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February 11, 2012

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Poker:

Nguyen out to win poker tournament for Las Vegas

Poker legend rallies to enter tomorrow’s final in good position

By (contact)

Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009 | 2:01 a.m.

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Justin M. Bowen

Scotty Nguyen plays in the World Poker Tour Doyle Brunson Five Diamonds Classic poker tournament Friday at the Bellagio. Despite starting the day on the verge of elimination, Nguyen worked his way to nearly 5 million chips.

WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamonds Classic

Steven O'Dwyer plays in the World Poker Tour Doyle Brunson Five Diamonds Classic poker tournament Friday at the Bellagio. O'Dwyer advanced to the final six. Launch slideshow »

Through his illustrious poker career, one phrase has become the trademark of poker pro Scott Nguyen — "Yeah, baby."

Nguyen had plenty of opportunities to use those two words Friday at the Bellagio. He started the day short-stacked with 300,000 chips at the World Poker Tour's Doyle Brunson Five Diamond Classic, but finished with 4.9 million chips and enters tomorrow's final table second out of six players.

"They don't slow me down," Nguyen said. "Even when I got 300,000 chips, they look at me like I'm done. I will never be done. If I have one chip in front of me, baby, they should still worry."

Nguyen's poker resume proves as much. He's won nearly every top tournament, including the 1998 World Series of Poker Main Event and the 2008 World Series of Poker $50,000 HORSE World Championship.

In total, he has five WSOP bracelets and one World Poker Tour title. Nguyen will go for his second Saturday when the final six players re-convene at 4 p.m. at the Tower Ballroom in the Bellagio to determine a champion.

Nguyen, who has lived most of his life in Las Vegas after moving from Vietnam as a child, said he wanted to win the tournament and $1.4 million prize for Las Vegas.

"Whatever I do out there in Europe or anywhere, I travel all around the world, I let them all know I will come to your country and bring the money from your home to Vegas," Nguyen said. "I want to bring all the money right here to Las Vegas, baby. I want the people who live in Nevada to be proud to have a player like me to represent Nevada. That's Scotty Nguyen, baby."

Although Nguyen steadily built his stack throughout the day Friday, he caught fire late when he knocked out two straight players.

Nguyen sent poker pro Chad Batista home in tenth when Batista moved all-in with pocket fives. Nguyen called with king-jack of diamonds and caught a king on the flop.

A more unconventional hand unfolded minutes later, when Curt Kohlberg moved all in after a six hit the river with a pair of kings. Nguyen called instantly with seven-four off-suit to show a straight he made on the river.

"He wanted to gamble with me," Nguyen said after the hand. "I'll gamble, baby."

Eric Hershier exited in eighth after Kohlberg, which meant only one more player needed to be eliminated to establish the final six.

Joe Cassidy, down to 700,000 chips, moved all-in with king-jack. First, Josh Arieh called with pocket 10s. Then, Shawn Buchanan called with pocket queens.

Buchanan's queens held on to win the hand and end the action for the day.

"I looked at queens and tripled up," Buchanan said. "I didn't play many hands at the final table for quite awhile because I was super low. It worked out."

Buchanan is the only other player at the table who has won a World Poker Tour event. Arieh and Daniel Alaei, however, are notable professionals who have each won two World Series of Poker bracelets.

Faraz Jaka will enter tomorrow as the chip leader with 5.3 million. Steven O'Dwyer rounds out the final six with just more than 1 million chips.

It's one of the toughest final six imaginable, as each player is a professional. The six have combined for 32 money finishes in World Poker Tour events.

"These are great players," Buchanan said. "It's going to be fun and interesting to see what happens."

Don't consider Nguyen intimidated.

"Tomorrow, my game plan is to win it all," Nguyen said. "There's no messing around. There's no mistakes tomorrow. It's just go out there and do my thing and bring it home for the home team. The money is staying right here in Las Vegas, baby."

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