“That One Stings” Negreanu Blows 10:1 Chip Lead to Bust $25k Heads-Up

It took a couple of occasions, however Daniel Negreanu has his first money because the opening weekend of the 2026 World Sequence of Poker attracts to an in depth.

Nonetheless, he’ll head again dwelling tonight ruing a missed alternative, after a shocking Biao Ding comeback of their match within the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship

Negreanu had his opponent out-chipped by 10:1, however Ding doubled thrice together with rivering a three-outer, to in the end survive and advance to the quarter-final.

Negreanu Returns for $25k Heads-Up Day 2

The GGPoker Ambassador nearly secured his first money in Occasion #2: $5,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em 8-Handed, solely to have his pocket aces brutally cracked on the cash bubble.

But when there are two issues we learn about Negreanu, it’s that he’s enjoying an exhausting WSOP schedule and he by no means provides up. True to kind, he bounced again to storm his method into Day 2 of the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship after defeating 2024 champion Darius Samual, Brock Wilson, and Harvey Castro.

His Day 2 opponent was Biao Ding, who rapidly discovered himself in a deep gap in opposition to the father-to-be.

In a vital hand, Negreanu fired a large wager of 225,000, greater than half of Ding’s remaining stack, on a 3♣10♣J♠7♣6♦ board. Ding known as with 10♥8♣ however was outclassed by Negreanu’s Q♦J♣ for high pair. The pot locked up a large chip lead for Child Poker.

Daniel Negreanu: 2,200,000 (88 bb)Biao Ding: 221,000 (9 bb)

Biao Ding’s Comeback

From there, nonetheless, the wheels got here off in spectacular vogue.

The chips rapidly went in with Ding’s Ok♠9♠ racing in opposition to Negreanu’s 7♥5♥. Regardless of Negreanu turning a large 18 outs on A♣2♥4♦J♥Ok♦, Ding pale the river to safe his first double.

Shortly after, Ding doubled once more, successful with A♦10♠ in opposition to Negreanu’s Ok♠Q♠.

The final word heartbreak got here when Negreanu limped the button, Ding raised to 120,000, and Negreanu shoved. Ding known as for his final 1,009,000.

Daniel Negreanu: A♥Q♦Biao Ding: A♠9♠

The 6♦5♥2♦ flop and 10♠ flip stored Negreanu safely forward, leaving Ding with simply three outs.

“This may harm Daniel,” the commentators mused.

Proper on cue, the 9♦ spiked on the river, handing Ding a 3rd consecutive double-up.

“I can not fucking take it anymore,” a annoyed Negreanu vented. “We’re not performed, however we’re principally performed,” he mentioned to the rail.

He was proper. After the break, Negreanu moved his closing 9 massive blinds into the center with Ok♦3♥ and was seemed up by A♦7♣.

The flop fell A♠J♥2♥, giving Ding high pair.

“You win each all-in,” Negreanu sighed. “I want backdoor hearts, backdoor straights.”

The flip introduced the two♣, formally leaving Negreanu drawing lifeless. “Oh, that one stings,” he muttered, and headed for the exit, swearing underneath his breath as he walked out of the Paris ballroom.

Daniel Negreanu on the 2025 WSOP Cashes

However, regardless of the end result, Negreanu has secured his first money of the 2026 WSOP.

Final 12 months, Negreanu obtained off to a flier, ending runner-up to Ryan Bambrick within the $10,000 Restrict Omaha Hello-Lo Championship, denying Child Poker the right begin to the Sequence.

5 extra top-10 finishes (and an Eleventh-place) would observe, the largest of which got here within the $250,000 Tremendous Excessive Curler the place he completed ninth for $531,284. As you may see, seven cashes in $10,000 buy-in occasions together with cashes in $25,000, $100,000 and $250,000 buy-in occasions can be onerous to beat. However Negreanu would settle for only one, so long as it got here with a shiny new WSOP gold bracelet.

Primarily based in the UK, Will began working for PokerNews as a contract dwell reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time workers in 2019. He now works as Managing Editor.

He graduated from the College of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He additionally holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports activities Journalism.