Up until recently, the poker media have portrayed veteran pro Thuan “Scotty” Nguyen as a pleasant, fun-loving character. Famous for his boisterous laugh, gold medallions and referring to everyone he meets as “Baby”, Nguyen often came across as one of the most enjoyable players to watch. Even when playing against him, opponents often found themselves caught up in his ability to turn the tense atmosphere of a major tournament into a home-game-style party.

That image has suffered since the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event. With the final two tables in play, Nguyen was the chip leader. By all accounts, he should have made the final table and stood a very good chance of joining Moss, Brunson, Ungar and Chan as the only multiple Main Event champions. Instead, he attempted to force his will on European pro Philip Hilm, who refused to be intimidated by the former champion. Nguyen’s ego and recklessness cost him his final table berth and earned him an eleventh-place finish.

At this year’s World Series of Poker, Nguyen won the prestigious $50,000 buy-in HORSE event. Most poker experts consider this to be the toughest tournament in the history of the Series: the field is almost exclusively made up of experienced pros, the buy-in keeps out all but the most elite players and the mixture of games requires the highest skill levels of the participants. Nguyen’s victory under such circumstances, especially after his flameout in last year’s Main Event, should have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

Instead of displaying the class and dignity befitting his stature as the “Prince of Poker”, Nguyen chose to behave so disgracefully that his fellow pros have questioned both his state of mind and his sobriety. Some examples of his outlandish behavior:

• During a seven-card stud hand, Nguyen showed his hole cards to the crowd.
• In another hand, he left the table to high-five audience members before the action had finished.
• He hectored young pro Michael DeMichele on his behavior while acting worse by the moment.
• His repeated use of foul language at the table while calling for more cocktails did not draw a penalty from tournament officials, unlike in previous years with players such as Mike Matusow and Sean Sheikhan.

Many players have speculated that Nguyen’s behavior at the HORSE tournament reflects a “hangover” from last year’s Main Event failure. Nguyen also issued an online apology to his fans, though that statement did not mention Lindgren, DeMichele or World Series staff.

Nguyen’s talent for the game is undeniable. He will go down in history as the first man to win both the World Championship and the David “Chip” Reese Memorial Trophy. The question remains: will the Prince of Poker become an admired leader like Henry at Agincourt, or will he still be the loutish Prince Hal throwing back beers with Falstaff?

Let me tell you a story about a guy named Phil.

No, not that Phil. No, not that Phil, either. Not that one, either. Definitely not that Phil.

This Phil.

Phil Gordon is a man of many talents: author, TV commentator, teacher, video producer, movie star and, on occasion, poker player.

He is also a man given to extremes: he is extremely intelligent (graduated from Georgia Tech at age 20), extremely rich (made millions in the dot-com years), extremely tall (at 6’9”, even LeBron James looks up to him) and extremely charitable (his Bad Beat on Cancer charity has raised millions of dollars for cancer research).

For players who are looking to improve their game, especially at the final table of a big tournament, I recommend his Final Table Poker DVD. The production values and visual presentation are top-notch, as opposed to most poker videos that look like they were made in someone’s basement. His narration takes you through his thought process as he navigates through his opposition to make the best decision during each hand. He includes guest players like UFC announcer Bruce Buffer and former World Champion Chris Ferguson. He also uses actors to portray characters that may or may not resemble certain famous pros.

Phil Gordon’s books also contain a lot of sound poker advice. His first book, Poker: The Real Deal, features great stories and insights into the lifestyle of the touring poker pro. His Little Green Book and Little Blue Book, modeled after golf instructor Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, carry excellent tips for players at all levels in all situations.

Most people recognize Phil from his hosting duties on Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown. His astute analysis and conversational tone helped to make that show one of the highest rated programs in the history of the channel.

Recently, Phil landed a role in the film The Grand with Woody Harrelson, Cheryl Hines and Ray Romano. Going against type, Phil gives a stellar performance as a TV poker commentator (what a stretch!) who doesn’t always get along with his co-host.

A certain old saying goes, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” Phil Gordon is a rare example of a player who “can do” and who “can teach”.

While these nuggets of wisdom may not compare with stone tablets from on high, they’ll be of much more use at the poker table and should be a lot easier to remember. These rules are also useful for any and all poker games, not just no-limit hold’em.

I: Thou shalt play good starting cards.
In hold’em, that means you should stick with high pairs and high suited aces (A K s, A Q s). In Omaha/8, that means double-suited low aces (e.g. Ah2hAc3c), which should give you better opportunities to scoop the pot rather than playing for a split or, worse yet, a quarter. In razz, that means you should play only when you have three to an eight-low or better. When you start out with a weak hand, you’re playing uphill the whole way.

II: Thou shalt not chase cards.
This rule doesn’t mean that you should fold all your open-ended straight draws or ace-high flush draws. It means that you should choose your drawing hands carefully. It means that you shouldn’t chase draws that will still leave you with a second-best hand.

A number of inexperienced players who come to the game by watching TV tournaments think that the game is all about brave bluffs and lucky draws, but the best players know better. If the odds are against hitting your draw, or if your draw could lead to a “sucker straight” or a low flush, fold your hand and fight another day.

III: Thou shalt play within thy bankroll.
From both a financial and an emotional perspective, this is the main rule to remember. If your bankroll is only a few hundred dollars, then stick to the lower limits and weaker opponents before trying to tackle that 25/50 no-limit hold’em table.

Poker is not like craps or roulette or a slot machine. By its nature, poker is a long-term game that rewards patience over impulse and good decision-making over reckless gambling. When you play within your bankroll and win, you’ll increase your stake in steady, measurable increments. When you lose and play above your means, your roll can vanish before you can blink.

Keep these three rules in mind. Better yet, print out this page and keep it in your pocket. Either way, it’ll be a lot easier than carrying two heavy stone tablets down a mountain!

My Poker Hero

Chris “Jesus” Ferguson is one of the most accomplished tournament poker players over the last ten years. He is also one of the most boring to watch on TV. He won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2000, the National Heads-up Poker Championship in 2008, three WSOP Circuit titles and over thirty WSOP cash finishes in the last five years, more than any other player. He has never belittled an opponent, trumpeted his manhood or wrecked a racecar. He doesn’t dress up like a general or a jester, favoring his basic black hat, jacket, shirt and sunglasses. He doesn’t curse, jump, scream or yell. All he does is win.

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris at last year’s WSOP (see photo). I told him that I was the Houston affiliate for FullTiltPoker.net, the site he endorses, plays and helped to develop. He gave a warm smile, a firm handshake and said, “Oh, cool!”

(Start Goofy Fanboy Moment)
Heh, heh. My poker hero said I was “cool”. Heh, heh.
(End Goofy Fanboy Moment)

Chris has been playing poker online since the days of Internet Relay Chat. In those days, today’s young online poker “superstars” were still playing on jungle gyms at recess. Chris also has made his own internet legend by starting from literally nothing and growing his bankroll to over ten thousand dollars. His perserverance and force of will have inspired me to start a similar challenge.

Many poker TV commentators have noted on how Chris maintains such a calm, serene manner at the table, even in the most pressure-packed tournament situations. He never gives off a tell, never shows his emotions and never makes a silly mistake. He’s stiff, he’s unexciting, he’s not prone to dramatics and, physical appearance aside, he makes for boring TV. So why is Chris Ferguson my poker hero?

All he does is win.