High Stakes Poker: Mike Matusow Wins $500,000 Pot Off Daniel Negreanu

In Sunday’s episode of the GSN cash game series “High Stakes Poker,” two major pots featured Mike Matusow tangling with Daniel Negreanu. Matusow took down both, furthering Negreanu’s struggles on the series.

The episode began with Eli Elezra up nearly $300,000 as the table’s big winner. Negreanu was active early, attempting a squeeze play holding just K-2. Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier raised to $3,000 pre-flop with pocket aces and Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond called with A-9. Negreanu pumped the action to $15,000, Grospellier re-raised to $44,000, and the table folded around.

Then, disaster struck for Negreanu. Matusow, holding pocket kings, just called pre-flop and Negreanu came along with 9-8 of clubs. Elezra raised to $5,000 with A-7 and Matusow and Negreanu called. The action flop came 9-K-9, giving Negreanu trips and Matusow a boat. Matusow checked, Negreanu checked, Elezra bet $8,800 with “squadoosh,” Matusow called, Negreanu raised to $28,800, and Elezra got out of the way. Then, Matusow bumped the price of poker to $68,800, Negreanu moved all-in, and Matusow insta-called for his stack.

The duo agreed to run it twice with a pot of $329,200 hanging in the balance. The first board ran out 4-7, shipping the all-important first half of the pot to Matusow. The second came 2-J and Matusow scooped the entire $329,200 pot. Negreanu reached into his bag and plopped another $200,000 in chips on the table.

In the second major pot featuring Matusow and Negreanu, the former once again just called pre-flop with a premium hand, A-Q of clubs, and recent World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship final table member David Benyamine called with J-5 of diamonds. Grospellier came along with K-8 of diamonds, Galfond called with 7-3 of hearts, and Negreanu pushed it to $16,000 with pocket tens. Matusow made it $45,000 and Negreanu called to see a flop of 6-4-7 with two clubs.

Negreanu checked in the dark and Matusow asked for a count before pushing all-in for $199,100 with two overcards and a flush draw. Negreanu deliberated for several minutes before electing to call all-in. The massive pot totaled $496,800 and the turn and river were once again run twice. Clubs filled Matusow’s flush draw each time and he scooped the entire pot. “High Stakes Poker” host Gabe Kaplan told viewers, “It really is extraordinary how unlucky Daniel Negreanu is on ‘High Stakes Poker.’”

In an interview with “High Stakes Poker” hostess Kara Scott following the half-million dollar hand, Matusow explained, “I would have never called, especially not against me. All I’ve turned over is kings, kings, and the nuts every time.” Matusow had largely been quiet throughout the sixth season of the popular high-stakes franchise until Sunday night, when he ended the episode up nearly $400,000, nearly all of it at the expense of Negreanu.

Only one hand featuring Tom “durrrr” Dwan was shown. In it, Negreanu called a $1,600 straddle with Q-J, including the queen of hearts, and Dwan raised to $8,000 with 8-6 of spades. Negreanu called and the flop came 7-A-10 with two hearts. The action went check-check to the eight of hearts on the turn, pairing Dwan and giving Negreanu a flush draw in addition to his gutshot straight draw. Negreanu bet $14,000 and Dwan called. The river was the king of spades, filling Negreanu’s straight, and he bet $42,000. Dwan got out of the way and Negreanu recouped a small portion of his losses on the evening.

The PokerStars-sponsored segment “Did You Know” focused on the string raise, while “30 Seconds with Kara Scott” asked players what their first cars were as well as what they drive now. Catch new episodes of “High Stakes Poker” every Sunday at 8:00pm ET on GSN.