This week the World Series of Poker announced that five-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and 1998 WSOP Main Event Champion Scotty Nguyen will be hosting the second annual World Series of Poker Africa, which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Nguyen’s hosting duties will extend to a role as an ambassador for the WSOP –something his reputation sorely needs after his antics at the 2008 WSOP Players Championship

The tournament series will take place at the Emerald Casino from February 21-26, 2012, where the casino will host six separate tournaments where the winner will receive a WSOP Ring (akin to the Circuit Series rings handed out) and the tournaments have been granted the official status of a WSOP Regional Championship.

The first tournament that will be held at the 2012 WSOP Africa will be a $350 buy-in NLHE tournament on February 21st. The tournament series will culminate with a $3,300 NLHE Main Event on February 24th. Another highlighted tournament on the schedule is the $10,400 NLHE High-Roller tournament that will begin the day before the Main Event kicks-off.

Scotty was in his jovial and joking mood when he said the following regarding his new role with the WSOP and his upcoming trip to South Africa, “You know, the Prince has been all over the world baby, you name it: Australia, Asia, Europe, but this is my first time going to South Africa and I’m so excited to come out and share this great game we love with the players there, to get to know them and to just have a good time baby… Just make sure the people at the Emerald protect me from any lions and I promise you we’ll have a lot of fun baby!”

Scotty Nguyen is a polarizing figure in the poker world, with many people defending the “Prince of Poker” while others point to his poor behavior, usually while drinking, most notably at the aforementioned 2008 WSOP Players Championship which was partly responsible for ESPN dropping the event from the TV schedule the following year.

Here is a look at Scotty’s five WSOP bracelets:

* 1997: $2,000 Omaha 8 or Better tournament

* 1998: $10,000 WSOP Main Event, where Scotty one $1,000,000

* 2001: $2,500 PLO tournament

* 2001: $5,000 Omaha 8 or Better tournament

* 2008: $50,000 Players Championship

In addition to Scotty’s five WSOP bracelets he has also won a WPT Championship (the 2006 Gold Strike World Poker Open) , the 2009 LA Poker Classic HORSE Championship, and a $2,000 NLHE tournament at the 2004 Festa al Lago.

If Scotty can rehabilitate his image as an ambassador for poker it may lead to his induction to the Poker Hall of Fame –he has been in the final 10 over the past few years but has not been inducted, which many people feel is directly related to his 2008 WSOP Players Championship behavior.

Tags: Antics, Asia Europe, Emerald Casino, ESPN, Foll, Good Time Baby, Great Game, High Roller, Johannesburg South Africa, main event, Players Championship, Poker World, Poor Behavior, Regional Championship, Scotty Nguyen, time world, World Baby, world series, World Series of Poker, Wsop Main Event Champion

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