Poker's Biggest Night Set to Unfold

When Men Nguyen takes the stage to accept the coveted 2005 "Card Player, Player of the Year Award" at the illustrious Henry Fonda Music Box Theater on February 15 it will mark a landmark moment for the game.

The first Card Player, Player of the Year Awards Gala will undoubtedly be one of the most talked about events of the awards season. And Nguyen will always be remembered as the recipient of the coveted top prize on the night poker went Hollywood and honored professional poker players with a celebration unprecedented for a game that has vaulted out of casínos and card rooms, and into the mainstream.

Alongside such legends as Doyle Brunson, the masterful recipient of Card Player's "Lifetime Achievement Award", Nguyen and many other stars will be honored in the event that marks the top achievements during a bre akthrough year for poker.

Brunson, a legend and fan favorite for his seemingly endless energy and passion for poker, personifies the spirit of the game like no other player. Widely considered to be the most respected man in poker, Brunson will be honored for his dedication to the game and his extraordinary talents.

Nguyen, who chalked up more than 1,000 points in November and another 500 points during the first week of December, will accept his fourth "Player of the Year" title - but first in front of a star-studded theater audience. He won the award after totaling 4,604 points (plus an impressive $973,620 in total earnings and 16 final tables to his credit). This year's honors come with a $10,000 buy-in to the 2006 World Series of Poker.

Although produced with much of the glitz and glamour that follows any high-profile celebrity awards show, the Card Player, Player of the Year Awards Gala is unlike any other. At the Bodog-produced event in Old Hollywood, the majority of the honors that will be handed out will be voted on by professional poker players. Two of the awards - the "Best Celebrity Poker Player" and "Favorite Overall Poker Player" - are "People's Choice Awards". Votes for these two categories can be cast at Cardplayer.com.

The list of nominees for each category is full of high achievers. While the pros may have a hard time playing against their top peers, they might find it even more difficult to choose between them.

Among the difficult choices is the "Best Cash Game Player" award, where Barry Greenstein, Chip Reese and Phil Ivey are nominated for the honor that goes to the best live-game player. Ivey is also in the running for the "Best No-Limit Player" award - along with Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu. Negreanu, who picked up the 2004 "Card Player, Player of the Year" award, is nominated for "Poker Ambassador" (with Mike Sexton and Brunson) - as well as "Most Entertaining Player" (with Mike Matusow and Hellmuth).

For "Best Heads Up Player", Todd Brunson (Doyle's son), Ivey and Hellmuth are the nominees. Even if Ivey doesn't take that one he could capture the "Best Mixed Game Player" from either Greenstein or Reese.

Ivey is also up for what may be the most intriguing award, the "Most Feared Player". The competition is daunting with Negreanu, whose reputation is up there with some of the game's greatest players, and Johnny Chan, whose strong personality and presence at the tables is not for the faint of heart.

"Most Underrated Player" nominees, Allen Cunningham, David Benyamine and Todd Brunson, are all deserving of some recognition. That award goes to the player who typically has not been given the attention he deserves by the media. Meanwhile, Michael Mizrachi, Michael Gracz and Tuan Le, who are all up for the "Bre akthrough Player of the Year" honors, advanced to the forefront of the poker world in 2005.

In helping to grow the poker industry as a whole and to bring more exposure to the stars of poker, the players - the Card Player, Player of the Year Awards Show will further cement poker's prominence and importance in the mainstream - and Bodog.com is proud to be its exclusive sponsor and very excited to have Everybody Loves Raymond funnyman Brad Garrett as the master of ceremonies.

Mark your calendar: February 15 in Old Hollywood. You won't want to miss out on poker's biggest night.