Doug Polk challenges Daniel Negreanu heads-up
The reignited rivalry between Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk went in one of the unlikeliest of directions last night - it actually became about poker.
Although Polk has 'retired' from poker and not played it seriously for years, he officially challenged Negreanu to a heads-up match last night:
I officially challenge Dnegs to a HUNL battle. I am hoping to leave with both his money, and my teeth still in my mouth. https://t.co/yE4ibc8Ydl
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) July 28, 2020
Negreanu quickly pointed out that HUNL was not his strong point and was Polk's bread and butter game back in the day:
Ok so I’m clear:
You want to play the format you studied the most and I haven’t.
You want it to be played online.
And you want me to play 4 tables at the same time?
Anything else? You want me to stream it too so you can see my hole cards? https://t.co/3k1wuRwBd2
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) July 28, 2020
But Polk was not going to let him off that easy, giving Negreanu the chance to pick a format for half of the challenge:
How about this, we each pick a game. Challenge is split between both formats.
I want to do this online so we can actually play some reasonable volume, but I am willing to move it down to 2 tables.
Also I have never used a solver in my life and havent studied in years. https://t.co/PAVOc6Ibmt
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) July 28, 2020
And you have to hand it to Negreanu, this was a pretty good joke given their history:
Can I at least set the rake structure?
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) July 28, 2020
Naturally it didn't take long for the personal animosity between the two to become part of the debate:
You were one of my favorite players. But that didn't end because I made videos online, it ended because somewhere along the way you totally sold out to make money at the expense of the common player. https://t.co/M6xfEdCVJj
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) July 29, 2020
Will it happen? Probably not. This is not the first time such a challenge has been floated but there certainly is a sense in the air that the two have been at loggerheads for so long that it might be necessary to end what has been an often petty rivalry.
Whatever you think of the two and their dispute, there is little doubt that this would be fascinating viewing, it also feels like quite an even match. Polk was without doubt the best HUNL player in the world at one point, but he has been out of the game for a long time. Negreanu by his own admission is neither a No Limit specialist or an online player, but he has adapted his game for the solver era. He doesn't have the ring rust that Polk has, but there is something about Daniel Negreanu that fires Polk up to keep a toe in poker when he otherwise is out the door.
PokerShares did not waste time putting a market up on a potential match, making Polk a slight favourite.
Who would win? Would it ever happen? Let us know in the comments:
