Each sport has its legends—icons who outline the sport and encourage generations. In soccer, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo reign supreme. Michael Jordan and LeBron James tower above the remaining on the basketball courtroom. On the gridiron, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are synonymous with greatness.
In poker, two names shine simply as brightly: Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu. They’re the faces of the sport—the gamers who captivate each seasoned professionals and residential sport heroes. Their affect transcends poker; even those that’ve by no means squeezed a pair of gap playing cards or wagered a single chip know their names. Ivey and Negreanu aren’t simply poker’s biggest; they’re its basis and undisputedly make up one-half of poker’s Mount Rushmore.
Their careers have been intertwined from the very starting, crossing paths as younger stars throughout their youth on the journey to poker’s higher echelons. Each have been central figures in poker’s increase period, navigating the highlight with a singular mix of charisma and unparalleled talent that introduced in a wave of latest gamers to the sport.
That shared legacy reached new heights on the 2024 World Sequence of Poker, the place each legends ended prolonged bracelet droughts and added recent chapters to their already illustrious résumés. For Ivey, it was one other patented masterclass efficiency, as he claimed his Eleventh bracelet within the $10,000 2-7 Triple Draw Championship. In the meantime, Negreanu silenced any whispers of decline by taking down the $50,000 Poker Gamers Championship, including bracelet quantity seven to his assortment and ticking off the primary merchandise on his poker bucket checklist.
Negreanu Furthers Legacy with $50k PPC Victory
Negreanu’s Poker Gamers Championship on the 2024 WSOP got here greater than a decade after his earlier bracelet victory within the 2013 WSOP Europe €25,600 No-Restrict Maintain’em Excessive Curler for €725,000. Within the 11 years between, Negreanu had 5 runner-up finishes and loads of different shut calls.
He additionally had super swings. In 2023, Negreanu misplaced $2.2 million on match buy-ins and vowed to alter his sport the approaching yr.
The change was quick. Three days into the yr, Negreanu gained a PokerGO Excessive Curler for $218,400 to shave off 10% of his 2023 losses. In March, he gained a second PokerGO Excessive Curler for $147,500.
Heading into the celebrated Poker Gamers Championship, Negreanu was recent off an Eleventh-place end within the $10,000 Razz Championship however nonetheless down over $900,000 on the summer season. He was prepared for a victory.
He had some assist in the occasion that drew 89 of the world’s high and most various poker gamers. On Day 4 with six gamers remaining, Negreanu hit a one-outer straight flush in opposition to Bryce Yockey throughout an orbit of Omaha hi-lo to maintain him alive for Day 5.
In poetic vogue, it was Negreanu and Yockey who made it to heads-up play earlier than a last Pot-Restrict Omaha confrontation that went Child Poker’s method to trigger eruption all through the Horseshoe Occasion Heart.
Negreanu instructed PokerNews’ David Salituro he was feeling “a variety of reduction” after profitable his first bracelet in over a decade. “I’ve a variety of nervousness about coming heads-up as a result of I’ve had so many seconds. And it was simply good for issues to really feel like they went my approach at this last desk.”
“There may be one occasion on the earth I need to play greater than any and I wished to win greater than any, and it’s this one. That is the one,” Negreanu stated. “Clearly, the Fundamental Occasion is particular differently. However this one is all the very best gamers on the earth, pro-heavy area, taking part in 100-minute ranges, days and days of grind, 12 hours a day. So to come back out on high, you’ll be able to’t fluke that.”
The $1.2 million victory was not solely his first bracelet win in 11 years; it was additionally the primary win together with his spouse Amanda Negreanu, who he met on the set of The Large Recreation and who he since has launched the Mania Podcast with to debate non-poker issues like marriage and psychological well being.
“It’s very cool,” Negreanu stated about having Amanda there for the victory. “That is the primary time she’s been down right here since we moved right here. As a result of she was going to come back once I win, and I haven’t been profitable. So it was good to have her right here for the second, for certain.”
It was additionally Negreanu’s first bracelet victory as a vlogger who broadcasts palms to tons of of hundreds of followers, a few of whom have been there in particular person when the ultimate playing cards have been dealt.
