Daniel Negreanu Off the Tourney Circuit Because of Surgery

Daniel Negreanu’s return to the top-flight of high-stakes tournament poker with an excellent run this week at the US Poker Open will have to be put on hold, the PokerStars legend finally going in for some much-needed surgery…

Health matters weren’t part of the ‘KidPoker’ New Year Resolution list released on his blog last month…

…but he’ll be hoping to follow Jason Koon’s example and get back to full fitness before making another run at the highly-competitive, big buy-in circuit – the Canadian realising at last year’s Poker Masters event that he needed to up his game if he wanted to compete seriously at that level.

He did exactly that, cashing 5 times at the Aria this week and thanking his ‘anonymous’ coaches for their help…

…while promising to use his recovery time from surgery to make sure he is ready for the ‘big one’, the $300,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl taking centre stage in May, again at the Aria Casino.

Negreanu’s surgery tweet has received a wide range of responses, from well-wishers…

…to fellow sufferers among the poker fraternity always up for a side-bet…

 …to potential (before the ACL injury of course) ‘stand-up’ comedians…

Negreanu’s cashes this week have taken his all-time tournament earnings total to $36,546,094 - his $million yearly PokerStars endorsement meaning he may well be closing in on Phil Ivey’s reputed $100million worth - but with May’s  SHRB likely to have $5million up top, Erik Seidel could still overtake him on the all-time list.