Poker Pro Men Nguyen: From Nothing to Everything
The life of Men Nguyen is something that can be called a successful rags-to-riches story. He used to have nothing, not even a penny to his name. Now, he has millions and millions of dollars to his name. And it is all because of his success as a professional poker player.
Born in Phan Thiet, Vietnam in 1954, Men Nguyen was obliged to drop out of school when he was thirteen years old in order to work as a bus driver to help his family financially. It was in 1978 when he left Vietnam by boat with eighty seven other Vietnamese. They escaped from the Communist Regime of their nation and relocated to Malaysia. From such trip, he experienced how it was to sail for three days without anything to eat. In the same year, a political asylum was granted to him by the United States. He then decided to settle in Los Angeles, California. Although he had the opportunity to live in Los Angeles, he was not knowledgeable of the American language at all. This prevented him from finding a job for quite a long time. He then exerted his effort to attend English classes daily until it helped him find a job as a machinist.
Men Nguyen had the chance to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1984. It was the first time he played poker and it was the time when he became hooked in the game. Because of the fact that he always lost but continued to play the game, he earned the nickname "Money Machine." His losses, which amounted to hundreds and hundreds of dollars, did not discourage him from playing. He actually fell in love with poker and vowed to himself that he would further hone his skills. In 1987, he won a poker tournament for the very first time. Prior to such success in the poker world, Men Nguyen experienced other successes such as earning his American citizenship in 1986 and marrying his wife, Tuyet Van Nguyen in the following year.
Although Men Nguyen became addicted to playing poker, he did not forget to put his poker winnings to good use. This professional poker player was able to establish a furniture store as well as a dry-cleaning business out of his poker winnings. And when the businesses stopped doing well in 1990, he decided to sell them. Besides, such businesses were eating up most of his time.
The poker successes of Men Nguyen include six World Series of Poker bracelets that were earned between 1992 and 2003 and more than one hundred twenty money finishes between 2000 and 2004. Furthermore, this professional poker player has emerged successful in over seventy five live poker tournaments.
This professional poker player does not only play well, he also knows how to share his blessings. He makes sure that part of his winnings is donated through poker tournaments and to charitable institutions in Vietnam. This professional poker player also established a school for kindergarten students in Vietnam in 1996.
Men Nguyen indeed has a kind heart, and this probably has always been the reason why he has experienced a successful life despite of the hardships that he experienced when he was young.