Never too shy to speak his mind, Daniel “KidPoker” Negreanurecently got caught up in another Twitter spat, this time with poker pro Jordan Cristos (pictured), who Negreanu believes slows tournament play by “tanking,” or taking an excessive amount of time before each decision.

The argument started after Cristos Tweeted his dislike of the World Poker Tour’s decision to change its final table structure from 90 minutes to 60 minute levels. That complaint prompted Negreanu’s response: “if everyone did what you did this game is dead in a hurry. So yes, [tanking] works for you maybe but I have zero respect for it.”

The two traded barbs, and at one point Cristos told KidPoker, “I acknowledge a lot of peers/elites disagree with me but that won’t change who I am or how I operate.”

Negreanu (pictured), who urges readers of his blog to treat poker like a small business, with the venue and tournament organizers as partners, felt that Cristos’ slow decision-making was both selfish and shortsighted. “Got it, you came for you,” he posted. “Got it, you see it as good for your game. Got it, you are going to do you and not change of the community’s requests,” he continued.

“But later you claim that we should all ‘respect the game and respect your tanks,’ but if you are unwilling to respect the structure and the other players, why would that warrant us respecting the fact that you are sabotaging the structures for the rest of us?”

The poker community chimed in on the debate, with Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler even suggesting an unconventional solution. “Have a great idea to stop endless tanking in tournament poker,” he tweeted. “If you tank, get clock called and eventually fold, you must show your cards.” Negreanu and Doyle Brunson retweeted the suggestion, although other players found fault with it.

Poker pro Gavin Griffin agreed with Negreanu that excessive tanking leads to less hands being dealt while reducing the entertainment value the game provides to pros and amateurs alike. “This is a pretty significant detriment just on an expected value basis for those at your table,” he told CardPlayer. “It’s also an enjoyment penalty because the most fun thing about playing poker is playing.”

In the midst of the Twitter beef, Negreanu even suggested that Cristos’ marijuana use could be exacerbating the problem. “I have nothing against potheads, but did you ever stop and think that maybe you are too stoned to realize how slow you are,” he asked. Cristos hit back, saying, “I can play 20 tables online stoned out of my mind. Doesn’t change anything.”

In defense of his right to use up all of his allotted time at the poker tables, Cristos tweeted that he had never clocked anyone in his life because he respected the community and the game. “I clock people because I actually DO respect the community and the game!” Negreanu wrote. “You came for YOU, remember? You are focusing solely on what you think is best for you, and despite the community telling you that you are being excessive with your tanking, you ignore their pleas to have you act more quickly.”

KidPoker asserted that he wasn’t against tanking, but when a player takes several minutes to make what should be a routine pre-flop decision, “most agree that this is excessive tanking.”

Poker pro Dan O’Brien backed Negreanu in a Tweet, saying, “philosophical principle universality: if everyone operated that way, with the system be able to function? I say no.”

While Negreanu made clear that his attack on Cristos wasn’t personal, he was adamantly opposed to the poker pros’ drawn out decision-making process. “Jordan talks a lot about respecting the game and respecting the players, but his actions show absolutely no respect for other players’ time or what is best for the game or the community,” he said.

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