|
Living
the American Dream
John Nguyen Joins Ranks of 2004 World
Series of Poker Champions
--
Vietnamese-born poker pro defeats international
final table lineup
Many
of us (Vietnamese players) have won gold
bracelets. They are my friends. I want
to be a part of that. It’s such an
honor to win a bracelet.
-- Phi “John” Nguyen
If
America is the land of opportunity, then
poker has become the �port of entry� to
a better life for many immigrants. Indeed,
poker is among the most democratic of
human endeavors. It doesn�t discriminate.
It doesn�t play favorites. Players of
all ages, skin colors, religious affiliations,
ethnic backgrounds, and both sexes spar
on a level playing field. There are no
language barriers or educational requirements
to be a winning poker player. The fact
is � poker has become the gateway to the
American Dream for many players.
This
edict applies to the Vietnamese-American
community in Southern California more
than any other ethnic group. Consider
this fact: Poker players with the �Nguyen�
surname have won more World Series of
Poker championships (14) than players
named Smith, Jones, and Johnson � combined.
There are more gold bracelets engraved
with the Nguyen name than any other in
the 35-year history of the WSOP.
Appropriately
enough, �Nguyen� is pronounced �win.�
The latest Nguyen champion is a 43-year-old
professional poker player named Phi �John�
Nguyen, from the Los Angeles-area community
of El Monte. Nguyen won $180,000 and his
first gold bracelet in the $1,500 buy-in
No-Limit Hold�em Shootout at this year�s
World Series. He topped a mammoth field
of 400 players and defeated the final
eight competitors on day two, earning
a well-deserved victory.
John
Nguyen�s story is the narrative of many
newcomers who arrive in this country,
with nothing more than the desire for
a better life and courage to pursue it.
Nguyen�s father was enlisted in the South
Vietnamese Army. In 1975, after the fall
of Saigon and the end of the war in Vietnam,
Nguyen fled his homeland on a small boat
that drifted out into the South Pacific.
The media tagged the refugees as the �boat
people,� a disparaging inference that
neither recognizes their sacrifice, nor
reflects the desperate levels some brave
people will endure in order to live in
freedom.
After
his arrival in the U.S., Nguyen settled
down in the San Francisco Bay Area and
worked odd jobs. At one point, he worked
as a day laborer for minimum wage. Then,
in order to better himself, he enrolled
in college and studied business management.
Nguyen later opened a travel agency in
San Jose and decided to expand his business
in Los Angeles. In 1989, he began playing
poker in the big mega-cardrooms in Southern
California � namely the Bicycle Casino
and Commerce Casino. Within a year, Nguyen
went from playing low-limits, including
$1-2 hold�em, to much bigger games, from
$100-200 eventually up to $500-1,000.
Nguyen also cashed in several local tournaments
with his biggest win at $60,000 at the
Legends of Poker, but until this date
had never enjoyed the success of some
of his peers, particularly at the World
Series.
And
so, the stage was set for Nguyen to reach
new heights. Event 18 of the 2004 World
Series of Poker would be the stage for
Nguyen to transform himself from a mostly
unknown, albeit successful poker pro,
to a �world champion.� To give the contest
added significance, the final table was
a truly international affair. Six of the
eight finalists were born outside the
United States � with Vietnam, Russia,
Canada, Indonesia, and Israel represented
among the league of nations. The players
took their seats on day two, and were
eliminated in the following order:
8th
� ANDRE BOYER � This was Boyer�s 15th
time to cash, since his first WSOP appearance
eight years ago. Boyer�s best finish was
third in the Seniors� event last year.
Boyer, who is originally from Montreal
and now lives in Las Vegas, went out with
J-10, after a position raise on the button.
John Nguyen woke up in the blind with
K-Q of diamonds and made a flush. Boyer
received $12,000.
7th
� J. C. TRAN � Vietnamese-born Tran was
making his second final table at this
year�s WSOP � after coming in 8th in the
$2,000 No-Limit Hold�em event. After losing
a big pot with A-10 against pocket deuces,
Tran was short-stacked and went �all in�
a short time later with A-5, which was
steamrolled by pocket queens. Tran collected
$19,000.
6th � ASHER DEREI � Israeli-born Derei
moved �all in� on A-Q under the gun, and
ran into Kiril Gerasimov�s Q-Q. An ace
failed to rescue Derei, which meant a
6th-place finsih. This was Derei�s first
WSOP final table, although he has cashed
on three previous occasions.
5th
� JOHN JUANDA � Of the eight finalists,
Indonesian-born Juanda had the most final
table experience. The three-time gold
bracelet winner (for 2002 Ace-to-Five
Triple Draw Lowball, 2003 Seven Card Stud,
and 2003 Pot-Limit Omaha) has now won
over $750,000 in twenty lifetime cashes.
Juanda went from the chip lead to the
rail after he lost three big pots in a
row. The last hand took place when Juanda�s
pocket 5s were whacked by Nguyen�s A-9,
when a nine flopped. Juanda received $33,000.
4th
� JEFF RINE � Rine, from Detroit, made
his first ever WSOP final table. He arrived
in second chip position, but ran card
dead later in the day and busted out in
4th place. Rine went out with A-7 suited,
which was smoked by Mike Salem�s A-K.
Rine received $40,000.
3rd
� MIKE SALEM � Without a doubt, the worst
beat of the final table � and perhaps
of the WSOP so far this year � took place
when Salem started with pocket aces and
lost to A-J. Salem put all his money into
the pot against John Nguyen on the turn,
with an overpair (aces). Nguyen had two
outs with one card to come and hit his
22-1 shot when a third jack fell on the
river. It was a stunning blow to Salem,
a low-profile cash game specialist who
is one of poker�s top players on the East
Coast. Salem took $50,000 from the deal,
and � it�s fair to say � would have been
a favorite to go on and win the gold bracelet
had he not taken the terrible beat.
When
heads up play began, John Nguyen had a
slightly better than 2 to 1 chip lead
against Kiril Gerasimov, from Russia.
It took nearly two hours for Nguyen to
finally overpower Gerasimov. On the last
hand of the night:
NGUYEN:
J-9
GERASIMOV: J-5
The
flop came J-8-5. Gerasimov moved �all
in� and Nguyen called. Gerasimov�s two
pair was way ahead, but then disaster
struck for the Russian poker pro. An eight
on the turn made two pair � jacks and
eights (for both players). However, Nguyen�s
nine out-kicked Gerasimov�s five as the
fifth card. A blank on the river meant
the end for Gerasimov, and a WSOP win
for Nguyen.
Gerasimov,
who now lives in Moscow but plays poker
regularly in both the United States and
Europe, finished as the runner up. He
received $100,000 for second place.
The
winner -- John Nguyen is married and has
three children. He received $180,000 in
prize money. Not bad for an immigrant
who essentially came to this country with
nothing 25 years ago. Some dreams do come
true.
-- Official Report
by Nolan Dalla, Media Director -- 2004
World Series of Poker
|
