BY TOM SOMACH

What’s being billed as the largest poker tournament in the history of  British Columbia is scheduled to be held at a casino in Richmond, B.C., Canada, in May.

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is organizing the eight-day, inaugural Johnny Chan Poker Classic, which is scheduled to begin on May 6, 2007, and run thru May 13, 2007.

Tournament organizers said they are expecting 2,300 players to enter the tourney, which would give it a total prize pool of $2.8 million and make it the largest poker tournament ever held in Canada’s westernmost province.

The tournament is to consist of five separate events, with the main event offering a top prize of $312,500, based on a full field of participants, organizers said.

Celebrity poker players Johnny Chan, Brad “Yukon”� Booth and Gavin Smith are scheduled to compete in the tournament, organizers said.

Chan is a two-time winner of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event.

One of the most famous professional poker players in the world, Chan was immortalized in the Matt Damon poker film “Rounders” when he portrayed himself.

Chan was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2002.

“British Columbia is one of my favorite destinations and poker is my favorite game,” Chan said.

“I”m thrilled to combine the two and host the Johnny Chan Poker Classic in British Columbia,” he added.

The tournament is scheduled to be held at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, B.C., Canada.

Richmond is a nearby suburb of Vancouver.

The Tournament events are to include no-limit Texas hold ‘em, short-handed no-limit Texas hold ‘em, pot-limit Texas hold ‘em and pot-limit Omaha.

For each event, the buy-in fees range from $500 to $2,500.

The top 10% of the field in each event will finish in the money.

“Johnny Chan is one of the best poker players in the world, and we’re pleased that he chose to team up with British Columbia Lottery Corporation to host this inaugural tournament,” said Brian Lynch, BCLC vice-president of casino gaming.

“The Johnny Chan Poker Classic is a chance of a lifetime for poker fans who want to test their skills against this poker legend,” Lynch added.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)