The 40th Annual World Series of Poker is only weeks away. Between now and the start of the Main Event BluffMagazine.com will be presenting the 40 Greatest Champions in WSOP history exclusively on WorldSeriesofPoker.com.
Daniel Negreanu finds his place among the greatest players of all time as the most marketable and successful of the young guns of poker. Negreanu’s combination of skill, intelligence, and personality has propelled the young Canadian to the absolute top of the poker world. His bright smile and table chatter disguise his relentless pursuit of chips. Somehow he’s the guy you don’t mind losing to and when walking away from the table, you stop to think “What a great guy.”
Negreanu has four bracelets to his credit and was WSOP Player of the Year for 2004. He won his first bracelet while only 23 in 1998 in Pot Limit Hold ‘Em. At the time he was the youngest person to hold a bracelet. His second came in 2003 in S.H.O.E., a mixed game event, and then won his last two bracelets in Limit Hold ‘Em in 2004 and 2006. His best Main Event finish came in 2001 just missing the final table in 11th place.
Negreanu seemed to be winning every time a tournament was put on TV. He won 2 WPT events and was their Player of the Year in 2005. He has made a combined 32 final tables between the WSOP, the WPT, and other high buy-in tournaments. Included is a WSOP Circuit win, a WSOP Europe Main Event Final Table, and two Tournament of Champions Final Tables. He has more than $11 million in tournament winnings, second only to 2006 Main Event Champ Jamie Gold, he is first among those that have not won a WSOP Main Event.
Known as “Kid Poker” to his fans, Negreanu has become a fixture at the Big Game in Bobby’s Room, where the largest continuous poker game in the world. He writes a wildly popular syndicated blog, has written numerous books, played in numerous TV poker shows, and even tried his hand at commentating. He was tapped by Doyle Brunson to write a chapter in “Super System 2.”