Doug Polk Challenges Negreanu To A “Grudge” Heads-Up Match

An exciting heads-up “grudge” match between two of poker’s most prominent players could be happening in the future.

The grudge match has gained interested and is currently a hot topic on Twitter. Over the years, Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk have locked horns several times, engaging in social media banter over issues in and outside of poker.

Most recently, Negreanu was in hot water after going on a profane rant directed at a commenter who insulted his wife. The incident happened when he was livestreaming his play in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Online Bracelet Series on WSOP.com. Polk, a known critic of Negreanu, was quick to react to the incident in the form of a nasty sarcasm, calling the latter’s rants as a “masterclass in discipline“.

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Negreanu Responds

Now, it has emerged that Polk, who officially retired from poker earlier this year, might give the game another shot under one condition – he and Negreanu must face each other in a heads-up match to put an end to their long-standing grudge once and for all. The idea was ignited by Joe Ingram who recently tweeted that Polk and Negreanu should just settle their disputes by playing against each other heads-up at some point.

Two of the greatest poker players of all-time should settle this in a poker match – enough beating around the bush.

Lets settle on details…..

This will be one of the greatest events in the history of the game.

LETS MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!@RealKidPoker @DougPolkVids

— Joey Ingram #passion (@Joeingram1) July 28, 2020

Polk responded to the challenge by saying he’d be prepared to face Negreanu in a No-Limit Hold’em Heads-Up match, but the Canadian wouldn’t do it anyway because that game isn’t his expertise. Throughout his career, Polk specialized in HU No-Limit Hold’em, which made him one of the best in this area, with three WSOP bracelets to his name and more than $9 million in lifetime poker earnings.

Negreanu was initially unconvinced with the idea, saying the conditions associated with the heads-up match give Polk an unfair advantage. The Twitter discussion continued with Negreanu making reference to the Michael Jordan – Clyde Drexler rivalry in Netflix’s The Last Dance, saying Polk is no more than a fan-turned-hater, who has developed an obsession for criticizing and attacking him after he expressed his disapproval at Polk’s “inappropriate, click bait” videos.

Polk acknowledged that Negreanu was once among his favorite players, but along the way he discovered his true colors – a poker pro who chases money, at the expense of the average players.

You were one of my favorite players. But that didn’t end because I made videos online, it ended because somewhere along the way you totally sold out to make money at the expense of the common player. https://t.co/M6xfEdCVJj

— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) July 29, 2020

Will The Grudge Match Happen?

While the argument escalated on Twitter, Ingram came up with a proposed structure for the highly-anticipate match, which he said would become one of the greatest events in the history of poker.

Will the grudge match actually happen? Well betting site PokerShares thinks so and has released odds on the grudge match but Polk isn’t very confident as he does not believe Negreanu will take up the challenge.