Daniel Negreanu won a small profit on Day 23 against Doug Polk. But it could have been much more if not for yet another unlucky river card.

Daniel Negreanu is slowly but surely getting back in the match. (Image: YouTube)

He also could have walked away with a larger victory if not for a huge failed bluff attempt. In one hand, Negreanu fired out a $55,000 bet on the river with eight-high (7-8). His opponent thought for a brief moment before making the call with K-J on a king-high board.

That hand took Polk from a sizable deficit to a tiny lead. Ironically, shortly after, he gave back a bunch to Negreanu with his own failed bluff attempt with 6-7. Negreanu made the call with trip kings. Tough to bluff into a monster hand.

I love old movies. And one classic scene, repeated hundreds of times over the years, is the death spiral.

It generally goes like this: A military airplane is dramatically shot down in combat. It then goes into a spiraling dive, trailed by smoke, accompanied by the doppler sound of a failed engine falling away, before bursting into flames as it smashes into the ground.

Crashing and burning at the poker table is an avoidable disaster if you can keep your wits about you when it starts to happen. (Image: Ashley Adams)

This happens at the poker table too. It is not quite as dramatic, lacking the trailing smoke and fiery crash. But the effect on the bankroll is the same: complete destruction!

If next Monday’s Alabama-Ohio State winner deserves the right to be College Football’s national champion, Damian Salas is the real 2020 poker world champion, in my opinion. He earned it, he deserves the title, and he’ll make a fine ambassador for this great game.

Damian Salas and Joseph Hebert joke around after the 2020 WSOP Main Event. (Image: Twitter)

Salas defeated Joseph Hebert heads-up at the Rio in Las Vegas Sunday night to secure the bracelet. In doing so, he won an extra $1 million (had already won $1.5 million) and was crowned the 2020 world champion. He originally reached and won the GGPoker final table — played in the Czech Republic. Hebert won the WSOP.com bracket of the Main Event after shipping the final table for $1.5 million at the Rio. They both earned the right to face-off heads-up for all the marbles.

CardsChat’s Daniel Smyth wrote on Monday that he doesn’t consider Salas the “real” world champ, of which I wholeheartedly disagree. My colleague makes a valid point about the Main Event that ran this past summer on GGPoker, won by Stoyan Madanzhiev. He argues that Madanzhiev was the presumed world champ by the poker community at the time and then the WSOP reversed course and decided to host a separate Main Event later in the year.

2020 has been a year where, for better or worse, we all had to adapt. The WSOP adapted and offered two Main Events, which raises the question: is Damian Salas a legit champion?

Even though he’s achievement can’t be overlooked; we can’t really call Damian Salas the 2020 WSOP Main Event champion. (Image: WPT)

There’s no easy answer. Damian Salas clearly put in a strong performance to win the hybrid Main Event finale, so we can’t diminish that fact.

We also know that 2020 was a tough year for everyone and COVID-19 forced everyone to make the best of a bad situation. In that respect, the WSOP’s efforts are commendable and Salas is the champion. However, in other respects, it may have been better to wait.

Damian Salas defeated Joseph Hebert in a marathon heads-up match to win the 2020 WSOP Main Event title, and an extra $1 million in cash. The champ also takes home the coveted gold bracelet and is officially the reigning world champion of poker.

Damian Salas is your 2020 World Series of Poker champion. (Image: WSOP.com)

It took more than five hours for Salas to finish off his opponent. Even once the blinds got so big that there weren’t many decisions left to be made, play still resumed for quite some time. Neither player was willing to give in as there was so much riding on this match.

Both players had already won just north of $1.5 million for beating their respective final tables. But they each were chasing that extra $1 million paid to the winner of Sunday’s heads-up finale. And the player who lost the heads-up match took received nothing beyond the $1.5 million already won.

David “ODB” Baker and Mark Gregorich teamed together to win the famous Las Vegas Westgate SuperContest sports betting competition for $435,000. The poker duo also took second in another major sports betting contest at the Circa in Las Vegas for $200,000.

David Baker and Mark Gregorich took down the famous Las Vegas Westgate SuperContest. (Image: World Poker Tour)

Baker is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner and the 2019 WPT LA Poker Classic champion. In total, he has over $5 million in live tournament cashes. Gregorich, the author of “52 Tips for Texas Hold’em Poker,” is also an accomplished poker player. He has 70 cashes in bracelet events, but is still looking for his first WSOP title.

The two poker pros teamed together for the top NFL football betting contests in the world. And they showed the gambling community they’re skilled at more than just poker.

Although it’s technically 2021, the 2020 WSOP Main Event winner will finally be crowned tomorrow at the Rio in Las Vegas. And that individual will either be Joseph Hebert or Damian Salas.

