Poker professional Daniel Negreanu is no stranger to the stress and pressure that accompanies a highly publicized lifestyle on the tournament circuit. With commitments to a brand-new training site, multiple columns, commercial shoots, and a devotion to fantasy sports, it's a wonder that he still finds time to entertain the masses with a regular blog that details his daily life.
Card Player caught up with Negreanu during the second break of today's day 1B flight for the Legends of Poker tournament at the Bike to discuss his recent blog entries and his plans for the busy upcoming months on the tour.
Julio Rodriguez: So, first of all, I’d like to steer clear of poker and talk about your most recent blog entry. Care to elaborate on your haunted hotel experience?
Daniel Negreanu: I stayed at the Embassy Suites for the first time, to try something new. It had kind of an old-school vibe, kind of creepy, whatever. I had the worst nightmares I’ve ever had, you know, those where you sleep and you think you woke up, but all of a sudden your father who’s been dead for seven years is right up in your grill. That’s the dream I had.
As soon as I woke up, it got even weirder. In the dream, the lights wouldn’t work, and when I woke up, they still weren’t working. I had to get out of there, so I moved myself to a more comfortable place, literally. I don’t know, it was creepy, scary.
It’s probably not … haunted, but it kind of felt haunted.
JR: So I should be a little worried, then, since I’m staying there?
DN: You’re staying there? I don’t know, man, don’t stay in 808. I think there are some people who jumped from the balcony there or something.
JR: Let’s switch our focus to the endless shipment of pennies you’ve received since becoming a PokerStars pro. Rumor has it that if a player sends you $.02 to your PokerStars account, they automatically activate the boom switch which will lead to better fortune and ultimately a bankroll boost. If they don’t, then they get the doom switch, which obviously does the opposite. My question is … how much have you made in pennies?
DN: [Laughing, replies jokingly] They’re just silly. Of course, I’ve been sent enough to play the $200-$400 no-limit game there with a few buy-ins, just by using the pennies I’ve been sent. I’m funded by pennies. I don’t even need to use my own money, I just use the pennies.
Seriously, though, I have no idea how much I’ve been sent, but one day I’m going to add it all up and send a check … to myself. [Laughing] For my charity, of course. We’re going to call it the Negreanu Rebuy Fund.
JR: OK, so let’s talk about poker. How has your first day at the Legends of Poker been so far?
DN: It’s weird. It’s like I’m not quite back into the poker step yet. Since the World Series, we haven’t played at all, and I was obviously totally in the zone there. So, I’m taking a little time to get back into it with the really slow structure they’ve got here. I’ve met some nice guys at the table, like BodogAri and some kid who calls himself KidPokerJD … something on Stars.
JR: You’ve mentioned that you are not a fan of traveling and that you’d prefer to stay home in Las Vegas. The months of October and November are by far the busiest. What are your plans for the tournament circuit?
DN: I’m going to Europe, doing some EPT events. Then I’m playing in the WSOP Europe events, but I will also be playing back here for WPT Niagara. I have to play in that one, since it’s Canada. I’d like to do well, for once. Then it’s back to my backyard for Bellagio. I always seem to do well there, cash consistently, go deep, and maybe win every once in a while.
