Daniel Negreanu Reveals 2010 World Series of Poker Schedule

There are just under 70 days remaining until the start of the 41st annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). As such, poker pros are getting their affairs in order, planning their schedules beginning on May 28th. One of those who has been quite open about his schedule is PokerStars pro Daniel Negreanu.

Negreanu, who calls Las Vegas home, doesn’t have the massive travel schedule that many others will have coming to Sin City, but he has set out an arduous playing schedule that will have him in action at the tables for much of the series. In his blog at Full Contact Poker, Negreanu states, “This schedule is a rough draft and can never be entirely accurate since I don’t know which events I’ll be doing well in.” One of his primary focuses are the World Championship events and Negreanu has set aside extra time for them because, he writes, “the big buy in championship events start at 5:00pm, [so] it’s safe to block out the next day for the same event as it’s unlikely I’ll bust in the first 8 hours.”

Even with this planning in mind, Negreanu has set out a schedule that would exhaust the most ardent poker player. Of the 57 tournaments that make up the WSOP schedule, Negreanu has stated that he plans to play in 36 of them, broken down as such:

No Limit Hold’em: 10
Mixed Events: 6
Omaha Eight or Better: 4
Limit Hold’em: 4
Pot Limit Omaha: 3
2-7 Lowball: 3
Seven Card Stud: 2
Seven Card Stud Eight or Better: 2
Pot Limit Hold’em: 1
Razz: 1

He will play all of the $10,000 buy-in World Championship events, the $50,000 Players Championship, and the Main Event. Negreanu also will be playing some of the smaller $1,500 tournaments, such as HORSE, Limit Hold’em, and the No Limit Hold’em Shootout. As to what his final tally of tournaments will be, Negreanu indicates on his blog, “My guess based on past years is that of the 36 events, I’ll actually end up playing in about 26 of them.”

If Negreanu plays all 36 tournaments, his expenditure will be close to $250,000, which means that he would have to do well in the events he is playing to earn a decent ROI. Over the past few years, this hasn’t been a problem for “Kid Poker,” however. In 2009, Negreanu blitzed the WSOP for eight cashes and two final tables. In 2008, it was an even better year for the Canadian, as he earned five cashes with two final tables and his fourth WSOP bracelet for $520,239. In 2007, Negreanu made two final tables and earned $122,672.

Even with such a successful track record, Negreanu still has a desire to add to his prestige on poker’s biggest stage. “I want to win some bracelets,” Negreanu laments on his Full Contact Poker blog. “I’m frustrated with my bracelet count and feel like I should be at 6 or 7 at my age. I’ll be focusing on winning bracelets this year and looking at the Player of the Year award as a secondary goal to that.” He also states that this year he will avoid any prop betting.

What will be the endgame for Negreanu at this year’s WSOP? Will he achieve more bracelets and continue his winning record of the past couple of years? We shall see when the cards hit the air come May 28th in Las Vegas.