Player Profile: Daniel Negreanu

Summary: Arnie and Constantin Negreanu immigrated from Romania to Toronto, Ontario, Canada with their two sons in 1967. In July of 1974, Constantin gave birth to Daniel, the couple's third son. Daniel Negreanu was a free spirit who was attracted to the lure of gambling from an early age. Dropping out of high school only one credit short of graduation, he pursued his calling with a dedication never shown in the classroom. He played anywhere he could find a game of Poker, legal or...

Arnie and Constantin Negreanu immigrated from Romania to Toronto, Ontario, Canada with their two sons in 1967. In July of 1974, Constantin gave birth to Daniel, the couple's third son. Daniel Negreanu was a free spirit who was attracted to the lure of gambling from an early age. Dropping out of high school only one credit short of graduation, he pursued his calling with a dedication never shown in the classroom. He played anywhere he could find a game of Poker, legal or illegal. Pursuing his life as a rounder (a full time Poker player), he naturally gravitated to Las Vegas. Daniel arrived in this gambling mecca in 1995, anxious to realize his goal of becoming a major player. His bankroll (and his luck) did not sustain him very long and realizing he had not yet reached a skill level equal to the better professional players, returned to Toronto. Daniel's devotion to Poker and dedication to learning its strategies and finer points soon paid off. In 1997, he competed in the World Poker Finals at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut - and won two events. "Kid Poker" as he was soon to be known was named the Tournament's best all around player and he won himself a tidy sum of $133,600 as well. Having proven himself a major league competitor, the now skilled and confident Kid Poker emerged a $169,460 winner in the 1998 World Series of Poker at the $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em Event - simultaneously becoming the youngest WSOP Bracelet winner in Tournament history, a record he held until 2004. Daniel has since continued his triumphs and has become one of the most successful Tournament players thus far. He has won the World Poker Tour twice, winning two more World Series Bracelets and has made the final table no less than eleven times. In December 2005, Daniel started an online poker room on his official website. His particular forte is his alertness to other player's "tells" (expressions, betting patterns, etc.). He studies his opponents with the same concentration paid to his own game - meaning he is always careful not to expose any "tells" of his own to other players. Daniel's success has prompted him to write a book - "Daniel Negreanu's Power Hold'em Strategy" - which he feels will be the definitive text on the game. Since 1997, Daniel Negreanu has finished in the money no less than 25 times in Tournament competition. In 2005 and as of this writing in 2006, he has participated in the following Tournaments: - 2005 - 6th Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open $10,000 No limit Hold'em - 3rd place out of 512 players - won $384,322 - 2005 - L.A. Poker Classic - $2,778 No Limit Hold'em - 3rd place out of 180 players - won $60,000 - 2006 - Jack Binion WSOP Tournament $10,000 No Limit Hold'em - 1st place out of 241 players - won $755,525 - 2006 - National Heads-Up Poker Championship - placed - quarter - finals - won $75,000