Poker pros Negreanu and Baker impart strategies for triumphing in poker dreams and assessing competitors.
Get ready for the GT+ WSOP Fantasy Draft 2024! This year, we're bringin' it online, and you don't wanna miss out. We're offerin' a $3k freeroll in a whole new format! Teams can be created until 00:01 on May 30, so don't delay!
GT+ WSOP Fantasy Draft 2024: The Next Level of Poker ActionRead More
We're here to chat all things poker fantasy! Dan Negreanu hosts a whopping $25k buy-in draft every year, and David "ODB" Baker's $500 buy-in version is just around the corner. This year, we're stepping it up with an online draft based on Negreanu's format.
Chad Holloway: Let's dive into poker fantasy news, shall we? The annual Negreanu draft is just days away, and David's draft is about to kick off. Exciting times ahead for the poker world!
Daniel Negreanu: I can't wait—I've been fielding tons of questions about the draft! It's usually at this time I'm deep into preparation, researching players' plans. But this year, things have been a bit different, thanks to Amanda's family visit. I just hope I can piece together a team as good as last year!
David Baker: My draft keeps breaking records for participants year after year, and I expect that trend to continue in 2024. Fantasy has played a huge role in the growth of the World Series and poker in general. People are constantly tracking each other's results, and it only fuels the interest in both tournaments and fantasy.
CH: That first Negreanu draft was in 2011, right? I didn't realize it wasn't your idea, Dan?
DN: Yeah, it was actually Howard Lederer's initial plan to host it at his home. It was intended as an invitational for mixed-game regulars. Hold'em tournaments had massive fields, making it impossible to predict winners, while limit game players knew each other well. That's why the scoring system favored expensive mixed-game tournaments. The strategy has evolved a lot since then, with big bonuses for large fields now in place.
DN: Yeah, I've always been a fan of fantasy sports. I was bummed to miss out on such a competition. In the end, I've been running the draft for 13 years now, and last year we had a record 20 teams. I'm aiming for 17 this year, fingers crossed (*Editor's note - The actual number of teams is usually closer to 19).
CH: I've noticed some players asking to be drafted, even though it doesn't benefit them. Why do you think that is?
DN: It's hard to say, man. Poker is an individual game, there are no team interests involved. But many players feel a sense of pride when they're drafted. David has already pointed out that the draft has had a major impact on the World Series, and I have to agree. I can't even guess how much money the organizers have made from players who decided to play more tournaments because they were drafted onto a team.
DB: I can tell you from a player's perspective. Back in 2011, I was just a limit game regular, not exactly a household name. Daniel was already a big deal back then, while my friend Ray and I drove to Vegas from Houston to take part in the draft. We listened to the recording during the drive, hoping we'd get drafted. I remember feeling thrilled when Daniel picked me because we often played limit games together...
DN: ...True, my team didn't exactly win any prizes, haha!
DB: Well, I can take the blame for that! But I'm talking about the sense of respect you get from your peers. It's hard to put a price on that. I couldn't afford the $25k buy-in for the draft myself, but every year I'm amazed at how lackluster the teams players draft are. So one year, I tweeted, "Who wants to play for $500? We'll draft teams at big-name prices!" I figured a few friends might be interested, but I was flooded with messages that first night. The first draft had around 100 participants, all calculations were done manually by my wife. In one of the following drafts, a guy named Stan from 25kfantasy.com contacted me and said he could handle everything on his platform. Without him, I would probably have given up on the idea years ago.
CH: PokerNews added a new filter to their live reports this year, allowing players to follow only the chip counts and hands of drafted players.
DN: No online tournaments will be counted this year (Hooray!). That'll make it a lot more exciting to follow the action. Updates will be almost instantaneous.
DN: I strive to ensure all participants have an equal chance at success. That's why I don't have a problem with an element of randomness. People complain that it's unfair to get the same points for 72nd place in Colossus and 1st in a $10k event. I understand the argument, but it adds variety to the team-building strategies. Some folks focus on limit game regulars, while others prioritize grinders in kilopoints. The most important thing is that everyone has a chance to win.
CH: In the first draft, teams led by Jason Mercier and Jason Somerville took the top spots.
DN: Yep, and Mercier won again in the second draft. Interestingly, he didn't participate again. He pulled off a bold hit-and-run, in a way.
CH: In the 14th championship, Team Gipsy won. Who's the Gipsy?
DN: He's a Russian player, Gipsy.
CH: In 2022, when Maria Ho won, you came in second.
DN: I actually led the series until one of Maria's team members took down the Main Event. That's perfectly normal. The only thing I don't like is when teams draft players who almost everyone knows won't play. I remember a few years ago when Chris Witthoft was drafted, but he didn't intend to play. So now we maintain a list of players who can't be drafted, including those who aren't planning to play and those I don't want on the list for moral reasons.
DB: Selling shares in poker is quite common, and I'm glad it's gaining traction in fantasy. Last year, a team of journalists won, selling shares on PokerStake.com. Many teams offer a piece of the action to their drafted players.
DN: Haha, I've got a crazy story from one draft. I called Steve Billirakis for $1, and no one raised the price, even though he's a strong player.
- What's the issue? I asked.
- He doesn't have the money to play.
- Well, he does now.
And Todd Brunson took himself for $1, warning, "If anyone says $2, I won't play a single tournament."
CH: Daniel, by the number of points in the history of drafts, you're second. Phil Hellmuth leads.
DN: You wouldn't believe how proud he is! Usually, they give around 100 points for Sean and me combined, fewer for Phil, which he takes pretty hard. So, it's incredibly important for him to outshine us again. I've got to admit, he manages to put up some impressive results every year.
CH: I'd like to suggest a few names, and you can tell me if you think they're worth drafting or not. I don't know anything about their plans. Daniel Weinman, the current World Champion, for example.
DN: I'm not sure. He just loves poker, but he's got more than enough money now. He's not on my preliminary list.
DB: I don't think he'll play much. But things could change if Sean Dib takes him on his team. Daniel loves golf and doesn't want to be away from his family for too long. On the positive side, he plays all games well. But I prefer to know players' plans clearly, so I wouldn't bet on him.
CH: Josh Arie?
DB: Josh is an excellent choice. He's either extremely lucky or plays all games exceptionally well. Either way, he'd be a strong addition to any team.
DN: The only drawback is that Josh might suddenly quit and go home due to a bad streak, like he did a couple of years ago. He's also extremely motivated to make it into the Hall of Fame.
CH: The man on an endless hot streak—Bin Wang.
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DN: He plays both low and high buy-in Hold'em tournaments but doesn't do well in limit games. He likely won't focus on the draft, which isn't great for the team. I wouldn't spend more than $15 on him.
DB: I'd value him no higher than $10 (Nobody paid more than 4 for Bin Wang). He's worth a roll of the dice for the kilopoint bonus, but it wouldn't be surprising if he doesn't score any points at all.
CH: Kristen Foxen.
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DN: A key point is that she previously skipped high roller tournaments due to taxes. That issue is resolved now that she's married to Alex. I'm not in the loop about her plans, but Kristen is always on my radar. She plays no-limit hold'em incredibly well.
DB: I fully agree, Kristen is a true grinder. It wouldn't surprise me if she plays every day. But the same issue applies—any hold'em specialist can go on a downswing and score zero points in the series. Just last year, Daniel had Brian Kim, a very strong player, but he scored only 10 points. The variance in hold'em is massive.
A telling example is Adrian Mateos. He just crushed another Triton series, there's no question he's one of the strongest players in the world. But he's unlikely to go for more than $20.
DN: I'll take Adrian if I have the chance. He's one of the rare high rollers who plays low buy-in tournaments with full focus. (*Daniel ultimately missed out on taking Mateos; him and the WSOP champion, Vayo, went for 45 picks instead).
CH: Last pick—Phil Ivey.
DN: We've been friends for years, but I never know what his plans are. He could play cash games the whole series, though in recent years he's been taking part in a lot of high-stakes mixed games. He's a poker enthusiast, few understand that. But this is Phil Ivey we're talking about—it's a risky pick. He could rack up a ton of points, or leave the team with nothing. Great value at $5, but this is Phil Ivey, they'll negotiate him up to $30-40.
DB: Phil is a tricky choice for me. I'd be happy to have him on my team for $80, but not for $10. Because in the first case, there's competition, meaning some people know he'll play a lot. But in the second, no one knows his plans, and he might not even show up to the series.
I'm not sure about Daniel Weinman's plans for the GT+ WSOP Fantasy Draft 2024, as he might not participate given his love for poker but having enough money already.
The GT+ WSOP Fantasy Draft 2024 is an online event based on the format of Dan Negreanu's annual draft, with teams being created until 00:01 on May 30.
PokerNews has added a new filter to their live reports this year, allowing players to follow only the chip counts and hands of drafted players.
In the GT+ WSOP Fantasy Draft 2024, players can sell shares in their team, which has been gaining traction in fantasy gaming.
In the history of the draft, Phil Hellmuth leads, followed by Dan Negreanu.
In the first draft, teams led by Jason Mercier and Jason Somerville took the top spots.
Casino-personalities like Daniel Negreanu and David Baker often participate in sports-betting outside of poker, just like they bet on the outcomes of casino-games such as poker and casino-and-gambling trends.
