The Negreanu-Deeb Rivalry: A Poker Feud Fueled by Competition and Controversy

Daniel Negreanu is Canada's most proven poker player. Meanwhile, Shaun Deeb, a 39-year-old American pro, is far less accomplished when judged in terms of career winnings. But the two players do have a rivalry that has spanned a number of years now.

The rivalry between Daniel Negreanu and Shaun Deeb is a gripping saga in the gossipy world of poker. Negreanu, a seven-time WSOP bracelet winner and GGPoker ambassador, is celebrated for his charisma and fan-friendly demeanor as much as he is celebrated for great poker play. Deeb, with six bracelets and a reputation for high-volume play, often stirs controversy with his blunt, confrontational approach.

Their feud, marked by professional clashes and personal barbs, has become a focal point for poker fans, and that included an incident at the 2025 World Series of Poker. But before we look at that, let's look at what happened in the past.

The feud between the two players took shape around 2018-2019, notably during the 2019 WSOP Player of the Year (POY) race. Negreanu and Deeb battled closely, with Deeb needing a deep run in the WSOP Europe Colossus to surpass Negreanu. The American fell short, but the plot proved to be moot. A WSOP scoring error later awarded the title to Robert Campbell. 

Off the table, a spat on social media turned ugly in 2019 when Deeb, allegedly, insulted Negreanu’s then-fiancée, Amanda Leatherman. Negreanu had also labelled Deeb an “angle shooter" in 2018, for a previous incident. This is a poker term meant to describe a player who exploits rules or ethics to gain an edge, often through deceptive or manipulative tactics. Angle shooting could be like feigning moves or misrepresenting intentions.

Deeb’s criticism of players’ high-stakes markups further clashed with Negreanu’s defense of peers, escalating tensions. Then on June 6th, 2025, at the WSOP, X posts (@ZerosNoticias) reported Deeb accusing a player of “avoiding the blind,” a claim Negreanu seemed to take issue with.

Avoiding the blind occurs when a player deliberately delays to avoid paying a blind. If someone is "Avoiding the blind," it may be hard to prove, calling into question whether you should ever claim someone did it.