Even if you’re comparatively new to the world of poker, there are some stand-out names that you’re probably conversant in. Daniel Negreanu is without doubt one of the most well-known and well-respected gamers within the recreation at this time.
On high of being an incredible participant, he’s additionally recognized for his outgoing persona and allure, which has helped him change into one of the common figures in poker. Identified by the nickname “Child Poker”, Daniel Negreanu has had a protracted and profitable profession.
We’ll have a look at Daniel Negreanu’s life story, from his early days as a prodigy to his present standing as a poker legend.
Early Life and Upbringing
Daniel Negreanu was born in Toronto, Canada, on July twenty sixth, 1974. His dad and mom, Annie and Constantin, had been Romanian immigrants who had arrived in Canada just some years earlier than Daniel was born (Daniel is a fluent Romanian speaker).
Negreanu has spoken fondly of his upbringing. He credit his mom for instilling a tough work ethic in him and his brother Mike, who’s 5 years older. Even on the younger age of 4, Daniel entertained the concept that he could be wealthy in the future, informing his Mother that they might transfer to California, the place he would construct a home manufactured from popsicles!
As a teenager, he attended Pineway Public Faculty in North York. Although he excelled in math and likelihood, he ended up dropping out. At 15, his old flame was snooker, and he initially nursed the dream of turning into an expert snooker participant.
Nonetheless, poker shortly turned his new ardour. He started taking part in in native Toronto cardrooms, the place he realized the ropes of the sport. Presently, he additionally met Evelyn Ng, who he additionally dated, and she or he would additionally change into an expert poker participant.
The Early Years of His Profession
At 21, after build up sufficient of a bankroll to fund his desires of turning into an expert poker participant, Daniel made the leap and moved to Las Vegas.
Regardless of some early success, it wasn’t all plain crusing. In an interview with Lewis Howes, host of The Faculty of Greatness podcast, he recounted a few of the struggles he encountered. He recounted that he had 5 or 6 unsuccessful journeys to The Strip, the place he misplaced cash and needed to return to Toronto to rebuild his bankroll.
Presently, he was taking part in 8 hours a day, Monday to Friday, honing his abilities and conserving meticulous data of his video games, wins, and earnings. Nonetheless, fairly than analytical abilities, he credit individuals abilities as being his primary weapon on the poker desk.
Changing into One of many Greatest Poker Gamers within the World
In 1998, Negreanu lastly had his huge breakthrough. He gained his first bracelet on the World Sequence of Poker (WSOP), together with his first win within the $2,000 Pot-Restrict Maintain’Em occasion that netted him $169,460. This was an enormous confidence increase and gave him the popularity he deserved as a pressure to be reckoned with on the planet of poker.
As well as, at 23 years outdated, he turned the youngest participant ever to win a bracelet on the WSOP (therefore the nickname Child Poker), holding the file till 2004.
Not solely that, he’s the primary participant within the historical past of the World Sequence of Poker to succeed in the ultimate desk at every of the three locales that award bracelets – Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Las Vegas.
After this breakthrough 12 months, Negreanu’s profession sky-rocketed. He turned one of the profitable and well-known gamers in poker. Thus far, he has gained six World Sequence of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour titles and has been inducted into the Poker Corridor of Fame.
In 2004, Daniel achieved what’s broadly thought of the very best 12 months of his poker profession. He achieved eleven last tables and gained two World Poker Tour occasions. He was named Participant of the Yr by the World Sequence of Poker and Card Participant Journal. Plus, he ended the 12 months with a complete of $4,465,907 in prizes.
All through his profession, it’s estimated that Daniel Negreanu has amassed prize winnings of greater than $42,000,000. His winnings on the World Sequence of Poker alone account for $14,000,000.
Between June 2007 and Might 2019, he was a member of Staff PokerStars, serving as each a participant and ambassador for the world’s largest poker website. In the identical 12 months he give up PokerStars, he joined GGPoker, the place he has remained a model ambassador.
World Sequence of Poker Bracelets
The World Sequence of Poker is probably the most prestigious occasion within the poker world. Whereas the prize cash is actually an enormous draw, gamers additionally attempt to win the coveted bracelet as a measure of their success. In reality, {many professional} gamers think about profitable a WSOP bracelet to be the head of their profession.
