Poker Multi Player

Life on the Road with Scotty Nguyen

What is life on the tour like?

It's fun. Traveling, meeting new people, poker is fun! You don't want to play with the same people every day, so it's fun to travel. You get to see different countries and different people.

How many tournaments do you play a year?

I play about 50.

What is your favorite location to travel to for tournaments?

Australia is great.

What is your greatest poker accomplishment?

Back in '98, World Series champion. It has to be that! That is every poker player's dream, to be in it. I'm in it and I win it. There's no feeling like winning that.

How does traveling affect your personal life and family?

It affects it a lot! My wife doesn't like it, and it came to the point where she couldn't take it anymore. We are divorced now. I've been divorced for about four months. She doesn't understand sometimes. She married a poker player. She married me, and she knew how it was. She should have gotten used to it. Every time I traveled to Australia, London, she gave me a hard time. I need a clear mind; I don't want to go over there and get upset and worry about her. It's better for us now. She's happy in Denver, and I'm happy. We are like best friends. We still talk, and I miss the kids, but she's happy.

What do you do for fun and in your spare time?

I like to go bowling or shoot some pool.

What are you best at, pool, bowling or poker?

Poker. Everything else is just for fun. It is something for you to just go out and laugh about, it's not serious. When I bowl, I fall all the time, and I throw my ball in the gutter. We are laughing. It's fun when you can smile. I like to do fun things, when you can make fun of friends. Like the way you bowl, I would laugh at you, just to put a smile on everyone's face.

Do you ever play for money?

The most I ever bet is like $100 a game. That's no money, it's just for fun.

How much does stamina affect you on the road?

It doesn't affect me now, but before it did. Before, it was because of being away from the kids and wife, but now, being divorced, it's different. You get used to it. I know exactly where my kids are and that my ex-wife is taking care of them. I'm more relaxed about traveling now. I play better now because I know everything is taken care of at home. She's fine with that, and I'm fine with what I'm doing. It's easy now.

Do you prefer tournaments at home or on the road?

Home. Home sweet home, baby! If you are having a bad day, if you took a bad beat, you always have home to go to. Everything about home is great. It is warm, cozy, you can just lie around watching TV for hours. I'm not a party guy, I'm more of a family man. The way I am and the way I act, people assume different. I love joking around. I love to laugh. People think, then, that I love to party, but I don't. I love to be home. Everything there relaxes you and calms you down.

What does it cost to play the tour?

It costs me a minimum of $300,000. I don't play small tournaments. I play $5000 or higher. I enjoy that more, because when you get there, you win something. The big event is where all the good players play. You want to beat the good player, you want to beat the tough field. I like to play the good players.

Does it ever get old?

Before, it was getting old. Now, if I'm bored, I go to the Cherokee Casino. It's in Oklahoma. I signed a contract with them. They treat me well, and the people over there are so nice! The poker room is awesome, but the main thing is the people, the players. Southern hospitality, it's so nice.

Sorting out his personal life must truly be helping Scotty's game. He made 11 final tables in 2004, with two first-place finishes in major events and made seven final table appearances in 2005, cashing just short of a million dollars.