The "durrrr" Challenge: Dwan retakes lead with $275,000 Win
Schedules and time zones at last aligned for Tom "durrrr" Dwan and Patrik Antonius, who resumed their 50,000-hand challenge early Thursday morning after a 25-day break. Although the session was relatively brief — 74 minutes and 400 hands — Dwan was able to wrest the lead from Antonius to pull a $274,740 win. Antonius' slim lead was destroyed (for now), and Dwan now leads in the match by $235,453. With both players stationed in London at the moment, they have expressed their desire to squeeze in a lot of challenge hands while they are both on British time; however, the reappearance of “martonas” in the high-stakes online games may have derailed their plan for the time being.
Dwan won three of the four pots that cracked six figures, including the two largest of the session. In the first, Dwan opened for his standard $1,200 from the button and Antonius called from the big blind. Antonius checked the 10♥8♥4♥ flop over to Dwan, who bet $2,000. Antonius came in with a check-raise to $7,200, which Dwan promptly reraised to $16,500. Antonius repotted to $51,900, Dwan set Antonius all-in and the Finn made the call, turning over Q♠10♠10♣6♣ for top set. Dwan, however, had flopped the nut flush with A♥Q♥J♠10♦. Antonius needed to pair the board, but the turn and river blanked out, the 2♣ and the J♦ falling to give the $138,191 pot to Dwan.
About 45 minutes later, another cooler of a hand unfolded, Antonius opening for $1,200, Dwan three-betting to $3,600, and Antonius making the call. The flop came down A♥9♣7♥, Dwan check-raising Antonius’ $6,000 bet to $22,600. Antonius made it $75,000 straight, Dwan shoved, and Antonius called. It was top set for Dwan with A♣A♦J♠8♣ and middle set for Antonius with 9♠9♥3♠2♦. Running red fives completed the board, Dwan earning the $239,970 pot with aces full.
Only two minutes after Dwan raked in that monsterpotten, Antonius would again get his chips in the middle. Facing a $1,200 pre-flop raise from Dwan, Antonius three-bet to $3,600 and Dwan made the call. Antonius led out for $6,000 on the K♣7♠4♦ flop and Dwan smooth-called. The turn came the A♠ and Antonius fired a second bullet for $19,200. Dwan raised to $76,800, and Antonius called all-in for less, showing 8♦7♥6♥5♥ for a pair of sevens and a straight draw while Dwan held 9♥4♣4♠3♥ for bottom set. No love for Antonius on the turn or river, which came the A♠ and the J♣, giving Dwan the $93,586 pot.
That was apparently enough for Antonius who quit the session minutes later, letting Dwan book the win. There are still over 26,000 hands to go and at this pace (they began playing in February), we should be hitting the home stretch right around the beginning of the 2010 World Series of Poker — if we’re lucky.
Keep it here at PokerNews for continuing updates on the “durrrr” Challenge. All the action between these two unfolds on Full Tilt Poker. Open an account and check it out for yourself.
