 |
 |
| |
Interviews and Articles
Daniel Negreanu Interview (2005 WSOP)
By Greg Go
By 18, Daniel Negreanu was already a rounder at Toronto card rooms, where he ate sandwiches packed by his mom and won money from people twice his age. The youngest player to ever win a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet, Negreanu currently has six WSOP bracelets.
Onlinepokercenter (OPC) caught up with Negreanu at the 2005 WSOP, and asked about his WSOP strategy, his personal life, the future of online poker, and the secret to his success.
OPC: I want to congratulate you on your engagement. Do you think getting married will affect your game?
Daniel: (Big smile) Thanks. I think getting married will definitely improve my game. Having a foundation will make me a better player. Now I play more responsibly and I’m more focused. Like Jack Nicholson said in “As Good as It Gets,” my wife makes me want to be a better man.
OPC: How do you feel about your chances for this year’s World Series of Poker?
Daniel: I’m feeling confident. Elimination from the big event is the worst day of any poker player’s life. I will do my best to avoid getting that feeling.
OPC: Do you do any special preparations for the World Series of Poker?
Daniel: Definitely no caffeine, no alcohol. I like to study tapes of games to get in the mood. I also like to watch “Rocky” to get pumped up. You know, you can’t listen to that music without getting excited!
I also want to stay away from too many people. Being with too many people can feel draining at times. At most tournaments I enjoy spending my breaks taking pictures and signing autographs. I love the fans and I enjoy doing stuff like that. But the WSOP is special. I will probably stay away from the crowds a bit.
OPC: You’re one of the friendlier players at the tables. You’re always chatting with your opponents. Is that part of your strategy?
Daniel: I’m not one of those stoic players. Poker is a fun game and I like to enjoy myself at the table. When you get people talking, you put them at ease; they start acting more naturally, and become easier to read. It makes the game more fun for the spectators as well.
OPC: How would you describe your playing style?
Daniel: I do more pre-flop calling than some. I trust my post-flop play because I’m pretty good at reading people after the flop. Playing people and position post-flop are definitely my strengths. When I get into a hand, I’m aggressive but I’m also paying attention to my opponent’s betting patterns.
OPC: What mentality do you need to become a successful poker pro? What is the secret?
Daniel: A disregard for money. You must be willing to go broke. Many poker players are big spenders. When I go into a store, I sometimes just point at things and buy them without asking for the price.
How much are the things I’m buying? Sometimes I don’t really know. At the poker table, you can’t be thinking about the money.
(Editor’s note: The day before the interview, Negreanu paid $10,000 for a jersey signed by other poker stars at a charity auction benefiting the Las Vegas Boys and Girls Club.)
OPC: So for poker players money is just a way to keep score?
Daniel: In a sense. When you’re playing cards you can’t constantly think about what the money costs you in the real world. You can’t be constantly concerned about that if you want to be successful.
OPC: A lot of magazines are promoting the “poker lifestyle.” What exactly is that lifestyle like?
Daniel: There are two sides to it: The one presented by the media and the real one. The one you see on TV is players with fancy mansions and nice cars. But the reality is different. The reality is tedious. There’s a lot of hard work, a lot of traveling around, a lot of waiting. The truth is many pros are struggling to get by like everyone else.
OPC: What’s the poker lifestyle’s one defining feature?
Daniel: Freedom! You can wake up at noon and play all night if you want to.
OPC: Is that why poker is so popular?
Daniel: Poker is the American dream. People of all shapes, sizes, gender and ethnicity can win. The average Joe can succeed. A guy like me can’t really become a basketball superstar. On the other hand, anyone can become a poker pro. You can sit down at a table, play against the top players in the world, and have a chance to win. No other sport offers that chance.
OPC: Do you think poker skills are useful in real life?
Daniel: There is this great book called “The Poker MBA,” which I highly recommend. Poker is a lot like business. It is all about profiling people, learning about how people react under stress, and assessing risks. Read the book, it is worth your time.
OPC: There are a lot of online players at the World Series of Poker. Do you think they are screwing up the tournament for the pros?
Daniel: Not at all. Online players can buy into the satellites for $20, $40. It has really increased the popularity of the game. More players mean more money. For example, the winner this year will take home $7.5 million. So I’m not complaining.
OPC: There are so many online poker rooms out there competing for business. Which poker room do you think will come out on top?
Daniel: Bodog is a great room. Party Gaming is also huge. I think the result will depend on the legislation [legalizing or criminalizing online poker] in the next few years. There is still a good 2-3 years of soft games left online. But eventually, more online players will improve and the games on sites like Party won’t be as soft as they are today.
OPC: Where do you like to play online?
Daniel: I used to play on PokerStars. I enjoy playing in their tournaments.
OPC: Is it harder to spot “tells” when you play online?
Daniel: Too many players focus on physical tells. For both online and live games, you should be focusing more on betting patterns and histories. The ability to figure out your opponent’s hand based on his betting pattern is a crucial skill.
OPC: What do you like to do with your free time?
Daniel: I’m a total fantasy sports freak, especially with hockey. I also enjoy watching reality shows like “The Real World” and “Road Rules.”
OPC: What about music? It seems like everyone has an iPod at the tables. What kind of music do you listen to during a game?
Daniel: Just relaxing stuff. I like to listen to ocean waves or massage music just to relax and keep calm throughout the tournament.
OPC: You are the new “poker ambassador” for the Wynn Las Vegas Casino. Can you give us your impression of their cardroom?
Daniel: I really enjoy playing at Wynn’s poker room. It has lots of space, it is much less intimidating than other rooms, and it has a courteous staff.
The hard part of live poker is getting your foot into the door. The Wynn makes it easy, I think. I like the old-school, dark and green colors. I don’t like the bright colors you see in other casinos. That kind of takes away from the poker atmosphere.
You can find Negreanu playing high-stakes live games at the Wynn Las Vegas Casino. Negreanu recently issued an open challenge, declaring that he will play anyone in a heads-up match in their choice of poker games (including limit hold’em, pot-limit hold’em, no-limit hold’em, seven-card stud, stud eight-or-better, pot-limit Omaha, Omaha eight-or-better, ace-to-five triple-draw lowball, or triple-draw deuce-to-seven) for a minimum of $100,000 up to a maximum of $500,000. Many players have contacted Negreanu about the challenge, including Barry Greenstein, David Oppenheim, Johnny Chan, Sammy Farha, Phil Ivey, and Joe Cassidy. All the games will take place at the new Wynn Las Vegas Casino, where the public can witness these historical poker matches from the rail.
If you would like more information on these matches, check out Negreanu’s website (www.fullcontactpoker.com) for game schedules.
Extracted from onlinepokercenter
Back |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Download
