Poker Player - Men "The Master" Nguyen
Men Nguyen has been visible on the professional poker circuit for at least 17 years, taking the titles of more than 75 tournaments and winning somewhere in the region of $4.1 million in tournament earnings alone. He also famously donates a portion of his winnings to help build orphanages in his native Vietnam. Despite claiming that he never reads books on poker, but has developed his own personally honed strategy, Men is also a prolific coach of Vietnamese students of poker, which lead to his nickname of "The Master".
Men was born in Phanthiet Province, Vietnam, at a time when the country was in crisis, and any display or suggestion of anti-communism was likely to lead to persecution and ruin. He became a bus driver at the age of only 13, quitting school in order to help support his family. It was in 1978 however, that Men finally made a break for it, and was smuggled out of the country on a boat heading for Pulau Besar, Malaysia. From there he travelled onward to the United States, where he remained in a refugee camp for 6 months, until the US government gave him political asylum. He spoke no English, and was in a brand new world, but his determination and optimism won through, as ever. He studied English, and worked as a machinist until 1984, when life took him on the next steps towards poker.
Men met a Hispanic girl, and they fell in love. They had children, but ultimately things did not work out, and the relationship dissolved. During this time, Men was unhappy and anti-social, and in an effort to cheer him up, a friend suggested that they get on a junket and go to Las Vegas.
It was here that Men Nguyen played poker for the first time - the game was 7 Card Stud, and for a first attempt, Men successfully lost all of his money. He had worked for as a machinist for a pay of $12 an hour, and saved wisely. Within a few hours, the total sum of $2100 had been lost to the table. The game was similar to a style of 5 Card Stud played in Vietnam with 28 cards, but Men did not understand the nuances of the American 7 Card Stud and was defeated.
Defeated yes, but not deterred. He flew home and thought about poker constantly. The next week he returned to the table and won $3500. It was now that Men was truly hooked on the game. He played every weekend for a year. At the end of the year, he entered his first tournament, and not long after became a professional player.
Men's style is charismatic, open and cheerful and renowned for always seeming to have a bottle of Corona in his hand. He has a willingness to teach new players, and is exceptionally good at reading his opponents. He believes that the key to good strategy is not just being able to read your own hand, but the hands of your opponents. He has a reputation for consistently thinking about competitive tournament strategy, instead of just showing up at the table on the day and winging the game. He is able to memorise all the folded cards when playing stud games. He is happy to teach those willing to learn as long as they respect his secrets and have the right attitude. He says, "Without being willing to work hard and learn, a player cannot be successful. Many players do not think skill can overcome the luck of the cards. They are wrong."
So it with this hard working Eastern ethic that Men has spent nearly 2 decades working on being a successful Poker professional. He has had many achievements including 6 World Series of Poker bracelets, first place for 7-card stud in the 2003 WSOP as well as first place in the Ace to Triple Five Lowball event in the 2003 WSOP. In 1996, he came fourth in the WSOP Main event. In 2003, he ranked number 5 in the Card Player's list of the world's most successful players. He has yet to win a WSOP main event, but with his skill and competitiveness showing no signs of diminishing, this achievement must surely remain on the cards.
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