Daniel Negreanu
Poker Blog
Daniel Negreanu's Poker Blog. He will blog about poker, golf, the WSOP & WPT and various other subjects like politics and hockey."Kid Poker" is one of the most successful poker pros in the world.
| Broken Record |
May 9, 2010
OK, so my blog covers what I do and what I'm interested in. I don't expect you to be
interested in everything I am, so I try to separate my thoughts so you can skip to what you
wanna read about. This blog will cover several things:
GOLF:
I shot an episode of the Haney Project with Ray Romano on the Golf Channel and it was
one of the best days ever. First of all, to all the random people telling me they can help my
golf game, I have a personal full-time coach that is ALWAYS there with me every single time
I hit a ball. We just started working again recently after a long lay off. First day back I shot
116 and withing 12 rounds I was back to shooting a 91 from the back tees at TPC
Summerlin. All of that, without being able to hit a drive past 200 yards. Laugh all you want,
but once I get my distance back I'll be flirting with low 80's every round. My short game is
good. I from 80 yards and in I think I'd rival most 5 handicappers rather easily. My struggle
is distance.
So, I played 9 holes with Ray Romano for the show, then after that Christian (my coach)
and I headed to the range to have Hank Haney, Tiger Woods golf coach, take a look at my
swing. Christian is an excellent teacher, but Hank Haney is a pretty big deal and rather
quickly he recognized what I needed to do to hit it farther. He slightly adjusted my posture,
got my hands up over my shoulder on the back swing, and told me to swing faster. Not just
coming down, but as fast as I can back, and as fast as I can through the ball, while turning
my hands over at impact.
Within a few swings, I was hitting the ball 30 yards farther. No joke. Accuracy isn't an issue
for me, so it's worth it for me to attack the ball more, giving up some accuracy so I can hit
each club farther. I'm very excited to get back out on the course, but first, I have some
poker to play.
(episode airs May 31st on the Golf Channel)
****************************************************************
SUNGLASSES: It is easier to see marked cards when you wear sunglasses. That's just true.
If everyone in an event was told they were prohibited from wearing sunglasses it's as fair
as allowing anyone to wear them.
In hockey, there is a rule on how much of a curve you can have on your stick. The rule is fair
for everyone and is better for the sport as decided by the powers that be.
In baseball, you are not allowed to cork your bat. The league decided that corking your bat
isn't good for the game as a whole.
In golf, you can't add vaseline to your club head. It takes spin off the ball and allows the
ball to go farther. If you allowed every pro to do it, that would be fair, but the PGA deemed
that "grease" wasn't best for the game of golf.
In basketball, there is a 10 second rule that forces a team to advance past half court within
10 seconds or lose possession of the ball. This is better for the game, so the league
decided this rule would help prevent teams from slowing the game down when they have a
lead.
In football, all players MUST wear a helmet for their own safety. If a kicker felt he could see
better without a helmet on, he would still not be allowed to go on the field without one
because the league deemed it to be unsafe.
At the Olympics people are tested for performance enhancing drugs because the IOC wants
a level playing field without drugs. Sure, it would be totally fair to change that rule and
allow all athletes to use steroids, but the committee determined that it was in everyone's
best interest to ban the use of steroids from the sport.
These are random examples from various sports. We have rules in poker too. No string
raises, verbal action is binding, no short raises, and in tournaments, no showing cards
before the action has completed. The TDA has come up with a list of rules they feel
appropriate for the game of poker, and many casinos abide by these rules.
My proposal to ban sunglasses from competitive poker does have merit. There are several
ancillary benefits to doing so:
-Sunglasses make it easier to see marked cards
-Live poker is a human game that is different from online poker, and one of the skill sets is
the ability to read your opponents.
-The absence of sunglasses makes for a much better television production. No TV poker
producer will argue that. The fans and viewers want to see the emotion that is often
covered up by shades.
-Banning the use of sunglasses in competitive poker as well as made for TV events is
completely fair for everyone. Not like allowing them isn't, but no one person can claim that
this rule targets them specifically. Hiding your eyes is an advantage. By disallowing
sunglasses, that advantage is taken away from every player involved creating a level
playing field.
As mentioned previously, the majority of the world's top players do not wear sunglasses. I
don't expect a sweeping rule change for all poker events to ban the use of sunglasses, but
I see absolutely nothing wrong with creating a show, or poker tournament, with the explicit
rule that sunglasses are not permitted.
That's the case with the PokerStars.net The Big Game. If you are too afraid to play live
poker without hiding, then you can choose not to play on the show. Any made for TV show
has the absolute right to set such parameters
and I would hope that it becomes the norm.
****************************************************************
POKERSTARS.NET THE BIG GAME:
I've played two sessions so far and will be playing one more again tomorrow. I'm having an
absolute blast and today I participated in some epically entertaining poker. The lineup was
big on chatter and personality, and also tons of action: Myself, Doyle Brunson, Phil Laak,
Tony G, Phil Hellmuth, and of course, the Loose Cannon who gets $100,000 to sit down
with and gets to keep anything that he wins.