1998 – $2,000 Pot Restrict Maintain’em with a prize of $169,460
2003 – $2,000 S.H.O.E. with a prize of $100,440
2004 – $2,000 Restrict Maintain’em with a prize of $169,100
2008 – $2,000 Restrict Maintain’em with a prize of $204,874
2013 – World Sequence of Poker Asia Pacific $10,000 No Restrict Maintain’em with a prize of A$1,038,825
2013 – World Sequence of Poker Europe €25,600 Excessive Curler No Restrict Maintain’em with a prize of €725,000
World Poker Tour Titles
The World Poker Tour is a televised poker event sequence that’s broadcast in over 150 international locations resulting from its large reputation.
2004 – $10,000 Borgata Poker Open with a prize of $1,117,400
2004 – $15,000 5 Diamond World Poker Basic with a prize of $1,770,218
Different Notable Achievements
Daniel Negreanu has competed and banked winnings in a whole lot of poker tournaments and gained quite a few awards in his lengthy profession, and these are a number of of the highlights:
1997 – Greatest all-around participant award at Foxwoods Resorts On line casino
1999 – United States Poker Championship $7,500 Texas Maintain’em with a prize of $210,000
2005 – sixth Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open – No-Restrict Maintain’em Championship (third place) with winnings of $384,322
2008 – British Columbia Poker Championships C$ 2,500 + 200 No Restrict Maintain’em with winnings of C$371,910
2009 – World Sequence of Poker Europe Important Occasion (2nd place) with winnings of $783,061
2013 – Spring Championship of On-line Poker $5,200 PL Omaha with a prize of $216,000
2014 – Inducted into the Poker Corridor of Fame. The identical 12 months he was additionally named the very best poker participant of the last decade by the International Poker Index.
2016 – World Championship of On-line Poker (WCOOP) $2,100 HORSE Championship with a prize of $61,865.47
2021 – Poker Masters 5 $10,000 No Restrict Maintain’em with a prize of $178,200
2021 – PokerGO Cup 7, Las Vegas $50,000 No Restrict Maintain’em with winnings of $700,000
2022 – $15,300 No Restrict Maintain’em Wynn Excessive Rollers with winnings of $216,000
Extra Poker Actions
In addition to being extremely prolific at poker tournaments worldwide, Daniel Negreanu can be an lively member of the poker group. He actually can’t be accused of being a poker recluse, being one of the common and interesting personalities within the poker world.
Full Contact Poker Web site
In 2005, Daniel Negreanu launched his personal poker website, Full Contact Poker. The location was a blog-style discussion board the place gamers might share their concepts and methods on the sport. It quickly turned one of the common on-line poker websites, with a big and engaged group of posters.
The location additionally hosted a podcast by which Daniel interviewed different poker professionals and shared ideas and tips about the best way to excel on the recreation. Whereas the discussion board remains to be fairly lively, the remainder of the positioning hasn’t remained up to date, although there’s loads of informative content material to learn by.
Books and On-line Video Coaching
In case you are severe about poker and are a fan of Daniel Negreanu, then you must try his MasterClass. In it, Daniel teaches every little thing from newbie to superior ideas and methods. Daniel walks college students by all of the important abilities of poker, from betting methods to studying your opponents. He additionally covers essential subjects like managing your bankroll and staying calm beneath stress.
In complete, there are 38 video classes with over 7 hours of stable content material offering beneficial insights into the thoughts of a poker legend.
If studying is your most well-liked technique of studying, then Daniel has additionally written three books with reference to poker, along with contributing to Doyle Brunson’s Tremendous System 2.
Daniel Negreanu on Social Media
As one of many world’s most well-known and revered poker gamers, Daniel Negreanu has quite a bit to say concerning the recreation. And due to social media, he can share his ideas with followers and followers from all around the globe. With over 500k Twitter followers and much more on his YouTube channel, he regularly posts about his private life, his poker profession, and his views on the world of on-line poker.
