it back to even stacks. On the final hand of the tournament Flanders picked up A7 in the small blind and Hewston called the raise with K9 of diamonds. The flop came 6 7 5 with two diamonds and Pippa moved all in and was immediately called by John who had numerous outs. The turn came Q the flop a 5 with neither diamonds, giving Pippa two pair and more importantly the World Open crown.

"To have been one of only two women who entered amongst over 70 entrants and to have won it is simply unbelievable and wonderful – go girls! " Commented Flanders.

"I had a fantastic time playing the game and it was such a wonderful ending that I had always hoped for but never expected.I still can't believe I beat all those top names to the Title - it really is a dream come true."