Daniel Negreanu Grabs Win Over Eric Persson on ‘High Stakes Duel’

21 Feb 2024

Sean Chaffin 21 Feb 2024

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Negreanu scores $100,000
Win comes after three losses on show
No rematch from Persson

The High Stakes Duel action returned to the PokerGO Studio on Monday with $100,000 on the line and GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu coming out on top over Maverick Gaming CEO Eric Persson.

The match saw plenty of affable conversation with Negreanu seeming to dominate much of the action, which lasted just under three hours. Afterward, Persson declined a rematch because of some scheduling issues meaning another competitor can now step in.

“I enjoyed the match Eric and sorry to hear there won’t be a rematch,” Negrenau noted on Twitter. “I guess that means … seat open for who’s next? I believe the rules state that a challenger must step up in the next 30 days and I imagine there will be a line”

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A Look at Early Action

Negreanu poked some fun at his opponent right out of the gate with a complete muscle suit showing off some fake guns along with his GGPoker patch. The two players were chatty right from the beginning, talking poker, fitness, and other topics.

Each player started with 50,000 chips and the two traded pots back and forth early with Persson showing some nice skills folding pockets eights against Negreanu’s pocket Aces. Negreanu picked up pocket Aces again a short time later, but Persson avoided losing much. The stacks were about even by the half -hour mark.

The first major pot came just past the 42nd minute mark. With blinds of 150/300, Negreanu raised to 1,000 with Jh10h and Persson called with 3d4d.

The flop brought 7♣A♥J♦and both players checked. The 7♦ fell on the turn, giving Persson a flush draw, and Negreanu checked again. Persson bet 2,000 this time and that brought a call. The 7♠ came on the river, giving Negreanu a full house. Persson bet 5,000 this time.

“You’re doomed,” Persson added with some speech play to disguise the bluff. “I feel like you have a Jack and you have to make a call.”

Negreanu contemplated a bit and ultimately folded. Persson grabbed an 11,000-chip pot, giving him a lead of about 6,000 chips.

Action progresses, Negreanu takes command

At the hour mark, Negreanu took the lead after flopping a set with pocket fives. Persson rivered two pair but Negreanu ultimately raked a pot of 18,800.

Negreanu rivered an Ace-high flush a short time later for a 15,800-chip pot, moving him to about a 3-to-1 chip lead. He seemed to progressively move his chip stack up in the first half of the action, with no massive moments but a controlled approach with some nice folds here and there mixed in.

It just seemed Persson couldn’t get any traction, mostly raking smaller pots with Negreanu scoring some larger ones.

At the 90-minute mark and break in the action, Negreanu still held on to a 3-to-1 chip advantage with no real haymakers delivered.

Negreanu closes out the match

Persson seemed to limp into a lot of pots with Negreanu often taking advantage. That included several flat calls with an Ace.

In the last hour, Persson gained a bit of ground for some small pots, but just couldn’t seem to get the hands to get back to level.

Negreanu got plenty of big hands, but also turned some inferior hands to some bluffs that got through later as well. He also picked off a Persson bluff later in the match with pocket sevens to win a 27,000-chip pot. That brought a 4-to-1 chip advantage and his largest chip lead.

The final hand saw both players get it all in, Negreanu holding a dominating A♠K♦to Persson’s Q♦A♦. The flop saw 10h7sJh. The turn brought the J♦with the 6♠landing on the river.

The win comes after Negreanu lost three straight matches with Phil Hellmuth on the show. He now has a bit of redemption with a High Stakes Duel win, including securing the $100,000 up for grabs and the championship belt. Persson took the loss in stride, but declined a rematch.

“Daniel, congratulations on kicking my ass,” he noted in a video on Twitter. “I really enjoyed my time spent on the felt with you and I hope the viewers enjoyed our banter and conversation. Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts I’m not going to be able to issue a rematch. Maybe it’s to my best based on how this last event went down.”