“I all the time form of simply fell into it. It’s one thing I’ve all the time felt I might do, I used to be a pure for,” he stated. “Being on digital camera doesn’t hassle me one bit and I believed it will be enjoyable to provide individuals the possibility to form of sweat together with me. In order that’s why I do what I do. It’s simply enjoyable.”
Negreanu had a shot at bracelet eight this month at WSOP Paradise, the place he completed eighth in a $10,000 PLO occasion for $45,710 and fourth within the last occasion of the sequence for $65,200, which featured a stacked last desk with a complete of 20 bracelets between gamers. In fact, almost a 3rd of them belonged to Negreanu.
Daniel Negreanu’s 11-Yr Journey to Bracelet 7
Daniel Negreanu’s WSOP Bracelets
Ivey Denies Mercier & Wong in Extra time for Bracelet #11
Ivey’s path to the highest of the 2-7 Triple Draw Championship started on the second degree of Day 2, the place he opted to hop in on the final second earlier than registration closed.
Ivey started to accrue chips slowly earlier than he made an eight-perfect to win a sizeable pot from Joao Vieira. By the primary break of the day, Ivey had turned his 60,000 beginning stack into 225,000 after which claimed his first elimination, downing Christopher Claassen with an nine-six in opposition to a ten-seven.
Ivey’s stack started to slide, however he made an eight-six and #3 in opposition to Benny Glaser to succeed in 410,000. Extra pots headed to the Corridor of Famer, and he rounded out Day 2 with 755,000, which was good for fifth place out of the 13 gamers who made it by way of to Day 3.
Heading into what was alleged to be the ultimate day, Ivey had locked up not less than $24,145, however after all, his eyes have been firmly on the $347,440 up high and the bracelet that might put him one forward of Erik Seidel, Johnny Chan and the Godfather of Poker Doyle Brunson.
Ivey knocked out Renan Bruschi to arrange the seven-handed last desk, the place six-time WSOP bracelet winner Jason Mercier held the chip lead. Justin Saliba, Philip Sternheimer and Jonathan Cohen departed to depart the ultimate 4 gamers, the place Danny Wong joined Mercier, Ivey and Glaser within the pursuit for the winner’s spoils.
Wong entered because the quick stack with simply 550,000, whereas Mercier commanded the chip lead with 4,165,000. Glaser sat in second place, however the defending champion’s luck ran out. His dealt 8-5 good fell to Wong’s 7-6 in an enormous pot, shifting Wong into the chip lead and leaving Glaser with simply 300,000. Though Glaser managed to triple up as soon as, he ultimately patted an 8-6-5-3-2, just for Wong to attract 8-6-4-3-2 and eradicate him in fourth place.
Throughout three-handed play, Phil Ivey repeatedly dipped into short-stack territory however rallied with two essential triples to remain alive. In the meantime, Wong seized the chip lead from Mercier simply earlier than play was halted because the clock crept previous 2 a.m. in Sin Metropolis.
Ivey started the ultimate day with a bang, drawing a wheel in an enormous pot in opposition to Mercier to almost tie Wong for the chip lead. Wong regained momentum, although, profitable a pot off Mercier with a pat eight, which left Mercier with lower than 1,000,000.
Mercier doubled twice however ultimately received his final 170,000 in in opposition to Wong and Ivey. He completed with a 9-7-5, whereas Wong drew to an 8-6. Wong’s last card was a seven, giving him the checkmark and eliminating Mercier in third place. Wong led heads-up play in opposition to Ivey with 5,315,000 to three,630,000.
Wong’s lead was short-lived, as Ivey drew one other wheel in opposition to Wong’s 9-8 to say the chip lead. He left Wong with lower than 1,000,000 after making an 8-7. Wong briefly doubled together with his personal 8-7 however was quickly pressured all in for 250,000. Wong patted a 10-8, whereas Ivey drew one holding 7-5-4-3. Ivey peeled a deuce, finishing a wheel to safe the title and finish his 3,639-day bracelet drought.
Phil Ivey’s WSOP Bracelets
Connor Richards
Editor & Dwell Reporter U.S.
Calum Grant
Senior Editor & Dwell Occasions Government