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the poker world is going to love this show. I've
been involved in many, many poker shows and I feel like I have a good idea as to what will
work on TV and what won't. I feel like, especially with the die hard poker players, they are
a bit sick of watching made for TV events that ultimately come down to a shove fest with
stacks less than 20 big blinds. I know I am. Cash poker is hot, and it creates more
interesting poker. It's not a coincidence that High Stakes Poker gets the most hits on
youtube.
Well, with 6 handed poker, a pot limit pre, and no limit post flop structure, with the addition
of a "contestant" the Loose Cannon who qualifies for the opportunity to play a cash game
against some of the world's best players, you end up with a very entertaining show.
The set is pretty sick. Many of the players who have appeared on the show have
commented on it. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before.
Amanda Leatherman who you guys know from her days at PokerWire, PokerNews,
PokerRoad, and also on the WPT, is always on set. Amanda's role on the show covers many
bases and allows her to show off some of that personality that's made her a hit with poker
fans and players alike. She's really amazing at what she does and I'm a big fan myself.
She's cute, knows poker, and is very personable. I've always enjoyed doing "Dan updates"
with her on the WPT and for PokerNews and am really glad that she's a part of the show.
As I've mentioned in past blogs I spent a decent amount of time working on my game,
specifically 6 max 100-200 no limit hold'em on PokerStars against some of the best players
on the internet. Those guys are super tough, but I learned a lot from them. I'm trying my
best to do well on The Big Game and feel like I'm playing pretty well. I've made some
mistakes, but as you'll see when the show airs, the types of mistakes I've made are much
different than the mistakes you are used to seeing me make. The average player may not
see the mistakes as being a big deal, but I'm certain that I've had opportunities to make
excellent plays and haven't made the optimal play. I am trying really hard, though, and I'm
hoping that my last session goes well. I do feel really confident playing in this game,
especially when comparing it to the tough online games I'd been playing.
Online you just don't see a ton of limping before the flop, but when you are dealing with
loose cannons and various types of live players, you end up seeing a lot of things you just
wouldn't see in a 100-200 game on Stars. Adjusting to those fundamental errors is
interesting for me and I'm trying to figure out the best ways to exploit what I deem to be
fundamental mistakes based on what I've learned online over the last few months.
I can't reveal any results from the show, but I can tell you that the show is scheduled to air
sometime in June. The episodes will air late night on FOX, five nights a week, Monday
through Friday, one hour episodes. Each week you'll see one Loose Cannon take his shot.
If he happens to go broke before the Friday episode, the show does go on and he's
replaced with a player waiting to sit. I seriously can't wait to watch this show! Some truly
epic hands and table banter. Tony G... and Phil Hellmuth! Does it get any better? I mean
really?
OK, so my blog covers what I do and what I'm interested in. I don't expect you to be
interested in everything I am, so I try to separate my thoughts so you can skip to what you
wanna read about. This blog will cover several things:
GOLF:
I shot an episode of the Haney Project with Ray Romano on the Golf Channel and it was
one of the best days ever. First of all, to all the random people telling me they can help my
golf game, I have a personal full-time coach that is ALWAYS there with me every single time
I hit a ball. We just started working again recently after a long lay off. First day back I shot
116 and withing 12 rounds I was back to shooting a 91 from the back tees at TPC
Summerlin. All of that, without being able to hit a drive past 200 yards. Laugh all you want,
but once I get my distance back I'll be flirting with low 80's every round. My short game is
good. I from 80 yards and in I think I'd rival most 5 handicappers rather easily. My struggle
is distance.
So, I played 9 holes with Ray Romano for the show, then after that Christian (my coach)
and I headed to the range to have Hank Haney, Tiger Woods golf coach, take a look at my
swing. Christian is an excellent teacher, but Hank Haney is a pretty big deal and rather
quickly he recognized what I needed to do to hit it farther. He slightly adjusted my posture,
got my hands up over my shoulder on the back swing, and told me to swing faster. Not just
coming down, but as fast as I can back, and as fast as I can through the ball, while turning
my hands over at impact.
Within a few swings, I was hitting the ball 30 yards farther. No joke. Accuracy isn't an issue
for me, so it's worth it for me to attack the ball more, giving up some accuracy so I can hit
each club farther. I'm very excited to get back out on the course, but first, I have some
poker to play.
(episode airs May 31st on the Golf Channel)
****************************************************************
SUNGLASSES: It is easier to see marked cards when you wear sunglasses. That's just true.
If everyone in an event was told they were prohibited from wearing sunglasses it's as fair
as allowing anyone to wear them.
In hockey, there is a rule on how much of a curve you can have on your stick. The rule is fair
for everyone and is better for the sport as decided by the powers that be.
In baseball, you are not allowed to cork your bat. The league decided that corking your bat
isn't good for the game as a whole.
In golf, you can't add vaseline to your club head. It takes spin off the ball and allows the
ball to go farther. If you allowed every pro to do it, that would be fair, but the PGA deemed
that "grease" wasn't best for the game of golf.
In basketball, there is a 10 second rule that forces a team to advance past half court within
10 seconds or lose possession of the ball. This is better for the game, so the league
decided this rule would help prevent teams from slowing the game down when they have a
lead.
