Daniel Negreanu 2009 WSOP Player of the Year?

This is not Daniel Negreanu’s year…or is it?

If you go by his 2009 World Series of Poker record so far, you’d be impressed but also a little disappointed, as is he, no doubt. For starters, Negreanu, also known as Kid Poker and esteemed member of Team PokerStars, had been aiming to tie Phil Hellmuth’s 3 WSOP Limit Holdem bracelet record. Event #14, Six-Handed Limit Holdem was his third attempt at that goal to end the same way–with Negreanu taking second place.

Second place in a World Series of Poker event is not bad. But it’s not great, not if you’re Daniel Negreanu. Because it may be a cash-in, but it’s not a bracelet.

But that wasn’t Kid Poker’s only heartache this 2009 WSOP. More recently still, in Event #18, $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low 8 or Better, and chasing his fifth WSOP bracelet, Negreanu went out in fourth place. Winner of that event was Daniel Alaei.

So he’s raking in some respectable dough, but he’s not nailing the wins he’s after. And yet, the Godfather of Poker, Doyle Brunson himself thinks Negreanu is performing famously. So well, in fact, that Brunson believes Negreanu should and will be named the 2009 World Series of Poker Player of the Year.

Rounding out Negreanu’s close calls this World Series of Poker season is 10th place in Event #6, 7-Card Stud World Championship, bringing his 2009 WSOP total payouts around $200,000. He also came in fifth at the recent World Series of Poker Europe and was the big winnerof the British Columbia Poker Championship.