Daniel Negreanu Triumphs Over Eric Persson in $100k High Stakes Duel

Daniel Negreanu defeated Eric Persson in the opening $50k per player bout of High Stakes Duel IV. Negreanu is now looking for a new opponent at stakes of $100,000 for round 2 after Persson declined the rematch.

Eric Persson announced he won’t be taking up the rematch clause for the $100k High Stakes Duel round 2. Daniel Negreanu entered the fourth series of High Stakes Duel hoping to better his previous 3-0 whitewash by Phil Hellmuth. Eric Persson is the CEO of Maverick Gaming and an infamous heads-up victory over Phil Hellmuth showed he has game.

Daniel Negreanu won the first hand with K♥ J♦ against Persson's 8♥ 6♠. Daniel Negreanu won the second hand with 5♥ 5♣ against Persson's 4♦ 2♣. The rules of HSD IV have been changed so that a player can cash out after two wins instead of the previous three wins. Poker Twitter suggested Phil Ivey, Matt Berkey, Doug Polk, and Garrett Adelstein as potential opponents for Daniel Negreanu. Phil Hellmuth defeated Antonio Esfandiari 3-0 in the inaugural High Stakes Duel. In High Stakes Duel III, Phil Hellmuth faced four different opponents before losing his crown to Jason Koon.