Daniel Negreanu did not wait around in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship at the 2026 World Series of Poker. While late registration has become one of the main talking points of this year’s WSOP, Negreanu took his seat from the opening hand. Just ten minutes later, he had already lost more than two thirds of his starting stack.
The seven time bracelet winner and reigning 2024 Poker Players Championship champion endured a brutal opening level on Sunday. After paying off Chris Brewer in a huge pot, Negreanu saw his 300,000 stack fall to just 60,000 before several players had even properly settled into the event.
Brewer Gets Paid in a Huge Early Pot
Negreanu began the tournament in good spirits, welcoming Esther Taylor to the table with his usual loud energy. That mood changed quickly after a major No Limit Hold’em hand against Brewer.
Qinghai Pan opened the action to 3,000 from the hijack, and Brewer called on the button. Negreanu then three bet to 18,000 from the small blind. Pan stepped aside, while Brewer made the call.
On the J♠ K♠ 8♦ flop, Negreanu continued betting and Brewer stayed in. The 2♠ turn brought another bet from Negreanu, this time for 38,000, and Brewer called again. The 7♦ landed on the river, and Negreanu fired 60,000.
Brewer paused before raising to 175,000 with a stack of green 25,000 chips. Negreanu took some time and called, but quickly sent his hand into the muck when Brewer showed 9♠ 8♠ for a flush.
After the hand, Brewer talked through the spot with the table. He said he was not eager to play such a big pot so early and admitted he might have folded if Negreanu had raised on the river, even though Negreanu had only about 22,000 left behind. Still, Brewer understood why Negreanu called.
“I think I’m the most likely to not have it,” Brewer said.
Negreanu Starts Building Back His Stack
The hand did not end Negreanu’s day. After falling sharply in chips, he began to recover and soon worked his way back to around 190,000.
In Stud Hi Lo 8 or Better, Negreanu scooped John Rogers with aces and an eight seven low. He then returned to No Limit Hold’em and forced Joao Vieira out of a river spot.
According to reporter Brett Slezak, Negreanu opened to 4,000 from second position, and Scott Seiver called from the small blind. Vieira squeezed to 20,000 from the big blind, and only Negreanu continued.
The Q♦ 3♦ 2♠ flop checked through, as did the 4♠ turn. On the 8♠ river, Vieira led for 17,000. Negreanu responded with a raise to 65,000, and Vieira folded after thinking for about a minute.
Strong Field Gathers for the $50K Event
At the time of writing, 36 players had entered the $50,000 Poker Players Championship. Chance Kornuth, Naoya Kihara, Luke Schwartz, Brian Rast, and Dan Cates were among the notable names already in the field.
The Poker Players Championship remains one of the most respected mixed game tournaments on the WSOP schedule, and Negreanu’s rough start quickly became one of the early stories of the event.
