Daniel Negreanu has long been known as the most instantly recognisable face of live poker. Also known as ‘Kid Poker’, the Canadian has won over $42 million in live tournaments alone over the last 23 years.  

Who is the man behind ‘Kid Poker’, however? Is ‘DNegs’ a persona or a genuine personality, and how did Negreanu rise to become one of the greats of the game? Let’s dive into the story of how Danie Negreanu became a Poker Idol.  

The Kid in the Front Row 

The poker career of Daniel Negreanu arguably before he ever sat behind hole cards. Born in Toronto in 1974 to Annie and Constantin Negreanu, who emigrated from Romania, Negreanu was ambitious as a kid. He wanted to be rich and dreamed of moving to the West Coast of America. He had no idea how accurate that earliest visualisation of success would be.