Andy Nguyen Takes First Bracelet of 2005 WSOP

The ball has just dropped on the 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) and it is already setting records. The 662 entries into the $500 buy-in Casino Employees No-Limit Texas Hold’em event destroyed last year’s previous high mark of 279. After a grueling fourteen hour competition just to get to the final table, Andy Nguyen bested the remaining eight players to win the first bracelet of the Series and the $83,390 prize, more than double last year’s top award. Perhaps fittingly, in the first year that the WSOP is not at Binion’s Horseshoe (except for the final two days), the 43-year-old Nguyen is a poker dealer at Binion’s.

The final table standings are as follows:

(Place/Player/Prize Money)

1. Andy Nguyen...........$83,390
2. Danny Flores...........$43,195
3. Thang Luu...............$23,830
4. Simon Matthews......$20,855
5. Steven Cuti.............$17,875
6. Dustin West.............$14,895
7. Todd Dakake...........$11,915
8. David Slowik............$8,935
9. Justin Porter............$5,960

The WSOP continues Friday with the first event open to the public: the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em tournament.

Originally published June 3, 2005