Film and TV Appearances
Daniel has appeared on quite a few poker-related tv exhibits, together with Late Night time Poker, Poker After Darkish, Excessive Stakes Poker, and Final Poker Problem, amongst others. As well as, he helped actuality TV persona Rob Mariano in his pursuit of turning into an expert poker participant by appearing as a mentor.
In case you are a Marvel fan, you will have seen him make a cameo look within the movie X-Males Origins: Wolverine. He didn’t have to act an excessive amount of because the function concerned taking part in poker towards Gambit, a superhero with the flexibility to show a pack of playing cards right into a lethal weapon!
Daniel Negreanu additionally appeared in The Grand, a 2007 comedy movie directed by Zak Penn. The movie options an ensemble solid that features Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, and Chris Parnell. The plot facilities on a bunch {of professional} poker gamers who’re invited to compete in a high-stakes event; it doesn’t take a lot effort to guess what function Daniel Negreanu performed. The movie was shot totally in Las Vegas and Atlantic Metropolis, and the solid improvised the vast majority of the dialogue.
In 2008, he appeared within the music video for Katy Perry’s hit music “Waking Up in Vegas.” He additionally had a small function within the film Fortunate You, starring Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore, taking part in himself. Along with his appearing roles, Negreanu has additionally been a visitor on a number of common TV exhibits, together with The Tonight Present with Jay Leno and Late Night time with Jimmy Fallon.
Heads Up Challenges
In July of 2020, Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk determined to settle their variations with a heads-up problem. The 2 had been engaged in a public feud for a while, and the problem was lastly seen as a solution to settle the rating. The match consisted of 25,000 fingers of No Restrict Texas Maintain’em; Doug Polk emerged victorious, profitable $1.2M.
It didn’t finish there, although. In 2021, after Phil Helmuth, the all-time World Sequence of Poker bracelet winner, criticized Daniel’s taking part in model in his match towards Polk.
Helmuth and Negreanu went face to face throughout PokerGo’s Excessive Stakes Duel II. As soon as once more, woman luck wasn’t in Negreanu’s favor, and Helmuth got here away with winnings of $350,000.
Private Life
Daniel Negreanu now lives full-time in Vegas after turning into a US citizen in March 2016. He posted on his Twitter feed that he felt it wanted to be achieved so he might vote and do his half in conserving Donald Trump out of workplace!
Negreanu has been married twice; first to Lori Lin Weber in 2005 after which to Amanda Leatherman in 2019.
Being Canadian, it could actually’t be helped that Daniel Negreanu is a big ice hockey fan. Again residence in Toronto, his residence crew was the Maple Leafs. However now that he’s settled in Sin Metropolis, it’s the Vegas Golden Knights all the way in which! He can typically be discovered on the T-Cell Area cheering on his new crew.
He’s additionally an enormous fan of Hearthstone and isn’t afraid to point out it. In reality, Daniel is so passionate concerning the recreation that he’s even streamed himself taking part in it on Twitch. Hearthstone, identical to poker, is a card recreation. The large distinction is that Hearthstone is a digital fantasy card recreation whereas poker is… properly, poker. However, Daniel has managed to search out success in each video games, and his ardour for Hearthstone is obvious in his streams.
He’s additionally a famous philanthropist, donating his money and time to a wide range of charities. Animal welfare organizations are particularly near his coronary heart as a vegan himself since 2006. Negreanu says that he by no means particularly forces veganism on anybody, however he does advise aspiring poker professionals to eat healthily.
He stated that earlier than he went vegan – “I ate the standard meat-heavy weight-reduction plan of most poker gamers within the ’90s: burgers and steak, together with French fries, mash, and a bucket-load of wine, beer, and vodka. There was nothing contemporary in my weight-reduction plan, and I felt horrible.”
Mixed along with his nutritious diet, taking part in golf commonly has helped Daniel Negreanu keep in good bodily form.
Daniel Negreanu’s Suggestions for Rookie Poker Gamers
Daniel has written three best-selling poker books, Maintain’em Knowledge for All Gamers, Energy Maintain’em Technique, and Extra Maintain’em Knowledge for All Gamers. These books are important for budding poker gamers seeking to enhance their recreation.
