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Player Profile

Daniel Negreanu - The Smartest Kid in Poker

Daniel "Kid Poker" Negreanu knows about second chances because he’s had a few.

Born in Toronto, Daniel was always interested in gambling. In high school, he ran a poker game out of his school’s cafeteria. For a teenager, he was building up a nice bankroll - until he got caught and was suspended. After that, Daniel drifted around, going from one low-paying job to another. But he started working his way into Toronto’s backroom poker clubs and eventually raised enough money to stake his first trip to Las Vegas.

The streets in Vegas aren’t as cold as they are in Toronto, but they can be a lot meaner. Daniel took a beating at the big casinos and moved back home when he lost all his money. But he was determined to learn everything he could about poker, not only how to play a hand, but also how to play the man. Daniel developed an uncanny ability to read his opponents. His talent as a human lie detector made it easier for him to play more hands, spot more bluffs, and do more damage in card rooms.

Starting in 1997, Daniel was winning one big tournament after another. He returned to Vegas and won his first World Series of Poker championship bracelet. Daniel was living large on the Strip. The money was pouring in but, unfortunately, gushing out just as fast. Like a lot of people who find great fame and wealth at an early age, Daniel discovered it can disappear all too quickly. He had to regroup.

Daniel returned to poker with new purpose and respect. As soon as he stopped letting his distractions run his life, he started running the table again. Now, instead of living life like a rock star, Daniel is more content to listen to whale songs while playing in tournaments. It must be working. He’s won two more WSOP gold bracelets, two World Poker Tour events, and was named the 2004 WSOP Player of the Year.