PokerStars’ main apologist Daniel Negreanu created a Twitter storm after calling some players a cancer in the game of poker – and then faced a backlash from fellow Canadian highroller Sam Greenwood, who reminded Negreanu that his own paymasters stole $millions from players…
How much damage does receiving a salary to promote a site that stole millions of dollars its players do? https://t.co/ra6nLKFdZ6
— Sam Greenwood (@SamGreenwoodRIO) 21 January 2019
The spat began after Negreanu described the attributes of what he thinks makes for good and bad players in a game:
The Good…
Negreanu stated: “5 things that make you good for a poker game: Lose Money Act Quickly Friendly/Engaging Generous/Give Action Positive Attitude If you are 4 of these things but also win money, you are likely to be a pleasant addition to any poker game.
5 things that make you good for a poker game:
Lose Money
Act Quickly
Friendly/Engaging
Generous/Give Action
Positive AttitudeIf you are 4 of these things but also win money, you are likely to be a pleasant addition to any poker game.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) 21 January 2019
The Bad…
His description of the bad players was brutal: “Worst kind of poker player has the following traits: Winner Slow Quiet (Also Miserable) Nit (Cheap/Selfish) Hater (Complainer/Negative) If you match all of these categories then you are probably a real treat to have at parties. 2 of 5 is still bad”.
Worst kind of poker player has the following traits:
Winner
Slow
Quiet (Also Miserable)
Nit (Cheap/Selfish)
Hater (Complainer/Negative)If you match all of these categories then you are probably a real treat to have at parties. 2 of 5 is still bad.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) 20 January 2019
The Ugly
What followed however was his ‘cancer’ comment, likening anyone who didn’t meet his exacting requirements to a ‘disease’ that poker doesn’t need.
And this is exactly why this type of player is a cancer to poker. The Nits are like a disease. Some just don’t know any better, they aren’t bad people, but they do way more damage than good by playing poker.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) 20 January 2019
There were plenty of players and Twitter fans who quickly picked him up on his claims, however, and did it in the exact same format as the Canadian PokerStars’ mouthpiece…
“1. Accept a contract from the biggest thieves in the world of poker.
- Tell to ppl more rake is better.
- Lose all credibility.
- Now act like you are positive & doing something good for the community.
But yeah, if you had not done that, your comment would be acceptable”.
And as the Greenwood tweet in the article opener shows, it wasn’t just random Twitter attackers who disagree with him, Irish pro David K Lappin also calling him out on his self-centred views…
When Pokerstars sends its representatives, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people with lots of problems. They’re bringing Choice Centre dogma. They’re bringing corporate spin. They’re black-facists. And some, I assume, are good people… https://t.co/oUv72hepFv
— David K Lappin (@dklappin) 21 January 2019
More Rake Is Better
Negreanu has been one of the most forceful critics of the Full Tilt Poker bosses who disappeared with around $400million of player funds following the 2011 Black Friday shutdown in the USA.
He has also, however, been incredibly reticent to condemn PokerStars decision not to honour the SuperNova and SuperNovaElite players’ earnings in recent years, as well as defending the site over huge rake increases, leading to the infamous Doug Polk ‘More Rake is Better’ confrontations
…and his incredible assertions about what type of player is good or bad for the game comes on the back of his defending and even congratulating serial scammer David ‘Chino’ Rheem this week…
Congrats to @ChinoRheem for slicing through the PCA main event field. What a beast. Get it son!!! https://t.co/1F1w6Mcq1D
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) 17 January 2019
In the fantasy world of morality that Daniel Negreanu the PokerStars hero inhabits, it seems that ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ is the catchphrase – and that is the real cancer infecting poker!
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