Copyright © 2006 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved
News from the Cherokee Nation, OK
Copyright © 2006 CNO
TULSA, OKLAHOMA – Poker legend Scotty Nguyen, who is the leader of Team Cherokee and sponsored by Cherokee Casino Resort, won the World Poker Tour’s World Poker Open Jan. 23, 2006 at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi.
Poker legend Scotty Nguyen, who is the leader of Team Cherokee and sponsored by Cherokee Casino Resort, won the World Poker Tour’s World Poker Open Jan. 23 at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi 
Nguyen overcame 326 other poker players to capture first place money as well as a gold bracelet and a $25,500 seat in the WPT World Championship at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in April. Since recently signing a sponsorship agreement to promote the Cherokee Casino poker room nationally and internationally, he has won more than $1.1 million competing in poker tournaments, and is currently the number one ranked player in the WPT.
“We are proud of Scotty. His latest win shows he is definitely the right fit for Cherokee Casino Resort,” said David Stewart, CEO of Cherokee Nation Enterprises, which operates Cherokee Casinos. “He has started the new year on a winning note, and we wish him continued success.”
Nguyen’s latest triumph will be aired nationally on the Travel Channel May 3. This is the sixth WPT final table Nguyen has made and his fourth WPT bracelet. World Poker Tour airs every Wednesday at 8 p.m. CDT on the Travel Channel.
Nguyen (pronounced win) was the number one chip leader with $2,160,000 going into day five of the World Poker Open and the final table. He is one of the first two poker players in WPO history to make two consecutive championship event final tables. He finished in fourth place in this event last year. Nguyen is also well know for being the 1998 World Series of Poker champion and for winning four WSOP gold bracelets.
As part of his sponsorship agreement with Cherokee Casino, Nguyen will make personal appearances at all Cherokee Casino locations and be available to interact with the local crowd of poker players to answer questions or just sit in on a game. He will also host seminars on poker strategy, play poker in the casino, provide poker tips to local players and help poker dealers perfect their technique throughout the coming year.
Nguyen will be at Cherokee Casino Resort Feb. 6-13, along with another WSOP Champion Berry Johnston, to host the Oklahoma State Championship of Poker.
Sometimes called “the Prince of Poker,” some of Nguyen’s other poker achievements include victories at the Limit and Seven Card Stud events at the 2003 Legends of Poker, the 2001 WSOP Pot Limit Omaha, two World Poker Open titles at Foxwoods (including one championship event worth $300,000), the 1997 WSOP Omaha High Low and the Bellagio Five Diamond Pot Limit Omaha event. He is known as one of the most aggressive players ever to play the game of Texas Hold’em.
Cherokee Nation Enterprises is the retail, gaming, entertainment and hospitality business of the Cherokee Nation. CNE operates casinos in Catoosa, Roland, West Siloam Springs, Fort Gibson and Tahlequah as well as two Cherokee Outpost convenience stores; seven Cherokee retail tobacco shops, two gift shops and golf courses in Catoosa and Tahlequah. The company also operates Will Rogers Downs, a 236-acre horse racetrack and casino just east of Claremore. The company employs more than 2,700 people throughout northeastern Oklahoma.
| Related Cherokee Nation contact information: |
|
Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |