Phil Hellmuth defeated Daniel Negreanu for the second consecutive match in the second round of their heads-up match at PokerGO's High Stakes Duel.

15 - time World Series of Poker bracelet winner won the entire $, 000 prize pool, earning half as the second round doubled the stakes and required a $ 100,000 buy-in.

In late March, during a first-round match, Hellmuth made an epic comeback after Negreanu jumped to a 19–1 chip lead. Hellmuth's victory prompted Negreanu to pursue a double stakes rematch on Wednesday night in Las Vegas at Aria's PokerGO studio. the High Stakes Duel series after he defeated Antonio Esfandiari in three matches, earning $ 350,000 in the process. Hellmuth is up 500 in the last five games, .

There will be a third and possibly final match between Negreanu and Hellmuth, probably in early June. It will have $ 200,000 buy-in.

Although not a return to the monster he finished in the previous match, Negreanu held the chip lead for much of the match and had a whopping 3-1 chip lead at one point in the match.

But a crucial bluff and bad beat ultimately turned the match in Hellmuth's favour.

In the first level of the game, Hellmuth gained a slight chip advantage by simply checking and collecting some bluffs from Negreanu. However, Negreanu drew first blood when he hit three bets in the middle with a top set on the river.

With the blinds at 150-300, Hellmuth limped with 6h4h and Negreanu raised from the big blind with J J. . The flop came 10 6 3 and Negreanu bet 1, 200,” Hellmuth called. Turn to J and Negreanu raised for 3,100. Hellmuth called.

The river was 4 , and Negreanu raised a third time, this time to 13,000. Hellmuth thought for a moment before moving up to 43,000 with his two pair . Negreanu finally clicked him back and made it 43,000. Hellmuth bet and hawed before calling.

The pot was played to Negreanu and he was holding 144,000 of the 200,000 chips in play.

A few levels later, with blinds at 400 - 800, Hellmuth got a flush and turned the match back in his favour. Negreanu raised to 2, 10 on the Q button 10 and Hellmuth 3-bet to 8,000 from the big blind with 10 9 .

the flop is Q 8 2 and both players waited for turn 9 . Hellmuth bet 9,000 and Negreanu called. A 4 appeared on the river which gave Hellmuth a flush and he raised 18,000. Negreanu thought for a moment before calling.

Hellmuth regained the lead, but it was short-lived. Negreanu's K 4 defeated Hellmuth 10 8 on deck 6 5 2 Q 6 to bring it back into the lead. Hellmuth called the check-down, so Negren's lead was still rather slim.

The two players practically traded jabs for quite some time. Hellmuth made a few bluffs to give him a 4:3 chip lead. And then Negreanu won a few pots to turn the tables around.

However, after more than four and a half hours of play, the fireworks finally began to fly and the match ended in a three-hand series. With blinds at 1, 10 - 2,000 and Hellmuth holding 114,000 of 200,000, Hellmuth raised from the button to 4,000 with Q 4 . Negreanu saved his dark Q 6 .

Both players raised Q on the flop 7 2 and 6 on the turn. Negreanu raised to 5,500 and Hellmuth raised to 12,500. Negreanu 3-bet to 28,000 and Hellmuth called. Negreanu pushed to 13 river and Hellmuth folded.

The pot gave Negreanu a slight advantage, but the very next hand Hellmuth regained the lead after a massive bluff.

Negreanu raised to 4,000 on the 9 button 7 and 3-bet Hellmuth at 14,000 out of 10 2 . Negreanu called. The flop was K 6 6 and the Hellmuth 13,000 facility. Negreanu called. The turn came 8 , which gave both players a flush draw.

Hellmuth bet 28,000 and they called Negreanu. Hellmuth moved all in on the 9 river , which gave Negreanu the best hand, but he couldn't pull the trigger for the rest of Hellmuth's chips. Hellmuth opened a 3-1 lead in chips.

Just a few hands later, when Negreanu was sitting around 50,000, he raised to 4,000 on the 8 button 8 and Hellmuth moved all in from the big blind with A 4 . Negreanu checked.

J was missing from the board 9 9 6 K. , giving Hellmuth a flush, pot, and match.

“Good job, mate,” said Negreanu. "You played well. I thought you played well. This one, I thought you played much better than the first one. I think we'll have to see you again in round three. "

"So it's an official challenge," Hellmuth said of the final rematch. "I was lucky in this.

If Hellmuth wins the third match, he has the option to withdraw his winnings and reserve $ 700,000 profits over the last six heads-up matches. On the other hand, if Negreanu wins, any further matches will still have to double the stakes. Hellmuth, however, has an option to end.