Negreanu Loses First Pokerstars Limit Hold'em Challenge

NEGREANU LOSES FIRST POKERSTARS LIMIT HOLD'EM CHALLENGE

07th May, 2012 at 02:35:47

Source: http://www.bluffed.net

"KidPoker" falls to a relative unknown

The Pokerstars blog reports that Daniel "KidPoker" Negreanu, fresh off big money wins in Monaco, was defeated by relatively unknown online player rUaBot on Saturday in the inaugural clash of the Pokerstars' Limit Hold'em Challenge.

The Limit Hold'em Challenge 'rules of engagement' were that Negreanu and rUaBot would play 1,250 hands of heads-up, fixed-limit hold'em across two tables. The stakes were $200/$400, and each player would begin with $75,000 bankrolls. The challenge would end if one managed to win the other's bankroll.

rUaBot, believed to be a young German player, appeared to know his stuff in discussing the game with a Pokerstars commentator before the match, telling him: "Fixed limit is more strategic than no-limit. There is much more space for general strategic adaptations than in no-limit."

He went on to assert: "Setting up your standard game is pure math. But exploiting your opponent's patterns is an art... and always will be."

Both Negreanu and his opponent displayed sportsmanship in the good-natured competition; Negreanu subsequently praised rUaBot as "a young German genius" in a tweet, and rUaBot complimented his opponent and admitted he had enjoyed a good run of cards when it counted.

It took just over four hours and 937 hands of fascinating and evenly matched poker before rUaBot was able claim Negreanu's $75,000.