Doug Polk a Lock to Beat Daniel Negreanu Following $210K Upswing

February 3rd, 2021 | by Kaycee James

Doug Polk and Daniel Negreanu are now just a few hands away from completing their high-stakes challenge following another monster online session.

Doug Polk has moved into an unassailable lead and now stands on the cusp of victory in his match against Daniel Negreanu. (Image: Upswing Poker)

With the 25,000-hand match nearing a conclusion, it’s highly unlikely Negreanu will recover. The latest session saw Polk bank almost $210,000 and extend his lead to $900,000+.

There are just over 1,700 hands left to play, so Negreanu could win. However, even with the blinds at $200/$400, it would be virtually impossible against a player of Polk’s quality.

Doug Polk Proves Too Strong Once Again

The February 2 session lasted 1,976 hands and seven hours. Much of the previous bitterness had been forgotten and it was all business from both players this time around.

When the battle was over, Polk was up $209,281. That means he’s now won $946,085 over 23,282 hands.

Even though the result is basically beyond doubt, Negreanu has pledged to see the match through to an end. The finale will likely take place on February 3 or 6.

Will be a lot of fun to talk about all these spots after. Would be down to do a pod and just talk about all the dif situations/hands/spots from the challenge.
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) February 2, 2021

Either way, the latest high-stakes heads-up challenge is almost over.

To say it’s been an up and down affair would be an understatement. As well as swings at the table, Polk and Negreanu’s already fractious relationship has been stretched to breaking point.

Kid Poker has let out multiple foul-mouth tirades. Polk has also lost his temper, most notably when Negreanu decided to tank every pre-flop decision for the best part of an hour.

Fitting End to Epic Battle

However, all’s well that ends well, as they say. Although the two might not become best friends, they appear to have won each other’s respect.

Of course, there’s still another session to play, so the cordial atmosphere could be tarnished. But, for now, Negreanu and Polk are on talking terms.

Not only that, they’ve taken time to discuss their match. This could actually develop into a valuable resource for aspiring players.

https://twitter.com/DougPolkVids/status/1356729968835743746

Indeed, the two pros are clearly aiming to learn from their experience. By dissecting major hands, they’ll also give their social media followers an insight into the way pros think.

Overall, the match has been a success. Although Negreanu would have preferred not to lose, he’s shown he’ll never shy away from a challenge.

Polk has reaffirmed that he’s a world-class player. Finally, poker’s railbirds have been treated to some epic sessions, six-figure swings, and, just for good measure, a little bit of off-the-felt drama.