The 2008 HORSE final table played host to a now-infamous meltdown. Scotty Nguyen, known as the Prince of Poker in some circles and the Ambassador of Poker in others, gave one of the worst performances of his life. In short, he had a drink-inspired melt down.
Nguyen is known wherever poker is played as one of the nicest, most amicable, and generous players to have graced a casino floor. His trademark salutation “Baby” is imitated fondly by players all over. But at the WSOP’s 2008 HORSE final table, Nguyen’s attitude turned ugly. Seriously ugly. Berating players, graphic insults, and mocking diatribes were the Nguyen’s only language for hours on end.
Nguyen’s “performance” was controversial, to say the least, and still is. Players like Phil Hellmuth and Tony G. are known for their tempers and unsportsmanlike conduct. They fly mostly under the radar, though, as accepted forces who cross lines, but not too far. When Nguyen turned ugly, and to a degree well surpassing the likes of Hellmuth, spectators witnessed a famous attitude of grace and refinement devolve into nothing more than a mean spirit. There would be no debate if Nguyen had not won the tournament. The fact is, he did.
It could be argued that Nguyen won because of his attitude. Because his opponents were needled for so long, that they lost the psychological battle. Because Nguyen built an edge and not only maintained it, it grew sharper and more effective over time. A player like Scotty Nguyen has seen countless hands and countless table situations. It is not unlikely that he read the table vibe, and decided to swing it permanently in his favor by putting on a show, by insulting his opponents, by losing all appearances of friendliness, by mercilessly chipping away at their confidence.
What if that is a legitimate tactic in poker, to be unkind and rude to your fellow player (who also happens to be your opponent)? It is like any dirty sports hit. An elbow to the face in basketball, perhaps, or a dirty slide tackle in soccer. It is certainly an ethical issue, but to the player whose sole goal is winning, it is merely an optional tactic.
Below is the video of Nguyen’s stunning performance. Notice how his opponents persist that he is not getting into their heads, while that is clearly not the case. Though his methods are extremely questionable in this instance, Nguyen was onto something worth debating. What is a first place prize worth?