If you wish to be the very best poker participant you might be, take some ideas from one of many all-time greats – Daniel Negreanu.
In Maintain’em Knowledge for All Gamers, he listed ten rookie errors that folks make when taking part in poker:
Bluffing an excessive amount of – Many gamers suppose that poker is all about bluffing, however that’s not the case. Bluffing could be a great tool, however you must use it sparingly. Folks will catch on in the event you’re all the time bluffing, and also you’ll begin dropping cash.
Lack of persistence – Negreanu says that one of many important issues in poker is persistence. An expert poker participant will bide their time and watch for high quality fingers fairly than making an attempt to make one thing occur with a mediocre hand.
Taking part in Unaffordable Limits – in the event you’re taking part in at a restrict that’s too excessive to your bankroll, you’re placing your self susceptible to going broke. Discovering a stability between taking part in for enjoyable and taking part in for revenue is essential. Set your self a sensible funds and follow it.
Consuming alcohol whereas taking part in – There’s a superb purpose why casinos provide free booze to poker gamers. And that’s as a result of alcohol impairs your judgment, placing the chances extra within the on line casino’s favor. When you’re severe about profitable, save the ingesting for after the sport.
Quitting whilst you’re forward – Whereas many preach “give up whilst you’re forward”, Negreanu says it is a mistake. When profitable, you must benefit from your highly effective presence on the desk fairly than calling it a day and leaving.
Taking part in in difficult video games – While you’re beginning out, it’s essential to search out video games the place you’ve a superb likelihood of profitable. There’s no disgrace in taking part in towards weaker opponents till you construct up your abilities and confidence. Going up towards the large boys too early is a recipe for catastrophe.
Elevated ego – One of many causes that Daniel has been so profitable is that he has all the time remained humble. He is aware of that poker is a recreation of luck in addition to talent, and he doesn’t let his ego get in the way in which of his play. If you wish to be a winner, you must have the identical angle. It is best to all the time be studying and seeking to enhance your recreation.
Taking part in too many fingers – In poker, much less is commonly extra. When you’re taking part in too many fingers, you’ll probably get entangled in pots that you could’t win. Be selective together with your fingers and solely play when you’ve a superb likelihood of profitable.
Taking part in on tilt – Have you ever encountered the time period “tilt” earlier than? It’s a poker time period that refers to when a participant begins making irrational choices as a result of they’re offended or upset. It is a surefire solution to lose cash, so conserving your feelings in test is crucial.
Taking part in too many hours – Negreanu’s last rookie mistake is one which many individuals make – taking part in for too lengthy. When you’re sitting on the desk for hours on finish, you will get tired, and your play will endure consequently. It’s essential to take breaks and provides your self time to relaxation.
Studying from the greats like Danial Negreanu is a surefire means to enhance your poker recreation. Learn books, watch movies, and research the poker execs to present your self the very best likelihood of success.
Closing Ideas
Daniel Negreanu is a massively influential determine on the planet of poker, with a profession that spans over twenty years. He’s broadly thought of the most effective gamers on the planet, and he has the trophies and prize cash to again it up. Whereas we are able to’t all aspire to be at Negreanu’s degree, we are able to all be taught from his story and be impressed by his journey to the highest.
Let’s finish with some quotes from Child Poker himself:
“To be an incredible poker participant, you’re going to must be taught this truth: All the pieces that’s stated at a poker desk is value listening to. It’s all info that you should utilize to make higher choices, whether or not individuals are speaking about baseball, politics, or, oh yeah, poker.”
“In No-Restrict Maintain’em, very similar to video video games and karate classes, you must grasp one degree earlier than you may transfer on to the subsequent.”
“Mushy taking part in destroys the integrity of the sport of poker, and it’s flawed – flat out flawed.”
“If you wish to generate income taking part in poker, discover a recreation with a number of suckers, fish, donkeys, dwell ones, or no matter you select to name a foul participant. Simply don’t let that sucker be you.”
We hope you loved studying about Daniel Negreanu’s life story. Keep tuned for extra inspirational tales from a few of poker’s greatest names at Natural8.
All photographs are sourced from PokerNews.
