Daniel Negreanu was on the verge of progressing in the $25K Heads-Up Championship, but lost crucial all-ins to Ding Bao, including ace-queen versus ace-nine after a nine on the river. The seventh episode of the WSOP vlog captures the feature table atmosphere, intense tilt, genuine emotions, and a swift return to the tournament grind.
Daniel Negreanu steps into the seventh episode of his WSOP 2026 Vlog with a clear goal: to win another heads-up match and move closer to the finals of the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship. With a spot among the last sixteen players, the atmosphere at the TV table is electric, featuring lights, cameras, and a duel meant to be the next step in a promising WSOP start. Instead of smooth sailing, it turns into one of those days that test a player far beyond a usual loss. Negreanu has his opponent pinned several times, only needing to dodge the last card, but poker shows him its cruelest face.
The day begins at home, far from the lights of the feature table. Negreanu reveals his morning routine, which during the WSOP is a little different than usual. He typically goes for oatmeal, protein, chia seeds, soy milk, or berries, but this time he indulges in a hearty breakfast from Makers & Finders. Mini tacos, skillet, and a bigger caloric base make sense, as the day ahead is no ordinary tournament day.
Before heading to the casino, Negreanu explains that after the previous day he was up again by 7:30 AM, but this time he managed a good nap during the day. He embraces the fact that his body functions on early mornings during the summer and plans short naps as needed. He then turns to the day's main focus: the $25K Heads-Up Championship, the last sixteen players, and an opponent around whom there was some confusion in the morning. Initially thinking he was playing a different opponent, Justin Saliba's name appeared, and finally, Ding Bao was confirmed. Daniel admits he doesn't have much experience with him but knows he's a high-stakes player.
Interestingly, he decides against in-depth research. He mentions that excessive preparation can be detrimental since it may cause the player not to be present at the table. He recalls earlier matches against players like Harvey Castro or Brock Wilson, where he figured out their tendencies during the game. With Brock, he sensed higher aggression, with Harvey, he noticed patterns, and with the first opponent, he took advantage of not 3-betting strong hands.
Feature Table Lights and an Ace-Queen Trap
Arriving at the casino, it's time for the big scene. Negreanu prepares his things, shows off his outfit, deals with pre-match mood, and mentions that there might be wine to celebrate later. But no early celebrations yet; two potential matches are ahead, and the first one has to be won. At the feature table, he faces Ding Bao, they greet each other, and the atmosphere shifts into tournament mode.
The key hand comes when Daniel limps ace-queen. Commentators immediately mention a trap, and that's precisely what unfolds. Ding Bao holds ace-nine suited and raises to 120,000, creating a significant decision point with about thirty big blinds. Daniel shoves all-in and gets called. To the commentators, it's a highly debatable call because against Daniel's limp-shove range, ace-nine suited is in a tough spot. Negreanu shows a dominant ace, and everything seems set for advancement.
Negreanu Can't Believe This River!@RealKidPoker has Biao Ding absolutely dominated. What could possibly go wrong?
— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 1, 2026
Remember, you can watch ALL livestreamed coverage on the WSOP YouTube and Twitch channels. pic.twitter.com/0uF2u7E6VB
But this is where the day takes a turn. The flop and turn don’t help Ding, and Daniel just needs to hold on through the river. Suddenly, a nine hits. Negreanu loses an all-in that could have propelled him forward, and it's immediately clear how much it affects him. Not because it was just a bad pot. But because it was yet another all-in he couldn't close in this match.
Four All-ins, Four Hits, and an End in $25K Heads-Up
After this hand, Daniel still has about nine to ten big blinds, but the emotions are at their peak. He states he's extremely tilted because he had his opponent down to a very short stack multiple times and had several chances to finish. First, according to him, Ding Bao had about six or seven blinds and doubled up. Then came more all-ins, more opportunities, and more losses.
Ultimately, he enters the final all-in with king-high against ace-high and no comeback occurs. Ding Bao advances, Daniel finishes, and right after the handshake, it’s clear that this loss stings. The commentators capture it perfectly: some losses are unpleasant, but this one has a specific bitterness because it came from situations Daniel played incredibly well. He later says he made the right moves, played well, and still got hit by a poker slap.
Daniel openly admits he's shaken, frustrated, and that it still hurts because he cares. He adds that most players would be frustrated in this situation, even if many pretend they're unaffected externally. Having an opponent on six blinds in a heads-up match, getting them all-in several times, and never closing the deal is psychologically tough. Daniel realizes WSOP is a long summer, and this is just the beginning of the series, which is why he wanted to start strong. He was close, played well, and stayed competitive throughout the matches.
Deuce-to-Seven as Therapy After a Bad Beat
Instead of the day ending in pure frustration, Negreanu makes a typical professional move. He grabs dinner, thinks about the schedule, and decides to jump into the $1,500 Deuce-to-Seven Single Draw, still within two hours of late reg. GGMillions for $10,000 has unlimited re-entry and no rush there, making a smaller mixed game event the perfect change of pace. Daniel remarks that this is what he chose. He loves poker, loves the emotions, though he'd prefer the joy over the opposite feeling.
His humor returns instantly at the table. He shares his bad beat story with players who didn’t even want to hear it and yet receive the full version. Jennifer tries to escape, Alan asks what's bothering him, and Daniel recounts the entire heads-up collapse. It's comical but also very human. Every poker player knows the moment when they claim they won’t discuss a hand anymore and five minutes later, they’re explaining it to someone new from the beginning.
Then a gambling spot arises in deuce-to-seven. There's little time for play at the table, Daniel wants to gamble, enters a multiway all-in scenario, draws two cards, and ultimately hits a strong hand. Suddenly he has 65,000 in chips, an above-average stack, and didn't need a re-entry. He humorously rates his play as brilliant and his mood noticeably shifts. A moment ago, he was reeling from the $25K Heads-Up knockout, and now he's back at the table building a stack in a completely different format.
Straight Instead of Double-Up and a Jump to GGMillions
But the deuce-to-seven doesn’t bring an immediate return to the top. After busting out there, he moves to the $10K GGMillions. He encounters his player Dong Chen, whom he drafted into his team. He himself has to use a re-entry, but in the last level, he manages to double up with aces to 154,000. A day that could have ended in total tilt concludes instead with continued tournament play.
At the end of the vlog, Daniel considers the next day's schedule. On the table are the $1,500 Six-Max, $1,500 Omaha Mix, and also the GGMillions continuation, where he has a stack, and registration is open for the second day. Since he's not a fan of multi-tabling and doesn't want to jump between tournaments, he decides the next day will begin with golf. Not as an escape from poker, but as part of the process he set for this summer.