In football, all players MUST wear a helmet for their own safety. If a kicker felt he could see
better without a helmet on, he would still not be allowed to go on the field without one
because the league deemed it to be unsafe.
At the Olympics people are tested for performance enhancing drugs because the IOC wants
a level playing field without drugs. Sure, it would be totally fair to change that rule and
allow all athletes to use steroids, but the committee determined that it was in everyone's
best interest to ban the use of steroids from the sport.
These are random examples from various sports. We have rules in poker too. No string
raises, verbal action is binding, no short raises, and in tournaments, no showing cards
before the action has completed. The TDA has come up with a list of rules they feel
appropriate for the game of poker, and many casinos abide by these rules.
My proposal to ban sunglasses from competitive poker does have merit. There are several
ancillary benefits to doing so:
-Sunglasses make it easier to see marked cards
-Live poker is a human game that is different from online poker, and one of the skill sets is
the ability to read your opponents.
-The absence of sunglasses makes for a much better television production. No TV poker
producer will argue that. The fans and viewers want to see the emotion that is often
covered up by shades.
-Banning the use of sunglasses in competitive poker as well as made for TV events is
completely fair for everyone. Not like allowing them isn't, but no one person can claim that
this rule targets them specifically. Hiding your eyes is an advantage. By disallowing
sunglasses, that advantage is taken away from every player involved creating a level
playing field.
As mentioned previously, the majority of the world's top players do not wear sunglasses. I
don't expect a sweeping rule change for all poker events to ban the use of sunglasses, but
I see absolutely nothing wrong with creating a show, or poker tournament, with the explicit
rule that sunglasses are not permitted.
That's the case with the PokerStars.net The Big Game. If you are too afraid to play live
poker without hiding, then you can choose not to play on the show. Any made for TV show
has the absolute right to set such parameters
and I would hope that it becomes the norm.
****************************************************************
POKERSTARS.NET THE BIG GAME:
I've played two sessions so far and will be playing one more again tomorrow. I'm having an
absolute blast and today I participated in some epically entertaining poker. The lineup was
big on chatter and personality, and also tons of action: Myself, Doyle Brunson, Phil Laak,
Tony G, Phil Hellmuth, and of course, the Loose Cannon who gets $100,000 to sit down
with and gets to keep anything that he wins.
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the poker world is going to love this show. I've
been involved in many, many poker shows and I feel like I have a good idea as to what will
work on TV and what won't. I feel like, especially with the die hard poker players, they are
a bit sick of watching made for TV events that ultimately come down to a shove fest with
stacks less than 20 big blinds. I know I am. Cash poker is hot, and it creates more
interesting poker. It's not a coincidence that High Stakes Poker gets the most hits on
youtube.
Well, with 6 handed poker, a pot limit pre, and no limit post flop structure, with the addition
of a "contestant" the Loose Cannon who qualifies for the opportunity to play a cash game
against some of the world's best players, you end up with a very entertaining show.
The set is pretty sick. Many of the players who have appeared on the show have
commented on it. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before.
Amanda Leatherman who you guys know from her days at PokerWire, PokerNews,
PokerRoad, and also on the WPT, is always on set. Amanda's role on the show covers many
bases and allows her to show off some of that personality that's made her a hit with poker
fans and players alike. She's really amazing at what she does and I'm a big fan myself.
She's cute, knows poker, and is very personable. I've always enjoyed doing "Dan updates"
with her on the WPT and for PokerNews and am really glad that she's a part of the show.
As I've mentioned in past blogs I spent a decent amount of time working on my game,
specifically 6 max 100-200 no limit hold'em on PokerStars against some of the best players
on the internet. Those guys are super tough, but I learned a lot from them. I'm trying my
best to do well on The Big Game and feel like I'm playing pretty well. I've made some
mistakes, but as you'll see when the show airs, the types of mistakes I've made are much
different than the mistakes you are used to seeing me make. The average player may not
see the mistakes as being a big deal, but I'm certain that I've had opportunities to make
excellent plays and haven't made the optimal play. I am trying really hard, though, and I'm
hoping that my last session goes well. I do feel really confident playing in this game,
especially when comparing it to the tough online games I'd been playing.
Online you just don't see a ton of limping before the flop, but when you are dealing with
loose cannons and various types of live players, you end up seeing a lot of things you just
wouldn't see in a 100-200 game on Stars. Adjusting to those fundamental errors is
interesting for me and I'm trying to figure out the best ways to exploit what I deem to be
fundamental mistakes based on what I've learned online over the last few months.
I can't reveal any results from the show, but I can tell you that the show is scheduled to air
sometime in June. The episodes will air late night on FOX, five nights a week, Monday
through Friday, one hour episodes. Each week you'll see one Loose Cannon take his shot.
If he happens to go broke before the Friday episode, the show does go on and he's
replaced with a player waiting to sit. I seriously can't wait to watch this show! Some truly
epic hands and table banter. Tony G... and Phil Hellmuth! Does it get any better? I mean
really?
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