Poker is the most popular card game in the world. The game has made a significant transition of its image. Currently, poker is viewed more as a sport than as a game. The game’s popularity has been fueled for years due to its accessibility and diversity. Since the invention of the “pocket cam” in 1997, poker television programs appeared on the scene.
In fact, it can be said that the rising number of poker shows inflated poker’s popularity even more. Another factor that contributed to the game’s popularity is the advent of technologies, which have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, including our free time. At present, over 100,000 new players create accounts in online cardrooms every month.
Poker is really a charming game which has captured the hearts of many. Historically, poker was a game, mostly played at family or friends gatherings. Slowly, the card game acquired the reputation of a casino game. The game itself offers different variants, so the players have a wide choice. Moreover, poker is the only game which is not played against the house in the casinos.
One of the oldest and most-discussed questions is if poker is a game of luck or a game of skills. It is hard to classify poker as a game, entirely dependent on the player’s skills and strategy, because nobody can control what cards will be dealt. In that sense, many poker players tend to “excuse” their losing strings with “bad luck”. Needless to say, even the most professional poker player can lose a hand. However, the skilled player knows how to minimize the effects of the losses and how to make the most of every hand. Poker is a perfect combination of luck and skills.
What Classifies Poker as Sport
As aforementioned, poker is currently viewed by many as a sports activity, rather than just a game. Many people would ask what are the markers to classify poker as a sport. To better explain the reasons why poker can be classified as a sport, we should first explain the main features of a sport. By definition, a sport is an activity that involves a “physical exertion and skill”. Apart from that, a sport involves two or more participants (teams), who compete against each other. Examining the very nature of poker, these features seem to fit also the idea of poker. The game is very similar to chess or billiard, which requires almost no physical activity, but are also recognized as sports.
Every sport has its best athletes, so is poker. There are a lot of prominent poker players worldwide. To be a successful poker player requires a number of personal features, including discipline, attention, ambitiousness, emotion control and patience. Hence, poker is a game that can not only improve your bankroll, but also your personal qualities. Quite expectedly, it is a hard task to master all the skills at once in order to toil your way to the top.
Canadian Poker Players Emerge on the Poker Scene
Canada is a country with established traditions in gambling. The country is popular for its liberal approach to gambling. Hence, it barely surprises anyone that some of the best poker players are Canadians. In the recent years, most of the poker tournaments are attended by at least one Canadian poker player.
As for the last 2017, the Canadian maple leaf flag was waved in some of the most prestigious poker tournaments on a global scale. Speaking of the most prolific Canadian poker players to win the most cash during their poker careers, the top positions are occupied by Daniel Negreanu and Jonathan Duhamel – the Canadian poker Titans. The two players are on top of Canada’s All-Time Money List. Their faces are easily recognizable and their appearance on the poker arena usually makes a furor among the poker fans.
The lines below will provide the curious poker fans with a detailed information regarding the achievements of the two poker heavyweights during the last year. It is important to note that the information about the two players’ live poker earnings is accurate as of the day, in which the article is produced.
Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu is a Canadian poker player that made the headlines on multiple occasions during 2017. The player is recognized as the best poker player on Canadian soil and that is not a statement full of pathos, but the truth itself. Negreanu managed to engrave his name in the history of poker with gold letters. Apart from having countless in-the-money finishes, the player has a rich collection of trophies. At present, the poker player is topping a number of ranking lists, including Canada’s All-Time Money List, All Time Money List Current Rank, All Time Money List Best Rank and Popularity Ranking.
As for the previous year, the player has appeared on a number of prestigious poker events. The team from Casino Reports has decided to cast a look only at Negreanu’s best finishes in 2017. In April last year, the player finished in 2nd place in $25,400 Bellagio Mixed Game High Roller for $175,000. In a similar event, that kicked off on the next day, the player collected a consolation prize of $77,500 for his runner-up finish.
At the end of May, the player hit the rail in 3rd place in $10,300 Bellagio Mixed Game High Roller for $28,500 in prize money. On 31st May, the player appeared in $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em – Tag Team Championship event, presented by World Series of Poker (WSOP). Negreanu succumbed in 3rd place for $29,939. In the beginning of June, the loved-by-many Negreanu continued his WSOP adventure, entering $10,000 Omaha Hi/Lo Championship. The player could not survive the heads-up battle and finished in 2nd place for $240,290. Negreanu’s latest deep run in $100,000 No Limit Hold’em – Super High Roller, sponsored by World Poker Tour (WPT) boosted his bankroll with $936,000. The player let the first prize slip through his fingers, but the prize was enough to heal the wound.
Although the player did not score any live tournament victories over the past year, he was a frequent participant and registered multiple in-the-money finishes. So far, the player’s bankroll amounts to $35,269,814, but that will certainly change very soon. Apart from his accomplishments during the last year, the player has 6 gold bracelets and 36 final tables. In 2014, he was officially admitted into the Poker Hall of Fame.
In the social life, Negreanu is an active Tweeter user. He always takes the opportunity to share his thoughts and expectations with his fans. Some time ago, the Canadian poker player topped the poker Twitter feeds. In September last year, Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu entered a heated debate on Twitter, discussing the young generation of players.
Jonathan Duhamel
Jonathan Duhamel is the other most successful poker player, who is just one step behind Negreanu. The player has become extremely popular as the first Canadian player to bring home the long-coveted WSOP Main Event bracelet. Unfortunately, Duhamel had a bad experience in December 2011, when his bracelet, along with other expensive possessions were stolen from his home. At present, Duhamel has a collection of 3 WSOP bracelets and a jaw-dropping bankroll of $17,877,482. He is ranked in 2nd place in Canada’s All-Time Money List.
According to his The Hendon Mob career profile, the poker master appeared only in 6 poker events over the past 12 months, but that was enough for him to win two 1st places. His first appearance on the poker scene for the last year was in May. He snared the first-place prize of C$57,000 (approximately $41,738) in C$2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Hold’em Second Chance, presented by partypoker. His other hot performance came after C$10,300 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller 8-Max Re-entry, which was played within 2017 Playground Poker Fall & WPT Montreal festival. The player pocketed C$130,000 ($102,505) to cap his total earnings thus far at $17,877,482.
It seems that much water will flow under the bridge before Duhamel manages to surpass Negreanu’s career portfolio, but the player seems to be determined to slowly, but surely climb the ladder of success.
