Daniel Negreanu is among the most achieved event gamers in poker historical past, with six World Series of Poker gold bracelets, two World Poker Tour titles, and the third-largest profession event earnings whole within the sport. The 46-year-old Poker Hall of Fame member has greater than secured his legacy as one of many sport’s best gamers. With all of that in thoughts, the actual fact stays that Negreanu has been caught in a reside event title drought for nearly eight years. Negreanu’s final title was gained on Oct 24, 2013, when he took down the 2013 WSOP Europe excessive curler occasion for greater than $1 million. He has cashed 144 instances since that victory, including greater than $22 million to his lifetime earnings alongside the way in which, however was unable to come back away with a title regardless of making it right down to heads-up in 9 occasions throughout that span.
Negreanu needed to wait 2,819 days for his subsequent reside event title, however he lastly received the monkey off his again on July 13, 2021 when he emerged victorious within the PokerGO Cup $50,000 buy-in tremendous excessive curler. Negreanu overcame a stacked area of 35 entries to earn the title and the first-place prize of $700,000.
“If I look at my results since 2013, I’ve cashed for $20 to $30 million, so I’ve still been able to post wins in terms of finances, but the elusive top prize has been missing,” Negreanu instructed a PokerGO reporter when requested concerning the title drought. “I’ve been a bridesmaid so many times. Just the demons and the ghosts in your brain, like when I’m heads-up with [David Coleman] and that three hit the turn, it was just every reminder, like Buckner back in Shea Stadium. Every possible bad thing I’m thinking in my head. I can’t help it. I’m human. So just to get that win out of the way it feels like I don’t have to think about that anymore.”
In addition to the title and the cash, Negreanu was additionally awarded 408 Card Player Player of the Year factors for the long-awaited victory. This was his fourth POY-qualified remaining desk end of the 12 months. With 928 factors and $941,400 in year-to-date earnings, the two-time winner of the POY award (2004, 2013) now sits in 111th place within the 2021 race standings, that are sponsored by Global Poker.
Negreanu’s victory secured him 420 PokerGO Cup rankings factors. This was his third money of the sequence. With $766,200 in earnings and 468 factors, he now sits in third place within the participant of the sequence standings. He additionally earned the identical quantity of factors in direction of the PokerGO Tour leaderboard, shifting him into 14th place in that race.
The remaining day of this occasion started with none apart from present POY-race chief Ali Imsirovic sitting atop the chip counts. This was Imsirovic’s 18th remaining desk of the 12 months, with the 26-year-old poker professional on the lookout for his ninth title of 2021. Imsirovic received off to a poor begin at this specific remaining desk, although, dropping a giant pot with AOkay on a 844Okay5 to David Coleman, who had flopped a full home with 88. Imsirovic misplaced the remainder of his stack when his pocket tens bumped into the pocket aces of Negreanu. The superior pair held up and Imsirovic was despatched to the rail in fifth place, incomes $122,500 and 170 POY factors so as to add to his leads within the POY race, the PokerGO Tour standings, and the PokerGO Cup.
Sergi Reixach was the subsequent to fall. He received all-in with pocket kings up in opposition to the pocket eights of Negreanu. An eight on the flip was sufficient to see Negreanu earn his second knockout of the ultimate desk to see him shut the hole considerably on Coleman. Reixach earned $192,500 and 204 POY factors for his ninth final-table end of 2021. The Spanish poker professional now sits in twenty eighth place within the standings.
Negreanu scored his third elimination of the day when he shoved from the small blind with Q7. Alex Foxen referred to as from the massive blind with AJ. The board ran out Okay5547 and Negreanu’s sevens and fives took down the pot. Foxen secured $280,000 for his thirteenth final-table end of the 12 months, together with a win within the kickoff occasion of this sequence. He has cashed for greater than $1.1 million already this 12 months.
With Foxen ousted, heads-up play started with Coleman within the lead and Negreanu scorching on his heels. Negreanu was capable of overtake the lead after which lengthen his benefit to almost a 3:1 disparity earlier than one of many subsequent massive fingers arose. All of the chips received within the center in a coin flip, with Negreanu holding AJ up in opposition to the three3 of Coleman. Negreanu took the lead on the flop by pairing his jack, however Coleman jumped again in entrance with the three. Negreanu improved to journeys on the river, nevertheless it nonetheless lwasn’t sufficient to beat Coleman’s full home. Coleman retook the lead after that hand. The two battled for greater than an hour after that, with Negreanu capable of battle his approach again in entrance by the point the decisive hand was dealt. Coleman shoved from the button with 55 for round 19 massive blinds. Negreanu referred to as with Okay10 and the 2 have been off to the races. The board got here down 762J10 and Negreanu was capable of hit a ten on the river to lock up the title. Coleman cashed for $455,000 because the runner-up.
Here is a have a look at the payouts and rankings factors awarded on the remaining desk:
Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points | PokerGO |
1 | Daniel Negreanu | $700,000 | 408 | 420 |
2 | David Coleman | $455,000 | 340 | 273 |
3 | Alex Foxen | $280,000 | 272 | 168 |
4 | Sergi Reixach | $192,500 | 204 | 116 |
5 | Ali Imsirovic | $122,500 | 170 | 74 |
Winner picture credit score: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego.