One of poker’s global superstars, Daniel Negreanu is one of the most accomplished players in the game. Scanning through his tournament resume, you’ll notice there are few things he hasn’t already done. Negreanu ranks second on the all-time money list, trailing only Phil Ivey, boasting more than $13 million in lifetime earnings. Negreanu owns four WSOP bracelets, two WPT titles and the respect and adoration of millions of poker fans around the world.
Most recently, Negreanu finished 4th at EPT Vienna (€175,000) back in October. “Kid poker” can now scratch off ‘APPT cash’ from his to-do list. Negreanu has his work cut out for him at Sunday's final table, starting short-stacked with 267,000 in chips.
From under the gun, Tom Rafferty raised to 46,000. Action folded all the way around to Peco Stojanovski in the big blind and he made the call to see a flop.
The flop came down and Stojanovski checked. Rafferty fired 71,000 as his continuation bet and Stojanovski snap-called.
The turn card was the and Stojanovski checked. Rafferty checked behind. The then fell on the river, pairing the board. Stojanovski checked and Rafferty thought for a solid minute before firing 125,000. He had 320,000 behind and Stojanovski was thinking. Eventually, Stojanovski asked Rafferty if he wanted a call. Then Stojanovski said, "Make it 350," to the shock of the table.
Rafferty was drawn back by the raise and began talking to himself. He was questioning whether Stojanovski would really check a flush on the river. He also brought up the possibility of nine-seven for a straight. He finally shoved the chips in and Stojanovski tapped the table before turning over the for just aces and fives. Rafferty revealed the and a better two pair and won the pot.
Rafferty moved to over a million in chips with this solid call while Stojanovski dropped back to 1.14 million.
Antoine Amourette entered the pot from the cutoff with a raise to 45,000 only to have Roland de Wolfe three-bet to 110,000 from the big blind.
Amourette made the call, and when faced with a bet of 140,000 from de Wolfe on the flop, he proceeded to call that too.
With the dealer dropping the on the turn, de Wolfe deliberated for some time before checking to Amourette who casually slid out two stacks amounting to a bet of 210,000.
De Wolfe - while looking a little puzzled - made the call as the landed on the river. De Wolfe checked, and Amourette fired out bet of 331,000 that was near-insta called by de Wolfe.
Amourette flipped over his as de Wolfe tabled his to relinquish the pot while sliding down to 810,000. With that pot, Amourette soars out to the chip lead with 2,550,000 in chips.
From early position, Antoine Amourette raised to 45,000. Peco Stojanovski called from the button and the two players saw the flop come down . Amourette's continuation bet was worth 56,000, but Stojanovski wanted to play for more. He raised to 140,000 and won the pot.
Play folded over to Roland de Wolfe in middle position and he limped in for 20,000. Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu completed from the small blind and then Antoine Amourette checked his option in the big blind.
The flop came down and Negreanu paused to think. He then pushed his chips across the betting line for an all-in bet worth 245,000. After Amourette folded, de Wolfe snap-called and tabled the for bottom set. Negreanu held the for top pair.
The turn card brought the and that gave Negreanu a nice sweat going to the river. He'd now need a queen, ten or a six to stay alive. When the river card was turned over, the was revealed and missed Negreanu. De Wolfe's flopped bottom set held and he eliminated the superstar in ninth place while moving to 1.22 million in chips.
"I'll pay 50,000 Australian dollars for a new river card!" yelled out Negreanu. Unfortunately for him, that's not in the rules.
Negreanu walked away with A$36,415 in prize money and added another final table for the notch on the belt.