Scotty Nguyen Wins $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship

Scotty Nguyen has done it again! This time, the world-renowned poker player and generally nice guy has won the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship at the 2008 World Series of Poker. For taking first place, Nguyen won $1,989,120, which brings his career earnings to around $10 million. This also marked his 36th-career cash in a WSOP event.

SCOTTY NGUYEN - HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Nguyen grew up in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. When he was 14, he and sixteen others boarded a boat and tried to sail to Thailand. After being pursued by Communist police, they became lost. The group had taken enough food, water and fuel for a two-day journey.

Twenty-two days later, plans were being made to eat Nguyen’s 12-year-old brother. Luckily, they were rescued by a boat from Taiwan before that could happen, and Nguyen’s family eventually made it to America.

Now he’s a millionaire.

BACK ON TRACK

This is Nguyen’s first WSOP bracelet since 2001, and that gives him five bracelets overall. That accomplishment ties him with such players as Chris Ferguson, Allen Cunningham and Berry Johnston. It also makes for a great comeback after a disappointing 11th-place finish in last year’s Main Event. While most would be happy to finish that high, Nguyen reportedly became physically ill, didn’t leave the house and eventually lost 15 pounds.

“When I was first coming into poker, I wanted to be playing with Doyle, Chip and Stuey. Now, two of them are gone. I wanted to win this trophy to be the first winner to honor Chip.”

Nguyen was referencing the 60-pound memorial Chip Reece trophy which was created to honor the poker legend who passed away unexpectedly in the last year. Reece was the inaugural H.O.R.S.E. champ at the WSOP.

After thanking his wife and many others, Nguyen vowed that he would go on to win the Main Event. No doubt, there are many in the poker community who will be pulling for him.

SCOTTY NGUYEN’S WSOP WINS

1997 - $2,000 Omaha 8 or Better (won $156,950)

1998 - $10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championship (won $1,000,000)

2001 - $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha (won $178,480)

2001 - $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split Eight or Better (won $287,580)

2008 - $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship (won $1,989,120)

OTHERS AT THE FINAL TABLE

To win the event, Scotty had to fend off some of the best overall poker players in the world. In fact, nine of the 16 players who finished in the money were former WSOP bracelet winners, and five of the eight at the final table could also make that claim. The battle at the final table raged for 14 grueling hours.

23-year-old Michael DeMichele finished in second place, while possible player of the year, Erick Lindgren, finished in third.

The WSOP Main Event begins Thursday, July 3rd.

Scotty Nguyen Wins $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship