Nguyen takes WPT 2006 World Poker Open

Pro player Scotty "the Prince of Poker" Nguyen won the World Poker Tour (WPT) 2006 World Poker Open at the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Mississippi, it was announced yesterday. Nguyen conquered a field of 326 players, including many of his fellow pros, to take home the $969,421 first place prize.

Nguyen is the 1998 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion and has won an additional four WSOP bracelets. This WPT win marked his biggest tournament win in seven long years of personal and professional ups and downs. It was his first-ever World Poker Tour victory.

The 2006 World Poker Open $10,000 + $200 No-Limit Hold'em main event offered a prize pool of $3,171,900. The five-day tournament boasted a star-studded roster that included Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, Gavin Smith, An Tran, Bau Le, Josh Arieh, Eric Cloutier, Liz Lieu, Bob Stupak, Padraig Parkinson, and Barry Shulman.

Final table play came down to a heads-up battle between "The Grinder" and "the Prince of Poker." Mizrachi, who has won a number of WPT events in recent years, including an L.A. Poker Classic tournament, ultimately went out in second place with $566,352.

Final table results are as follows:

Please see www.worldpokertour.com for further details.