 Name: Daniel Negreanu Date of Birth: 26/07/1974 Place of Birth: Toronto, Canada Profile
When Daniel Negreanu’s parents immigrated to Toronto in the New World from Romania, they imagined they were giving their soon-to-arrive son the chance to be a doctor, an accountant or some other prestigious professional. Little did they know they were growing one of North America’s best poker players. Home was very much a European upbringing, according to Negreanu—very family oriented, meals always together. Dad was an electrician, mom stayed home to take care of Daniel and his brother, who was five years older. She made bagged lunches for them every day—even when Negreanu began going off to casinos to play poker at 18. He’d show up in Toronto’s casinos with his homemade sandwiches and a passion for the game that only surpassed his early childhood dream of being an actor/comedian.As a 16-year-old the short-statured, wiry and irrepressible youngster began playing pool in local pool halls and betting sports. He was invited to a poker game at someone’s house, and then began playing first in private clubs and then in legal charity casinos. By the time he was 18, Negreanu had become a very successful local player, making a pretty fair income. His only stabs to that point at traditional employment were one day as a telemarketer and a month working at a Subway shop.Of course, playing poker was not what his parents originally had in mind, but his growing success put the mind of his mother—eventually a widow—at ease.With his new-found confidence and the attainment of legal age (21), the brash Negreanu immigrated over the border himself—to the mecca of cards—Las Vegas. For the next six to eight months, he would play in Vegas, lose his bankroll, go home to Toronto to gain it back and then return to Vegas. “Until I really learned to play,” says Negreanu.At no point did he really set up to become a professional poker player. “I was about 22 and I just woke up one morning and realized this is what I do for a living. I made the ultimate decision to commit my life to playing poker,” he says.And then success just began to pile up. At 23, Negreanu became the youngest person to ever win a World Series bracelet, playing in the pot-limit hold ‘em tournament in 1998. It was his first shot at a World Series event. “One for one,” he remembers. Now he has six World Series victories to his name and $350,000 in accumlated prize money.Some of his other achievements include being named best all-around player at Foxwood’s World Poker Finals (1997) and at the Los Angeles Poker Classic (2002). In 1999, he won the U.S. Championship at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. His 12 major wins from 1997 to 1999 were the most by any player on the tournament circuit. In fact, no one has more victories since 1997.Negreanu credits his success to his ability to read people. “I used to go the mall with my mom and people watch. I’d see who was upset, what was the connection between two people – and then I’d made up stories about their lives. I became a really good mimic. It was all about getting into their minds.”Today Negreanu figures he’s won between $3 and $4 million in tournament play, and you can now add the $675,178 he scored for second place in the PartyPoker.com Million III.When not playing crafty and aggressive poker, the 29-year-old Negreanu (yes, he’s still under 30!) obsesses over fantasy hockey, which he’s been playing for eight years; takes to the greens for golf with friends, and goes to the movie with his steady girlfriend in Toronto. | |
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