There can be little question that Man Nguyen is one of the most dominant and respected poker players on the professional circuit. Furthermore, he has distinguished himself by the refined and the gentlemanly way in which he plays the game. Truly, this individual represents the very best that poker has to offer to the world.

And yet, Man Nguyen had to overcome an incredible number of challenges to reach the lofty heights which he now enjoys. Few champions the have ever traveled so far in order to arrive at the final table of the World Series of Poker.

Born in Vietnam, Man Nguyen dropped out of school in 1967 at the young age of 13. He had no choice in the matter, as his family desperately needed money and he therefore took a job as a bus diver in order to support them. However, just over a decade later, he was forced to flee from Vietnam and the repressive communist regime in power at the time. Along with 87 of his countrymen, he made an extremely dangerous boat trip to Malaysia. Later that year, Man was very fortunate to receive political asylum from the United States and promptly resettled in Los Angeles. It would take him another eight years to become an American citizen and by that point he had developed his poker skills to a truly masterful degree.

It was in 1987 that Man Nguyen won his first tournament and from that point on there wasn't any looking back. Yet he always kept his feet firmly planted on the ground, using his winnings to open a dry cleaning business and a furniture store, just in case the poker career did not pan out. Fortunately, he did not need to operate these businesses for very long, because his dominance on the playing circuit only continued to increase.

When 1991 had rolled around, there could be little doubt that he was a force to contend with. By that time, Man Nguyen had been given the nickname that still sticks with him to this day: "The Master." From 2000 to 2004, he racked up an absolutely amazing 128 money finishes. In all, he has emerged victorious at more than 75 tournaments thus far, with no sign of slowing down. He has tutored arguably more players - successful ones - than any other champion playing today. And yet, one goal has remained elusive: winning the main event at the World Series of Poker.

Could 2006 be the year that The Master finally takes home the biggest prize in all of poker? One thing is for sure: all eyes will be on him and everyone is expecting to see some absolutely fabulous poker played by this one-of-a-kind champion.