07 Jun 2025 Alan Keating dared seven-time WSOP bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu to play "the million-dollar game" on Hustler Casino Live (HCL) in a tweet from a month ago. I’d love to see @RealKidPoker the million dollar game. I think we all want to see these last-gen names play deep cash. Will he play slow and tight and run from tough decisions like a lot of the big names? How will those famous hand reading skills play when the pots a… https://t.co/VYSSAsC7TN — Mister_Keating (@Mister_Keating) April 17, 2025 Keating's message was clear; he questioned whether Negreanu's famous hand-reading skills would hold up in a single pot that could win or lose him a million dollars. Keating believes that many famous professionals "play slow and tight," meaning they avoid making tough decisions when the stakes are high. It was clear that Keating wanted to see if Negreanu would "run from" a game that didn't have the structure of a tournament. Negreanu's Response After a few weeks, Daniel finally replied on his podcast with his wife, Amanda. Initially, he didn't want to mention Keating's name at all. Instead, he made fun of him by comparing him to Voldemort. Daniel claimed Keating's tweet was an obvious clout chase because people often tweet at him to get attention. "When other people want to make a name for themselves," Daniel said, "they'll often tag me... to get more eyeballs on their stuff." He also stressed that he had been in these situations before. "People don't realize that when I started in this business, I played cash games to afford tournaments," he said, drawing attention to the fact that he has much experience in both formats. But these days, Negreanu primarily focuses on tournaments. He no longer has the time or the urge to travel and sit down for a million-dollar cash game. As he put it, "I don't need to do it now; I like to play tournaments." Cash Game Track Records: What Do the Numbers Say? While the exchange between Keating and Negreanu stirred debate, others in the poker community also weighed in. Some people think that this back-and-forth isn't completely real. Doug Polk, for instance, noted that Negreanu's actual cash-game results aren't all that impressive. Starting in 2007, Negreanu's results graph indicated a total loss of around $2 million, even after recovering some of those early losses. Polk thought Keating's tweet might have been "a strategic setup," a way to get people excited about future coverage on YouTube or to make it seem like Negreanu is "already confirmed" to play. In that case, the result would be clear, but it would be cleverly hinted at to keep people interested. Daniel didn't say no out of pride; it simply didn't fit into his current life and work priorities. He was honest when he said, "I don't give a f***" about going to Los Angeles for a cash game. He joked that Keating's group of "blind guys" wasn't exactly the best. Daniel joked, "I'd like to see Allan sit down with Chidwick, Mateos, and Bonomo and see how that goes." Media Buzz and Public Hype: Good for the Game Although he declined the challenge, Daniel recognized its media appeal. He said, "It helps them get eyes on them." He's right. Feuds, trash talk, and rumours fuel the poker media these days. Keating, on the other hand, is loving the attention. He told everyone at the WSOP that he played in the $25K Heads-Up Championship because Daniel would be in it. He said, "This is my chance to find him in his streets." Daniel remains one of poker's most respected and followed figures. Players, friends, and poker streamers still want to see him play. Even Ryan Feldman, co-owner of HCL, said Negreanu would be his dream guest. He said they've asked him many times, but "he's just not a cash game guy." That could be true, but the dream is still alive. Keating's aggressive approach may have added fuel to the fire. Even Rob Yong weighed in: "Allan is a great player, in my opinion... Daniel would be a massive winner in VIP cash games." The Verdict: Is it Trash Talk or a Real Challenge? So, is it going to happen? It is unlikely to happen anytime soon. But let's be honest: it's fun to compete. Even if it's not planned, this back-and-forth has added some much-needed energy to the scene, which is excellent for poker. Keating believes that this challenge is still going strong. He has shown that he is ready to fight a great player, even if Negreanu backs out. Negreanu is still primarily interested in grinding tournaments; he doesn't care about going for a cash-game showdown. For Keating, it's unfinished business, while for Negreanu, it's just noise."
