After a three-month battle that, for some, was never in doubt, the “Heads Up Challenge” between Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu and online legend Doug Polk has come to an end. More than 25,000 hands of poker were played and, in the end, both players were complimentary of the other. Compliments aren’t the scoreboard, however, and that read out that Polk had won the Challenge, finishing with a $1.2 million victory in the event.
Wednesday Action Closes Out the Fight
Polk asked his Twitter followers what they thought of Negreanu tanking. Of the more than 6,700 voters, over 41% said the move was “totally fair play,” while 37.8% voted for “scummy move.”.
When the duo came to the virtual felt on WSOP.com on Wednesday afternoon, they knew that this was probably the last day of the battle. With two tables of $200/$400 action going and a little more than 1000 hands left on the clock, the end was nigh with Polk holding a safe edge of over $900,000. The question wasn’t whether Polk was going to win the challenge, it was whether he would break the million mark in doing so. Free deposit bonuses.
Daniel Negreanu Twitter Handle
The opening salvos went in the favor of Negreanu. In a key hand, Polk would river a straight, but Negreanu caught a flush with the same river card to scoop up a decent pot of nearly $40,000. The good fortune would continue for Negreanu as he won by making hands (a full house for over $25,000) and by playing some power poker (a jam on a three-spade, double paired board). Over the first few hours of action, Negreanu was able to chop around $150,000 off the Polk edge.
As typical of the action throughout the Challenge, Polk was able to respond quickly. He was the beneficiary of a four-flush, holding the Ace when Negreanu held the King, and Polk got a key double up in a pot of $180,000. That, along with some other action through the day, would see Polk end up with a $255,722 edge over the final 1718 hands and close out the Challenge.
- We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us.
- Daniel Negreanu has so far remained silent on the break-up, but a few cryptic tweets may well give a clue as to the real reason for blocking ‘possessive’ Polk from his life with some theorizing that another tweet was actually a veiled reference to ‘domestic abuse’.
Newfound Respect Between the Players
After an acrimonious start between the twosome (and some tense moments through the Challenge), the close came almost as a relief to the players. Over his Twitter account, Polk recounted the final score and, in an understatement, simply said “We won, guys. We did it.” Negreanu was also complimentary of the play of Polk, saying over the GGPoker stream, “He played well, no question about that.”
The two players commiserated over Twitter prior to the close of the Challenge and, it seems, they are willing to discuss the overall event in more depth:
That discussion would be VERY worthwhile.
In looking back at the Challenge, Negreanu obviously made a few mistakes. First off, he probably should have gotten more of the action to be played in a live setting, which is much more his game. Even after a year of retirement, Polk’s game took little time to get into shape and to have nearly all the play at WSOP.com (the first 200 hands were played live on PokerGO) was definitely an advantage for Polk.
Taking on a Heads-Up master like Polk was also an error in judgment for Negreanu. Heads Up poker has never been the Hall of Famer’s forte, whereas it was the very subject that Polk mastered when he was one of the dominant players in the online game. But it is part of poker that someone believes that they’ve got a chance in any game, so you must give kudos to Negreanu for taking the shot.
Where do the two men go from here? Polk may just drift back to retirement after backing the truck up and Negreanu will probably be playing poker when he’s 80 (and, like Doyle Brunson, still be playing at a high level). But the two men have given the poker world an entertaining three months of action and, for that, we’ve got to show our appreciation.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60990563/904381916.jpg.0.jpg "Daniel Negreanu Twitter")
Table Of Contents
Both Daniel Negreanu and Shaun Deeb have been involved in their share of Twitter feuds over the years, including engaging in plenty of spats between them. Recently, Negreanu was at it with Unibet Ambassadors and The Chip Race Podcast hosts David Lappin and Dara O'Kearney while Deeb has changed his name to 'Markup Police' on Twitter and tasked himself with calling out players he judges to be charging too high markup.
Negreanu had defended Deeb's most recent markup police targets, including vlog personality Johnnie 'JohnnieVibes' Moreno and Allen Kessler, but that was only the beginning. The latest feud between Deeb and Negreanu began innocently enough with 'DNegs' asking the Twitterverse what a fair markup would be on pieces of a package that includes several smaller WSOP events.
For extra motivation to play my A-Game in the small buy in WSOP events I’m thinking of offering a package for those… https://t.co/f2TpoVdYVO
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)Deeb took issue with him charging any markup when selling for motivation purposes, and at this point, the disagreement still remained civil.