Will Damian Salas or Joseph Hebert win the 2020 WSOP Main Event? (Image: ESPN)

This year’s $10,000 buy-in world championship event is vastly different compared to the previous 50 years due to COVID-19. Not only did the event take place in December instead of the summer. But most of the tournament was played online instead of at the Rio.

GGPoker kicked off the event for the international players on Nov. 29 and then WSOP.com in Nevada and New Jersey ran the same tournament in December. The nine finalists of the GGPoker tournament met at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic for a live final table. And then the WSOP.com final table ran at the Rio in Las Vegas.

Despite getting crushed for nearly $800,000, Daniel Negreanu isn’t ready to give up. The GGPoker ambassador said on Twitter that he’s going to continue in his match against Doug Polk through 25,000 hands.

The show will go on for Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk. (Image: YouTube)

The poker stars completed the 12,500th hand of the $200/$400 no-limit hold’em match on Dec. 28. Per the rules, the player who trails at the midway point has the option to call it quits without penalty. If that player decides to play on, the match will consist of 25,000 hands.

Negreanu said on his most recent post-game interview on the GGPoker YouTube channel that he was pondering giving up, although it was clear that it was unlikely he would choose that route. He took to Twitter on New Year’s Day to announce his official decision.

Chris Moneymaker has parted ways with PokerStars in order to capitalize on a great new opportunity within the industry, CardsChat has learned.

Chris Moneymaker has left PokerStars after 17 years in order to pursue new opportunities. (Image: Foxwoods Poker)

The 2003 WSOP Main Event champion broke the news last night. In a tweet to his fans (see below), Moneymaker thanked PokerStars for the last 17 years and said 2020 has given him time to reflect.

Being with his family and spending less time on the road is now a top priority. However, Moneymaker’s “interesting decision” will also allow him to pursue other opportunities in poker.

Huck Seed, the 1996 WSOP Main Event champ, will be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame as the only member of the 2020 class.

Huck Seed is the newest member of the Poker Hall of Fame. (Image: YouTube)

Seed was one of 10 finalists for the prestigious award. Since 2005, the WSOP has inducted two members each year, until this year. As Ty Stewart explained to CardsChat last month, by limiting the number of members, they increase the prestige of the club.

Seed certainly wasn’t the favorite, but he’s received high praise from the poker community for his honor. That includes Daniel Negreanu, who openly lobbied for Isai Scheinberg, the PokerStars founder.

Joseph Hebert won the US version of the WSOP Main Event, and he now awaits a heads-up battle with Damian Salas for the world championship, and a shot at an extra $1 million.

Joseph Hebert is one step away from poker immortality. (Image: Twitter)

Salas won the final table, which began on GGPoker, in Rozvadov, Czech Republic earlier this month. He earned just over $1.5 million for his efforts along with the right to face the US Main Event champ. The heads-up match was originally scheduled for Dec. 30 at the Rio in Las Vegas. But Salas had some travel issues due to COVID-19. As such, the finale will take place Jan. 2.

We now know Salas’ opponent, and that individual is Joseph Hebert thanks to a cruel suck out on the final hand. Ron Jenkins, decked out in a MAGA hat, got his chips all-in pre-flop with pocket queens against A-Q. The board ran out K-7-A-4-8, a winning top pair for Hebert and a brutal bad beat for Jenkins, who received $1,002,340 for second place.

Doug Polk bluffed off a massive session lead on Day 22 against Daniel Negreanu, but still holds a sizable lead at exactly the midway point. That is, of course, assuming Negreanu doesn’t opt to quit.

Doug Polk lost again but still leads big overall. (Image: YouTube)

The poker stars played their shortest session to this point on Monday due to reaching the halfway mark (12,500 hands). They both agreed to cut the session short as this is the point in which the losing player (Negreanu) has the option to throw in the towel without penalty.

Negreanu, however, has made it clear he intends to see this thing through to the full 25,000-hand mark. But he did admit in the post-game interview on the GGPoker YouTube channel that he isn’t 100% committed to continuing. The long-time poker rivals will get back to the virtual felt on WSOP.com on Jan. 4, assuming Negreanu doesn’t end the match.

Damian Salas is having trouble entering the United States, so the heads-up match to determine the WSOP Main Event champion is being pushed back. The news comes just hours after Upeshka De Silva was disqualified from the US final table due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Damian Salas will have to wait a few days longer than expected to compete for a world title. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)

De Silva was scheduled to compete at the Rio final table in Las Vegas on Monday. Instead, he’ll receive ninth place money ($98,813) and won’t be dealt a single hand. Those were the rules set forth prior to the start of the tournament earlier this month. Each player knew of the risks associated with traveling during a global health pandemic.

Monday’s final table will still go on, but with eight players instead of nine. One of those players will take home $1.5 million and a shot to face Salas, who won the international bracket of the tournament, heads-up for the bracelet and an extra $1 million. That heads-up finale was scheduled for Dec. 30 at the Rio. But the international winner is having a difficult time entering the United States.

