Every time Daniel Negreanu thinks he’s got the game figured out, poker has always found a way to humble him.

The 34-year-old Canadian is one of the highest tournament earners of all time, and the high-stakes cash games just wouldn’t seem right without his presence. But as he relaxes in his hotel room in Monte Carlo – a few hours before he’s due to play in the PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final – he admits his route to the top has been anything but smooth. His Big Game debut five years ago is a case in point. ‘My confidence was at an all-time high,’ he says.