Daniel Negreanu Votes to Refund Ill US Poker Open player’s $25K buy-in

Poker players aren’t such a bad lot after all, it seems, at least not if Daniel Negreanu’s latest tweet is anything to go by – one unfortunate player in the US Poker Open having his $25K buy-in refunded after the players voted on it when the unnamed player had to go to hospital mid-tournament.

Some Twitter users were confused, however, by the wording of the Canadian’s tweet – believing that the player – who hasn’t been named – wasn’t going for emergency treatment unless the ‘cashback’ vote went his way, a notion quickly dispelled by Justin Bonomo…

Questions were also raised about whether the affected player ought to get just the 81K worth of his 125K starting stack refunded, others musing on the probability of it happening at lower buy-ins, and the responses overall ranging from the supportive…

…to the acerbic…

…and back again to the positive…

With the ill player gone for treatment, the tournament continued and Negreanu reached the money, but unfortunately for his hopes of taking down the overall US Poker Open leaderboard title he bust out in 7th, whereas runaway leader – England’s Stephen Chidwick – made the final table which will resume later this evening…

…with another $25K No Limit event kicking off as we go to press and the $50K Main Event due to start tomorrow as per Negreanu’s tweet.

With regard to the refunding of the ill player’s buy-in, it seems to be a first – at least in a high level event – although when Katrina Sheary gave birth after bagging her day one chips in the 2016 Aussie Millions, her husband Peter was allowed to continue in her place, eventually cashing for 6th in a feel-good story – something much in need in poker at times.