Shaun Deeb has given his first interview since the infamous WSOP Player of the Year debacle went down.
Previously, he’s been very vocal about it on Twitter.
Not only do I feel stripped of my right to go for the title I also got strep now. Going to put a few interview requests on hold right now
— shaun deeb (@shaundeeb) November 9, 2019
However, this is the first time he sat down with someone and articulated his feelings in person. It happened on the Poker News Podcast with Sarah Herring.
Shaun Deeb Opens Up About His Rivalry with Daniel Negreanu and WSOP PoY Drama
Deeb started off his recount of the debacle by saying that his main goal during the WSOP was to win Player of the Year in back-to-back years, something that has never been done before. He traveled to Rozvadov because he felt he had a big edge over Robert Campbell, the Australian player leading the PoY race at the time, in PLO and Hold’em, the two most common games on the schedule.
However, by the time the last event, the Colossus, started he was so far behind in points that Shaun Deeb actually wanted to go home. His wife, Ashley, convinced him otherwise.
“My wife told me: ‘Stay. Win the Player of the Year. But if you don’t win make sure someone besides Daniel [Negreanu] wins.’ You know, this rivalry crosses the lines with both of our significant others. I think the hatred is very mutual for all four parties involved.”
He explained his well known beef with Negreanu in a later part of the interview.
“Me and Daniel had issues for years. Ever since, oddly enough, World Series of Poker Europe in London where he angle shot me and string raised. I called him out for it, but he still to this day for some reason (…) thinks that I did something wrong to him. We’ve always had some quarrels but we were always friendly.
He also elaborated on the more general traits he dislikes in his arch nemesis, rather than just one incident.
“I didn’t like the way he projects his opinion on other people and looks down on them if they don’t agree with him. Plenty of people disagree with me and that’s fine, but I’m not gonna think less of you just because you don’t agree with me or don’t see the world the way I see it.”
Will the WSOP Player of the Year Have a Cash Prize Next Year?
Shaun Deeb also hinted on something that might be major industry news soon.
He said that some WSOP staffers have told him they’re considering putting up a cash prize for next year’s Player of the Year. He made the point that had that been the case this year, the WSOP would have owed money to him, Negreanu and Campbell as well.
Also, Deeb claimed that if the WSOP mistake had hurt Negreanu the way it hurt him, Negreanu would have made a much bigger fuss about it and even would have sued the World Series in Deeb’s hypothetical scenario.
However, the WSOP Player of the Year drama wasn’t the only subject Shaun Deeb has talked about.
He also complained that so many players stall in high rollers on PokerStars these days. This problem made him stay away from them recently. He mentioned the outstanding hospitality in the King’s Casino in Rozvadov as well.
Watch the Shaun Deeb Interview on the Poker News Podcast Here!
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