@RealKidPoker Why charge markup it puts a few extra dollar in your pocket from people you’re trying to give a sweat… https://t.co/zqwXxDYUP2
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb) @shaundeeb I’m all for engaging fans and plan to with WSOP vlogs with giveaways, but this is a lot of equity I woul… https://t.co/5XEtZDed1V
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@PokerZomb @RealKidPoker There’s no doubt it’s profitable buy for investor but if he wants motivation he clearly do… https://t.co/huozB1gvRf
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@shaundeeb @PokerZomb Every WSOP I donate a substantial amount of out of pocket money for giveaways.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@namblagambla @shaundeeb First of all, it’s a package of many tournaments, secondly, 1.3 is an absolute steal in ma… https://t.co/SKJBAwF3tF
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker If you’re giving up 30% at fave or 30% at markup at 1.3 all you’re putting is 150$ in your pocket ext… https://t.co/4A6R6hkQnf
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)Things Get Personal
It appeared it all could have ended there but the next day things started to get personal as the 'Markup Police' ruthlessly called people out, and Negreanu responded with some name-calling which then prompted some questioning of Negreanu's character. And it proceeded from there.
Congrats on doubling your Hendon mob #justifiedmu https://t.co/T4tL4TG7J6
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@shaundeeb @leeg9685 This is because you are.. as we have established.. a bully and an asshole. You can’t just be… https://t.co/iVZrQAEsNZ
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker @leeg9685 You just keep repeating things like they are facts. No download free monopoly game. You have had a personal grudge against… https://t.co/S1muSkZnSN
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@RealKidPoker @leeg9685 Every single topic you’re a hypocrite on you called out Matusow for owing you money while e… https://t.co/wcvwvwZQq8
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@shaundeeb @leeg9685 There is so much I could insult you on personally as to what kind of man you are.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker @leeg9685 And you just aren’t happy with your life as much as you try to show off your wealth and car… https://t.co/gSFCnVotml
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)Beyond Personal
Next, the feud was dialed up a notch with family being brought into the picture. Free online casino slot games.
@shaundeeb @leeg9685 I’m not compensating. I take care of my mind/body because I want to be a good husband and set… https://t.co/jLj5Y7vgVR
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker @leeg9685 Heh it’s funny I actually remember me giving you a complement a shortly after my second bor… https://t.co/yYcqKUwqck
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)And more character shaming ensued.
@shaundeeb @leeg9685 I totally understand why you find it difficult to balance marriage and poker when you choose t… https://t.co/Ub4eBNvtOE
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)Deeb fired back shaming Negreanu for looking the other way when the Supernova Elite controversy took place at PokerStars, and Deeb defended his decision to play the SCOOP during the birth of his son.
@RealKidPoker @leeg9685 Sorry I wasn’t stealing SNE money to go into my bank account scoop/wcoop are in my top 3 mo… https://t.co/n1Ut3QZami
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@RealKidPoker @leeg9685 So I was able to stay home 3 months after the birth and she had plenty of help I had friend… https://t.co/D4W8G0WjQO
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@ZENofLEN @RealKidPoker @leeg9685 I disagree my wife and I discussed it for months we analyzed the equity and we bo… https://t.co/9EEIrLf3MK
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@shaundeeb @ZENofLEN @leeg9685 I’m sure your kid will grow up and be happy to hear that being there for his birth w… https://t.co/5QhlobbIxS
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker @ZENofLEN @leeg9685 I wanted to be there but also to be there for more days it’s simple be there for… https://t.co/6aBcxdLnGj
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@shaundeeb @ZENofLEN @leeg9685 https://t.co/AS67mf8aJR
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)Deeb's wife Ashley Deeb came to her husband's aid, confirming that the decision was mutual.
Just felt inclined to share my point of view https://t.co/pK0VgEgWL3
— Ashley Deeb (@crashleyonfire)Morbid Prop
The escalation continued as Deeb proposed a marriage last longer bet, and it isn't the first time Negreanu's fiancé Amanda Leatherman has been dragged into the fire during Twitter feuds between these two.
Here’s a fun bet for @RealKidPoker and @RadioAmanda let’s bet 500k whose marriage lasts longer mine or yours since… https://t.co/HtcgMShC08
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@shaundeeb @RadioAmanda You are younger which theoretically means yours should last longer, but you are for sure li… https://t.co/GaKSGJuW3o
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker @RadioAmanda So are we booked?
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@shaundeeb @RadioAmanda What are the parameters concerning death? I have 15 years on you but I imagine you are mont… https://t.co/Zt5JahSAAp
Daniel Negreanu Twitter
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker @RadioAmanda Very simple length of marriage theres a date you got married and a date you get divorced… https://t.co/5RsNg6eMdp
— Markup Police (@shaundeeb)@Killerrocky @shaundeeb @RadioAmanda He tweeted that he can’t wait till I’m divorced in two years.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker)@RealKidPoker DM for buyout? ##♀️### https://t.co/zmV6Ywfyls
— Ashley Deeb (@crashleyonfire)
After things settled down, Negreanu released a vlog talking about the markup debate and the issue between 50 Cent and Randall Emmett. Perhaps the biggest topic in the video was Negreanu sharing that he will be selling his WSOP package at no markup and allow fans to invest for as little as $5.
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