Tao of Poker

2008 WSOP Day 31: Scotty Nguyen = Horsemaster

By Pauly
las Vegas, NV

Like the previous $50,000 HORSE Championship events, they start on one day and no not end until the next morning. This year's event began on Sunday and spilled into Monday morning. I was there from start (dleayed because Huck Seed was late) to the final hand at 5:03am.

Action was three-handed at the final table for several hours as time slowed down. Erick Lindgren was shortstacked but hung tough like a cockroach while Scotty Nguyen and Michael DeMichele battled back and forth for the chiplead. Lindgren's posse was led by an inebriated Gavin Smith. Several players who Lindgren backed in the past and present were on the rail cheering him on which included Bill Edler, Nordberg, Chris Bell, and Gavin Smith. I dubbed that section "Lindgren's Stable."

While on the other side, it appeared that Michael DeMichele and Scotty Nguyen each had a few people on the rail that were only there because they had pieces of them. I cannot confirm. but I have a sneaky suspicion that Todd Brunson had a piece of Scotty but Layne Flack had 36% of the former world champion. Several online guys like YellowSub and ShaunDeeb had pieces of DeMichele.

The agents were swarming. The media were circling. The backers were licking their chops. A couple of hookers strolled the hallways. Just another night at the WSOP.

Around 1:30am, Lindgren made a heroic comeback to almost pull even with DeMichele and Scotty. That's when Scotty lost his shit for a full level. He was drunk and irritated. Happy Scotty was gone and Evil Scotty took his place. He was out in the deep end and he berated dealers and started to head down the path towards utter tiltdom. Lucky for him, he was saved by the bell. Scotty sobered up and two decisive pots from DeMichele to jump back in the lead.

Scotty never looked back. Just after 4:20am, Erick Lindgren was eliminated in third place. Scotty Nguyen was heads up with a nifty lead against Michael DeMichele, who was just 13 years old when Scotty won the world championship in 1998. It would only take Scotty less than twenty minutes to win his fifth bracelet and the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy.

Click here to view Flipchip's winner photos.

I could write a several thousand word recap, but I'll let the live blog from Day 31 do the talking. It appears below...


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