WODONGA poker player Pattie George overcame an opponent’s three-ace hand on her way to winning the Victorian Poker Championships in Melbourne on Saturday.

In the defining hand of her victory, the 20-year-old, who has been playing poker for about 14 months, went “all-in” with a pair of nines.

Her opponent had a pair of aces and both an ace and a nine came out in the flop.

The fourth card was a nine and the last wasn’t an ace.

“The place went nuts,” Australian Poker League Albury-Wodonga’s Chris Glen said.

“There was a big crowd and the buzz was massive.”

At the final table of eight George started with the lowest amount of chips but was able to pick off her opponents in about two hours of tense poker.

A surprised George pocketed $5000 for the win.

“I thought I was going to be out by the final 16 so it was very exciting,” she said.

The 44-table tournament was held at Taylors Lakes Hotel and George was among three members of the Albury-Wodonga branch who progressed to the final table.

Albury’s Chris O’Toole finished runner-up and Wodonga’s Jason Stear, 26, finished sixth.

O’Toole took home $2500 in cash and prizes.

George and O’Toole now progress to the Wild Turkey Tournament of Champions in July, with a shot at $1 million in prizes.

Glen said George was always a contender for the event, which had more than 350 competitors.

“She’s a good player,” Glen said.

The championships are run through the Australian Poker League, which runs competitions every night of the week as the only way to qualify.