Betfair Official Blog

"Just for you baby!"

Play the man, not the cards. Some say it; Scotty Nguyen does it. Matt Broughton looks on in wonder...

I think it's fair to say that Scotty Nguyen is often (and wrongly) regarded as more of a figure of fun in the world of poker than the world class player he truly is. Apart from the obvious WSOP Main Event win in 1998 (back when it still meant something to win a Main Event) he has cashed consistently year-in year-out and been a constant presence on the tables. He also still holds the (unofficial) world record for the most number of times you can say the word "baby" without it somehow becoming annoying. He also has excellent hair *ahem*.

Though a large amount of the TV coverage has in recent years been more interested in the likes of Hevad Khan being a loud, annoying dick, or Jerry and Jamie switching between being über-lucky and simply misplaying hands to the point that they accidentally win, I was pleased to see one of the outer tables featured recently on ESPN where an interesting situation developed between the prince of poker (Mr Nguyen if you didn't know) and a player called Greg Weitzel.

'Never judge a book by its cover' is a fair motto to live by at any poker table, but as the camera panned round to Greg - mid-50s, weathered face, big hat, chomping on a cigar, etc. - I couldn't stop the word 'superstar' popping (sarcastically) into my head. Now this is a great word to have drop into your head when playing against someone for money, because players with obvious egos can be pushed, pulled and lured into making moves that while not appealing to the part of their brain that deals with winning poker, does satisfy their ego's desire to look 'cool' on TV.

With blinds at 100/200 Greg raises to 800 from the small blind holding Kh-Kc. Scotty looks at his opponent and calls from the BB with 8c-7d (about 18% to win pre-flop). The key thing here is what Scotty says: "Just for you baby". Now this could just be friendly chat... or might it suggesting that Scotty sees a HUGE implied odds situation against this specific individual?

The flop lands 9d-6c-5h and we see that Scotty has zipped up into a 97% lead on the hand having flopped the nut straight. Additional good news for Scotty is that this is probably the kind of flop that a hand like Kh-Kc will be very happy to see. Personally I'm more used to seeing a flop containing at least one ace (and probably a couple of queens) when holding pocket kings, but this harmless flop is potentially just what the doctor ordered (assuming the doctor is a recovering murderer who was hoping to give Greg a heart attack).

With the pot at 1,200 Greg bets out 1,000. Scotty points to the flop, goading his prey: "I know you got nothing of that", and raises it a further 1,800. Greg chomps down on his cigar... "You know I got none of that?" he asks, with a slight swagger in his voice (if voices are indeed able to 'swagger'). And then... PANG! Greg pushes all-in; holding one pair against a WSOP Champion. Oops. Greg manages to turn a 4,700 pot into a cock-fight worth 27,900, and Scotty - unsurprisingly - calls the extra 21.7k, flipping over the nuts. At this point the part of Greg's brain responsible for looking cool on TV tips his hat in the general direction of the dealer, heads to the bathrooms where it throws up on itself, and then makes for the valet. Having collected its car, it then drives off towards the Grand Canyon where it plans to take all its clothes off, pour petrol over itself, drop a lit match in its lap, and then jump. You get the idea; it's not been a good day for 'ego'.

Commentator Norman Chad - who has clearly formed his own opinions of Greg by this point - offers: "Wetzel has a fiver dollar cigar and a 3% chance". Obviously were Jamie Gold or Jerry Yang involved in this story the outcome might have been different (including some runner-runner quad miracle no doubt), but as it stands the turn is 9s, the river 4c, and Scotty adds a 49,600 pot to his stack.

And the moral of the story: Don't bring your ego to the table, and don't let Scotty Nguyen goad you into ending your tournament life with one pair. Oh, and be VERY afraid if Scotty ever plays a pot 'just for you'. Baby.

• Poker