'The Master' tops Player of the Year race
21st February, 2008
Men 'The Master' Nguyen has moved up to the top spot of the PokerListings.com Player of the Year (POY) race following an exceptional early run of tournament poker this year.
The California resident has taken a unusual approach to building up POY points, opting to play in almost every event on the poker circuit rather than devoting all his energies to mainstays such as the World Poker Tour (WPT).
Over the past two months the Vietnamese-borne pro notched up an incredible four victories on six final poker tables. He has been entering events with buy-ins as low as $300 (£150).
Some of his most impressive performances have stemmed from the LA Poker Classic - where he laid claim to three 'Bucking Bronco' trophies - but Nguyen has also raked in valuable points for his third-place slot in the WPT World Poker Open in Tunica.
He replaces former PokerListings.com frontrunner Mike McDonald, 18, who has struggled to maintain his ranking given age restrictions on US-based events.
Frenchman Bertrand Grospellier rounds off the top three, though his total 2008 winnings - $2 million (£1 million) - significantly outstrip any of his competitors'.
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