The Biggest Night in Poker
Cardplayer Magazine and Bodog held the very first “Biggest Night in
Poker” on February 15th at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre in Old
Hollywood, California. Bodog and Cardplayer teamed up to sponsor the
event, which may become an annual gathering of the best players in poker
and their fans, as well as the various media outlets that have made
poker a staple of their broadcasts. The event this year was hosted by
comedian Brad Garrett, who among other things starred in the sitcom
“Everybody Loves Raymond”.
Over 400 stars, fans, and poker professionals attended the show.
Men “The Master” Nguyen was the recipient of the prestigious and sought
after Best Player award for 2005. Nguyen has already been a three time
winner of the Player of the year award in 1997, 2001, and 2003. he is
one of the most decorated and recognizable players ever to hold a hand.
Cardplayer magazine offers the Player of the Year award each year, using
a points system that gives players certain placement in major poker
tournaments.
Participants receive more points the higher they place in a
tournament. In 2005, Nguyen earned 4,604 points, most of them coming in
the last two months of the year, when he earned 1,500 points. Nguyen
also earned $973,620 in prize money and sixteen table finals. Nguyen, a
Vietnamese immigrant, accepted the award in front of a crowd that
included family and friends. In a Bodog press release, The Master stated
that America has made his dreams come true, and allowed him to be a
poker champion. Nguyen also told Bodog media representatives that in
2005, he was proudest of setting lifetime achievement records that will
be hard to beat, such as becoming the all-time leader in the World
Series of Poker money finishes, at 49.
Calvin Ayres, Bodog Chief Executive Officers and organizer of the event
said that the high attendance was a direct reflection of the worldwide
boom in the popularity of poker, both in physical, television broadcasts
of the game and also as a result of online play. Player Phil Ivey won
the most awards, including the “Most Feared”, “Best No-Limits Texas
Hold’Em Player”, and the “Best Heads Up Player”. Ivey was nominated for
a total of five awards, and ahead of both Daniel “Poker Kid” Negreneau
and Phil Hellmuth, who each received three nominations.
The only other player to win more than one award was David “Chip”
Reese, who took home the trophies for “Best Mixed Game Player” and “Best
Cash Game Player”. The awards were chosen by professional poker players
for the awards dealing with strictly poker play, and fans voted for the
recipient “Best Celebrity Player” and “Favorite Player”. These
categories are voted on through Cardplayer.com. Jennifer Tilly won the
Best Celebrity Player.
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