Daniel Negreanu biography

Born July 26, 1974, in Toronto, Ontario.

In a nutshell…

Daniel Negreanu is easily one of the most popular and recognizable faces in poker today. At only 32 years of age, he is the owner of three WSOP bracelets, two WPT titles and over $7.4 million in tournament winnings. The Toronto native and Las Vegas resident is also an accomplished poker author, started his own poker website ( www.fullcontactpoker.com ), helped design a video game and has served as the “poker ambassador” at a major Las Vegas casino. His boyish looks and cordial personality are just a couple of reasons he was named Favorite Poker Player by “CardPlayer” magazine in 2006. While Negreanu’s felt accomplishments are already nearing legendary status, his dedication to the game, overall poker genius and charismatic persona are major factors in his meteoric rise to one of the game’s elite players. It doesn’t hurt that, in 2004, he was named Player of the Year by “CardPlayer” and also earned the same honor that year courtesy of both the World Poker Tour and ESPN. He has won more tournaments than any other poker player since 1997 and is a constant force in the largest cash games in Las Vegas. If you want to see Negreanu do his thing, simply turn on your TV. He is a participant in just about every televised poker program out there.

Life story…

Negreanu’s poker career started early. Just short of graduating high school, he dropped out and began his life as a rounder, playing in illegal games around Toronto and at local casinos. After amassing a significant bankroll, Negreanu left for Las Vegas at the age of 21 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional poker player. His first trip to Sin City, however, wasn’t successful. Negreanu instead was forced to return to Toronto to rebuild his bankroll. His second venture to Vegas proved to be the start of a special career.

At 23, Negreanu, who is known for his ability to read other players, won two events at the World Poker Finals at Foxwoods, earning best-player honors along with $133,600 in winnings. The rest, as they say, is history. In 1998, in his first-ever WSOP appearance, Negreanu became the youngest bracelet winner in the event’s prestigious history when he won $169,460 at the $2,000 pot-limit hold ‘em event. That record was broken in 2004, but Negreanu has since won two more bracelets, played at 11 final tables, placed 11 th at the main event in 2001 and finished in the money 18 times. His success hasn’t been limited to the WSOP as evidenced by nine money finishes, six final tables and two titles in the World Poker Tour.

After establishing himself as a top poker pro, Negreanu decided to put his skills and knowledge to use outside of the card room. In 2005, he started his own website, www.fullcontactpoker.com, where he often plays under the screen name “KidPoker.” He also served, albeit briefly, as the “Poker Ambassador” for the Wynn Las Vegas casino. He was forced to give up the job because it limited his ability to play in cash games outside of the Wynn. An accomplished author, Negreanu has written over 100 articles for “CardPlayer,” authored a book, “Daniel Negreanu’s Power Hold ‘Em Strategy” and has a nationally syndicated newspaper column, “Playing Poker with Daniel Negreanu,” that is read by over 4 million readers a week. The column appears in papers such as the Seattle Times, Boston Globe, Houston Chronicle and Detroit News. He was also a contributing writer to Doyle Brunson’s Super System 2. Negreanu has his own video game, “Stacked,” and has a bit part in an upcoming movie entitled “Lucky You” about, what else, poker. He also had a guest starring role on ESPN’s “Tilt.”

Poker achievements…

* Three WSOP bracelets - 1998 Pot-Limit Hold ‘Em, 2003 S.H.O.E., 2004 Limit Hold ‘Em.

* Two WPT titles - 2003 L.A. Poker Classic, 2004 Borgata Poker Open.

* 27 money finishes in the WSOP and WPT combined.

* 1 st place in 1997 World Poker Finals in both $100 Limit Hold ‘Em and $1,500 Limit Hold ‘Em.

* 1 st place in 1999 United States Poker Championship.

* 1 st place in 2001 First Annual World Poker Challenge - Limit 7-card Stud Hi-Lo.

* 1 st place in 2001 Legends of Poker - Limit 7-card Stud.

* 1 st place in 2001 Four Queens Poker Classic - Limit Omaha Hi-Lo.

* 1 st place in 2001 World Poker Finals.

* 1 st place in 2002 Second Annual Linda Johnson Celebrity Challenge.

* 1 st place in 2002 Legends of Poker - Limit 7-card Stud Hi-Lo.

* 1 st place in 2002 Legends of Poker - Limit Omaha Hi-Lo.

* 1 st place in 2002 Legends of Poker - No-Limit Hold ‘Em.

* 1 st place in 2002 Hall of Fame Poker Classic - Limit Hold ‘Em.

* 1 st place in 2002 L.A. Poker Classic - $500 Pot-Limit Hold ‘Em.

* 1 st place in 2002 L.A. Poker Classic - $1,000 Omaha Hi-Lo

* 1 st place in 2002 L.A. Poker Classic - $500 Pot-Limit Omaha.

* 1 st place in 2003 L.A. Poker Classic - Pot-Limit Omaha.

* 1 st place in 2004 Championship Poker at the Plaza.

* 1 st place in 2004 Five Diamond World Poker Classic II.

* 1 st place in 2006 Grand Casino Tunica Poker Tournament - WSOP Circuit Event.

* Reached quarterfinals of 2006 National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Did you know?

* Negreanu’s parents, Annie and Constantin, moved to Toronto from Romania in 1967.

* Has an older brother.

* He started his gambling career playing snooker in Toronto pool halls.

* Married Lori Lin Weber August 19, 2005.

* Almost always wears hockey jerseys during tournaments.

* Can also be spotted at the felt wearing headphones, listening to music.

* Has given personal poker lessons to Hollywood celebrity Tobey Maguire and tutors on the web as part of Poker School Online.

* Name is correctly pronounced “Neg-rah-noo.”
* Negreanu has said in interviews that top poker players need “discipline, talent and fundamental knowledge as well as a disregard for money. You must be willing to go broke.”