The "durrrr" Challenge: Dwan Expands Lead by $315,000

Nicole Gordon

Feb 09, 2010 3 min read

With very little high-stakes cash-game action running last night, Tom "durrrr" Dwan and Patrik Antonius sat down for a nearly three-hour session of the "durrrr" Challenge. After 883 hands of play, Dwan booked yet another win, adding $314,828 to his overall lead, which now stands at $1,392,760 after 32,795 hands.

Last night's match built upon what has been a difficult 2010 for Antonius at the tables; he's stuck close to $1.8 million in online cash games and Dwan has booked wins against him in eight of their last nine challenge meetings.

Much of Dwan's profit in this session came from the small- and mid-sized pots. Only six pots of the 883 played cracked the $100,000 mark in this session, Antonius and Dwan taking down three apiece.

Their first six-figure confrontation came about 45 minutes into their match on table "durrrr" Challenge 1. Antonius opened for $1,200 from the button, Dwan reraised to $3,600, Antonius four-bet to $10,800 and Dwan made the call. Dwan committed nearly half his stack on the flop, leading out with a pot-sized bet of $21,600 when it came down 10♣8♦3♦. Antonius called and they went to the turn, which fell the 4♣. Dwan moved all-in for $26,592 and Antonius looked him up. Although Dwan was nearly a 4-1 favorite on the flop, the turn card put them dead even, Antonius with K♠Q♣8♣4♠ (two pair and a queen-high club flush draw) and Dwan holding K♦10♦7♠6♣ (top pair, king-high spade flush draw, gutshot straight draw). This time, Dwan won the coin flip, the J♦ on the river making his flush and earning him the $117,984 pot.

Only eight hands later on the same table, the second-largest pot of the session developed, Antonius leading off with a raise to $1,200 from the button. Dwan three-bet to $3,600 and Antonius called. Dwan check-called a $6,000 bet from Antonius on the 10♠6♦2♦ flop, then check-called another $14,800 when the 2♥ hit the turn. The river was the K♠. Dwan checked a third time, Antonius fired out $48,800, and Dwan once again looked him up. “Durrrr’s” read was good – Antonius had nothing but air with 7♣5♥4♦3♠ and Dwan’s A♠K♦Q♣2♠ rivered deuces full, good for the $146,399 pot.

Antonius, however, claimed the sesson’s largest pot at $150,777, and he had to hit a lucky river card to do so. Dwan opened for $1,200 with Q♠Q♥5♥3♥, Antonius three-bet with 7♥6♠4♥3♠ and Dwan called. Both players hit the Q♣7♠4♣ flop, Antonius flopping two pair and a wrap draw while Dwan made top set and a gutshot straight draw. Antonius check-called a $4,800 bet from Dwan. The turn was the J♥. Antonius checked, Dwan bet $16,800, and Antonius came over the top for $67,200. Dwan called all in for the $50,189 he had behind. Dwan was in excellent shape, better than a 9 to 1 favorite to win the pot – that is, until the 5♠ hit the river, making Antonius a seven-high straight.