The biggest story in poker last week actually happened two months ago. The fallout will last much longer than that.

ESPN's telecast Aug. 19 of the World Series $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. (mixed games) tournament highlighted the controversial final-table behavior of popular pro and eventual winner Scotty Nguyen.

The 1998 world champion claimed his fifth WSOP gold bracelet that night in late June and hoisted the coveted new trophy honoring the late Chip Reese, the event's first winner in 2006. Reese, who died late last year, was acknowledged as one of the game's most respected and best overall players.

But the $2 million victory came at a price for Nguyen, 45, who apologized online the next day "to all my fans for the disappointment I have caused." Those fans know his story well.

Nguyen (pronounced "win") fled his native war-torn Vietnam at age 11, escaped from a refugee camp to do manual labor in Taiwan and came to Chicago at age 14, thanks to an American sponsor. After moving to Las Vegas, he became one of the game's most recognized stars, the "Prince of Poker."

Last week, however, Nguyen's foul language and possible rule-breaking plays outraged viewers. Internet forums bristled with condemnation of his actions and shock at tournament officials' inaction. Some posters defended Nguyen, saying he deserved forgiveness and that trash talk is just part of the game.

Typical among comments were these I received:

— "I'm sad to say, I was ashamed of Scotty last night on TV. It was all bleep this and bleep that. He's been in my top five for years and ... I know he's better than that, but he lost a lot of fans last night." — Adam M. in Alpena, Ark.

— "Chip Reese was a gentleman. Nguyen is a jerk. It's sad that he won the award. Erick Lindren (third-place finisher) would certainly represent the award more like Chip. Nguyen should have been called out by the staff. Why wasn't he?" — C.J., no hometown given.

To answer that, C.J., we'd have to get inside the heads of officials working that final table and look for a reason tournament rules weren't enforced.

For example, rule No. 35 of the WSOP's "Player Conduct and Tournament Integrity" section says, "Any player who directs any profane and/or abusive language at another player, dealer or tournament staff member (or makes such comments about them) will be penalized."

That seems clear, but here's the tricky part: "In Harrah's sole and absolute discretion, it may impose at any time a zero-tolerance policy for profane language whether directed at another person or not."

Taken literally, that sentence means a tournament doesn't necessarily start with zero tolerance and that floor supervisors can apply their own discretion and interpretation in assessing penalties.

After Nguyen's televised behavior stirred a fuss, a Harrah's statement said, "We obviously have some work to do on this matter" and that "something more substantive" about player conduct and rule enforcement will be in place for the 2009 WSOP.

Beyond Nguyen's language — mostly directed at runner-up Michael DeMichele, 23, because of how he celebrated some early wins — the telecast showed two hands Nguyen played that also might have triggered a tournament director's warning, but didn't.

In one, while DeMichele was deciding whether to call at the end, Nguyen held up his winning hole cards for the crowd to see. DeMichele couldn't see them, but several rules might have applied, including one saying "players may not disclose contents of live or folded hands" before action is completed.

The other was a fixed-limit Omaha high-low hand against Lindgren, 32, who was seriously short-stacked. Nguyen, with 7 million chips, open raised to 200,000 holding A-A-9-3. DeMichele folded, but Lindgren called with Q-Q-8-4, leaving him just 450,000. Both checked the flop of J-7-3.

Another jack came on the turn. After Lindgren bet 200,000, Nguyen paused, then folded his pocket aces face-up and said, "Just for my boy, I'm gonna keep him alive." A surprised Lindgren said, "Wow, big laydown." As he stacked up 650,000 chips, Lindgren added, "That was a gift."

WSOP rule No. 76 is explicit: "Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties that may include forfeiture of chips and-or disqualification. Chip dumping will result in disqualification."

For more than a decade, Scotty Nguyen earned great popularity and respect as an elite player and as a likable person who overcame unimaginable hardships to find a better life in this country. Based on the poker community's outcry last week, he has fences to mend with many of his fans.

Tournament officials, meanwhile, have some decisions to make.

E-mail your poker questions and comments to russ@luckydogpoker.com for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit www.creators.com or www.luckydogpoker.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 RUSS SCOTT

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