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GGPoker’s Daniel Negreanu Returns to ‘High Stakes Duel’ for Battle With Eric Persson
- Daniel Negreanu and Eric Persson square off May 8-9
- Each player putting up $50,000
- Mike Matusow/Shaun Deeb planned for undercard
The High Stakes Duel action is back in the PokerGO Studio in May with Daniel Negreanu returning to the high stakes cash game.
The GGPoker ambassador and six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner squares off against high stakes cash game regular and Maverick Gaming CEO Eric Persson on May 8-9 with both matches streaming at 8 p.m. (ET). This time a second round of action follows a day after the initial duel plays out.
Also for the first time, PokerGO is also adding an undercard match to the action with Shaun Deeb taking on Mike Matusow. Here’s a look at what to expect.
Match Details
The latest duel has each player putting up $50,000 for Round 1 on May 8. Round 2 is then set for the next day with $200,000 on the line, the winner bringing the $100,000 won and the Round 1 loser putting up $100,000 for the rematch.
PokerGO has tweaked the rules a bit to make for quicker turnaround on matches. A player winning two consecutive matches is crowned High Stakes Duel 4 champion and walks away with the championship belt.
If Persson and Negreanu split the first two rounds, the Round 2 loser has the first right to a rematch for Round 3 but must exercise that right immediately or be eliminated.
Getting Ready for Poker Battle
This will be the second appearance on the show for Negreanu after losing to Phil Hellmuth in three matches in 2021. He enjoys the series and hopes for a better outcome this year.
“I think it’s a fun and unique format that is something different for the PokerGo audience, who rarely get to see heads-up poker and some find it interesting,” he told PokerWired.
Negreanu was a favorite among many going into the match against Hellmuth. However, the 16-time WSOP champion proved to be a tough customer and has dominated much of the series. Negreanu says he’s not getting too deep in the weeds in getting ready for the match.
“Honestly not doing much at all to prepare and plan to have fun with it,” he says. “Eric is a tough player, in that, he is capable of putting it all on the line on a bluff.”
Both players aren’t afraid to engage in some table talk, so poker fans may in for an entertaining couple of days of poker.
“I don't have any animosity toward him so it's not like a heated Duel or anything,” Negreanu adds, “but I do have a few fun tricks up my sleeve I hope people will enjoy.”
How the Players Stack Up
While Negreanu has plenty of skins on the wall, Persson brings plenty of skills to the table as well. He’s a regular high stakes player when not running his company, playing about 1,500 hours a year at the Bellagio.
How will that translate to the unique format of High Stakes Duel? That remains to be seen, but Persson has proven to be fearless against some of the bigger name pros, not afraid to move some chips around the table.
Persson is a regular in PokerGO cash games like High Stakes Poker and No Gamble, No Future. One recent appearance saw Persson scoop a pot of $267,500 from Doug Polk.
Persson is a regular in PokerGO cash games like High Stakes Poker and No Gamble, No Future. One recent appearance saw Persson scoop a pot of $267,500 from Doug Polk.
Negreanu is coming off a runner-up finish for $ 69,810 in PokerGO’s Pot Limit Omaha Series in March. In October, he scored a win in the Super High Roller Bowl for $3.3 million.
In 202-21, Negreanu was involved with a highly-publicized heads-up No Limit Hold’em match with Doug Polk. He didn't win but earned some respect from many for his skills in the heads-up arena.
Here’s a look at some details on the High Stakes matchup.
Daniel Negeranu
Age: 48
Career highlights: Six WSOP wins, two World Poker Tour titles, regular on High Stakes Poker, Super High Roller Bowl champion.
Stye: Small ball, analytical, under control. Showed some major heads-up skills against Polk.
Eric Persson
Age: 48
Live tournament winnings: $3,677 (mostly a cash game player)
Career highlights: Regular high stakes cash game player, featured in numerous PokerGO events, beat Phil Hellmuth heads-up in $25,000 Heads-Up Showdown in 2022.
Style: Aggressive, not afraid to mix in a big bluff.
A Look at the Undercard
The High Stakes Duel 4 undercard match sees two other big names battle it out on May 5 for $10,000 each. Both players bring major poker records to the studio as well.
This single match streams for free on PokerGO and the service’s YouTube channel. Here’s a look at the two players’ records.
Shaun Deeb
Age: 37
Live tournament winnings: $11.6 million
Career highlights: Five WSOP bracelets, numerous major online poker wins.
Mike Matusow
Age: 55
Live tournament winnings: $10 million
Career highlights: Four WSOP bracelets, two WSOP $10,000 Main Event final table appearances (2001, 2002).
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