‘durrrr Challenge’ Update: Antonius Leads by $447,000 After 15,000 Hands
Over the weekend, Tom Dwan and Patrik Antonius logged a surprise mid-WSOP session in the ongoing online poker high-stakes “durrrr Challenge”. Possibly prompted by Antonius’ decision to skip the $40,000 No-Limit Hold’em tournament and Dwan’s Day 1 bustout from that event, the two sat down at the virtual tables for nearly three hours, playing 874 hands. The session played out fairly evenly for both players, Antonius adding $23,053 (a bit more than a quarter of a buy-in) to his lead. After 15,117 hands and 21 sessions, Antonius maintains a comfortable lead in the challenge, up $447,684 over Dwan.
When it came to the big hands, Antonius struck first on table “durrrr Challenge 2.” With both players close to their $80,000 starting stacks, Antonius opened for $1,200, Dwan three-bet to $3,600 and Antonius made the call. Dwan led out for $4,800 on the Q♠8♣3♣ flop, and Antonius responded with a raise to $21,600. Dwan called and they went to the turn, the 3♠. Antonius made a pot-sized bet of $50,400, Dwan moved in for $53,598 and Antonius called the small balance, turning over A♣10♥9♣6♠ for the nut flush draw and a gutshot straight draw while Dwan revealed Q♥J♠J♣ 10♠ for queens up and a straight draw. The river favored Antonius, however, falling the K♣ to complete his flush, giving him the $157,596 pot.
A bit over ninety minutes into the session, two huge pots unfolded simultaneously, on table “durrrr Challenge 1” and table “durrrr Challenge 3.” In the first pot, on Table 1, Dwan led off the action with a raise to $1,200 which Antonius reraised to $3,600. Dwan called and Antonius led out for $6,000 on the Q♥9♦6♣ flop. Dwan flat-called. The turn was the 3♦ and Antonius checked. Dwan bet $19,200 and Antonius came in with a raise, moving all in for $52,589. Dwan called, turning up A♦A♥K♥8♠ for the overpair while Antonius showed J♠J♦5♥5♦ for a pair of jacks and a flush draw. The river paired the board with the 3♣ and Dwan took down the $124,378 pot with aces up.
Meanwhile, over on Table 3, Antonius opened for $1,200 and Dwan three-bet to his standard $3,600. Antonius fired back with a four-bet to $10,800, but it didn’t quiet Dwan, who reraised again to $32,400. Antonius called and they saw a 6♠5♣4♠ flop. Dwan moved all in for his remaining $28,800 and Antonius called. It was no surprise they turned up a couple of monster hands, K♥K♠J♠J♥ for Antonius and A♣A♦9♥3♣ for Dwan. The turn was the 7♣, Dwan picking up the nut flush draw to boot, and the river was the 4♦. Only seconds after hauling in that last six-figure pot, he dragged another, worth $122,559.
Though Antonius came out on top in this session, Dwan did win the night’s largest pot at over $200,000, one of the largest-ever for the challenge. Dwan opened for $1,200, Antonius reraised to $3,600, and Dwan called. Antonius led out for $5,200 on the 10♣8♠8♦ flop, Dwan raised to $15,900 and Antonius called. The turn fell the A♠ and Antonius check-called a $27,600 bet from Dwan. To the river they went, the Q♣, and Antonius checked again. Dwan moved in for $53,057 and Antonius made the call. Dwan showed A♥10♠10♦9♦ for tens full of eights and raked in the $200,313 pot.
15,000 hands are in the books, but there are still 35,000 more to go before we reach a winner. Keep it here on PokerNews for continuing updates on this historic match.
Nicole Gordon's continuing reports on the "durrrr Challenge" highlight PokerNews.com's coverage of the latest in online poker. To railbird the "durrrr Challenge" yourself, open up an account at Full Tilt poker today.