Upeshka De Silva is out in ninth place from the WSOP Main Event automatically due to a positive COVID-19 test ahead of the final table in Las Vegas. The three-time bracelet winner receives $98,813, but won’t be dealt a single hand on Monday.

Upeshka De Silva is the ninth place finisher in the 2020 World Series of Poker Main Event. (Image: bay101news.com)

De Silva is the most accomplished player at the final table. Although he sat in eighth position heading to the Rio, he had as good of a shot at becoming world champion as anyone. But the rules this year state that any player who tests positive when the online tournament switches to the live final table format would automatically be disqualified and paid ninth place money.

Eight other players will compete on Monday at the Rio for a shot to face Damian Salas heads-up for the world title and an extra $1 million. Salas won the GGPoker (international) version of the WSOP Main Event earlier this month. He received $1.5 million for his efforts and is now just one step away from poker immortality.

Mike Postle continued to make headlines around the poker world this past year. But those who hoped he would receive justice for allegedly cheating at the poker table were disappointed.

Mike Postle may have cheated, but the courts never held him accountable for his alleged act. (YouTube)

In September 2019, Veronica Brill made some bold accusations about Postle. She claims the Northern California poker pro cheated numerous times during Stones Live streams. The accused cheater instantly denied the allegations and has since maintained his innocence.

But the bulk of the poker community sides with Brill, a former friend of Postle’s who also appeared often on Stones Live.

Damian Salas has already done his part in reaching the heads-up portion of the WSOP Main Event. He now awaits his foe, as he shoots for a world title.

Damian Salas has an opportunity to avenge a past defeat. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Salas won the final table at King’s Casino in the Czech Republic on Dec. 15 for $1,550,969. He beat out a field of 674 players, all who paid $10,000 to enter (or won a satellite), in a tournament that began on GGPoker.

Despite having won the GGPoker WSOP Main Event portion, the Argentinian still isn’t poker’s world champion. Salas will await the winner of the WSOP.com Main Event final table, which is set to be played on Monday at the Rio in Las Vegas.

What does the upcoming year have in store for the poker world? After COVID-19 put us all on tilt in 2020, we can only hope for a more prosperous year, starting with the return of major live tournaments.

Will the 2021 WSOP in Las Vegas take place, or will COVID-19 win again? (Image: WSOP.com)

I made some predictions for 2020 a year ago, but I won’t spend much time revisiting them, simply because most of our picks were based on live tournament play. Given that only a few major tournaments ran in 2020 due to COVID-19, there’s really no point in rehashing the poker year that wasn’t.

Instead, we’ll move forward to what will hopefully be a better year for us all.

Daniel Negreanu is helping raise money for something other than Doug Polk’s retirement fund. The GGPoker ambassador, via his pal Eric “Barstool Nate” Nathan, will match up to $25,000 in donations towards The Barstool Fund, a charity drive raising money for small businesses struggling to survive during COVID-19.

“Barstool Nate” and Daniel Negreanu are raising money for a good cause. (Image: WSOP.com)

Billionaire entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis challenged Barstool founder Dave Portnoy to “put your money where your mouth is” and raise money for the small business owners he claims to support. Portnoy obliged and created a charity drive that has raised over $4.6 million this month.

The first recipient of the small business fund was Frank Borrelli, owner of Borrelli’s pizzeria in New York. If you follow Barstool Sports, that name may sound familiar. Borrelli’s son, Frankie, is a producer for Barstool. His family’s restaurant has been in business for 65 years but was struggling to make ends due to COVID-19. Portnoy jumped in and shipped the business owner a $500,000 check. An emotional Borrelli left a video message for the Barstool Sports founder.

Tom Dwan has given us a small but intriguing insight into how you can win $6 million+ pots with a complete bluff.

Tom Dwan has recounted his biggest ever bluff in a pot worth more than $6 million. (Image: PokerVIP)

The latest installment of Dwan’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) dissects his greatest bluff and, surprisingly, it’s not the infamous hand against Phil Ivey.

In this hand, the man known as Durrrr put it all on the line with air in a pot that sounds as though it was worth at least $6 million and, potentially, more than $10 million.

Doug Polk had to work for his money on Wednesday. He also had to withstand a furious rally by Daniel Negreanu. But after all was said and done, he ended one of the longest sessions of the challenge with yet another six-figure win.

Doug Polk battled for five hours to book a six-figure profit. (Image: YouTube)

Negreanu was coming off two straight winning sessions in which he profited over $260,000 total. He was looking to continue his winning ways, but couldn’t shrug off an early massive deficit.

Polk entered Day 21 of the $200/$400 heads-up no-limit hold’em competition on WSOP.com with a $696,000 lead. The long-time feuding poker pros had completed 11,318 hands of a 25,000-hand challenge. On Thursday, they nearly hit the midway point, and Negreanu is now down by a margin that will be difficult, but not impossible, to come back from.