The Online Railbird Report: Dwan Wins Over $2 Million in Six Days

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Feb 15, 2013 6 min read Last updated Feb 15, 2021

As of last week, Tom “durrrr” Dwan was down $531,348 in 2013. After this week, he’s up $1,762,020. That means, Dwan won $2,293,368 this week. To put that in perspective, Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky, who finished as last year’s biggest online winner, banked just shy of $3.6 million in all of 2012.

Dwan, whose profit came from 20,794 hands spread across 118 sessions, dominated the week’s headlines, but even though he won the most, he wasn’t the only winner. Others who turned a profit were “patpatpanda” (+$670,807 in 197 sessions/16,625 hands), Patrik “FinddaGrind” Antonius (+$449,497 in 100 sessions/3,103 hands), Kyle “KPR16” Ray (+$423,343 in 6 sessions/1,072 hands) and Hac “trex313” Dang (+$399,730 in 34 sessions/10,329 hands).

On the flip side, the aforementioned Sulsky had a disastrous week, dropping $1,465,543 in 4,000 hands across 26 sessions — or $366.38 per hand. Other losers included Phil “Polarizing” Ivey (-$1,077,767 in 195 sessions/12,006 hands), “punting-peddler” (-$638,164 in 141 sessions/8,140 hands), “kagome kagome” (-$346,829 in 20 sessions/2,753 hands) and Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond (-$343,507 in 53 sessions/9,690 hands).

Kostritsyn Makes a Comeback

After losing more than $400,000 the day before, Alexander “PostFlopAction” Kostritsyn made a comeback on Thursday, Feb. 7, and recouped $344,000 by playing primarily $200/$400 heads-up pot-limit Omaha on Full Tilt Poker against “Johnbest”. Not surprisingly, this game produced the day’s biggest pots.

In the largest pot, Kostritsyn ($108,405.50) opened for $1,200 on the button and was met by a three-bet to $3,600 by “Johnbest” ($134,063). Kostritsyn then four-bet to $10,800, “Johnbest” five-bet to $32,400, and the flop fell Q♣6♦4♦ after a call. “Johnbest” acted first and led out for $64,800, inspiring Kostritsyn to move all in for $76,005.50. “Johnbest” called the additional $11,205.50 and the cards were turned up.

“Johnbest”: A♦10♣A♥8♥
Kostritsyn: Q♠10♦K♣8♦

Kostritsyn got it in with top pair and a flush draw but was behind “Johnbest's” aces. Neither the 6♥ turn nor 7♠ river helped Kostritsyn, who watched the $216,811 pot pushed to “Johnbest.”

In the day's second biggest pot, Kostritsyn ($118,936) opened for $1,200 on the button and then called when “Johnbest” ($96,694.50) three-bet to $3,600, bringing about a flop of 10♥5♠2♥. “Johnbest” led out for $7,200, Kostritsyn raised to $18,000, and “Johnbest” three-bet to $61,200. Kostritsyn then four-bet, and “Johnbest” called off his remaining $31,894.50.

“Johnbest”: 8♥5♥6♠2♠
Kostritsyn: 10♠A♥5♣6♥

“Johnbest” flopped two pair and a flush draw but was behind Kostritsyn's superior two pair and flush draw. When the 4♣ turn gave “Johnbest” a straight draw but the 9♠ missed it, he watched Kostritsyn take down the $193,389 pot.

In another notable pot between the two, Kostritsyn ($162,483) opened for $1,200 on the button, “Johnbest” ($94,798) called, and the flop fell A♥5♠4♥. “Johnbest” led out for $2,400 and then three-bet to $25,800 after Kostritsyn had raised to $7,800. The Russian called and then raised when “Johnbest” bet $54,000 on the 7♠ turn. The latter called off his remaining $13,798 and the Q♠ completed the board on the river. Kostritsyn revealed the 3♣6♣2♦2♥ for a straight, but it was no good as “Johnbest” held the 3♠9♠6♦3♥ for a rivered flush. Ship the $189,596 pot to “Johnbest.”

Dwan’s Heater Begins

After winning a healthy $200,000 on Friday, Feb. 8, Tom “durrrr” Dwan captivated the railbirds by putting his skills on display in an 18-hour session. By the time he logged off, Dwan was a $1,050,000 winner.

Dwan played the entire time against Ben “Bttech86” Tollerene at two tables of $300/$600 PLO where the two biggest pots of the day took place. In the first pot, Dwan ($147,693) opened for $1,800 on the button, and Tollerene ($280,158) three-bet to $5,400 from the big blind. Dwan responded with a four-bet to $16,200 and then called when Tollerene five-bet to $48,600, leading to a flop of Q♠3♥Q♦. Tollerene led out for $97,200 and then called when Dwan moved all in for $1,893 more.

Dwan: Q♣7♣6♥9♥
Tollerene: K♥K♣J♥10♥

The two agreed to run it twice, but neither the 8♦ and 2♣ on the first run nor the 8♠ and 4♦ on the second allowed Tollerene to overcome Dwan's trip queens. Push the $295,386 pot.

In the second biggest pot, Tollerene ($369,350.50) opened for $1,800 and then called when Dwan ($118,293.50) three-bet to $5,400. The latter then check-called a bet of $8,100 on the 4♠J♣8♦ flop, the 8♣ turned, and Dwan checked a second time. Tollerene took the opportunity to bet $21,600, Dwan check-raised to $91,800, and Tollerene three-bet to $183,600. Dwan called off his remaining $12,993.50 and the cards were turned up.

Tollerene: 8♠3♥4♣7♦
Dwan: A♠A♥8♥6♠

Dwan held trip eights, but Tollerene already held a full house. The river was run twice, but both the K♣ and the Q♣ missed Dwan, giving Tollerene the $236,587 pot.

Even though the PLO action was entertaining, it’s not where Dwan made his money. That came at the no-limit 2-7 triple draw tables where he played for 14 hours and walked away nearly a $1,300,000 winner. Dwan took on players like Ben “Sauce1234” Sulsky, Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond and Rui Cao, just to name a few, and dominated them all.

Dwan returned on Saturday and proceeded to add another $871,000, most of which came from playing $250/$500 PLO. In one notable hand, action was six-handed when Galfond ($304,524.70) opened for $1,850 from the cutoff, and Dwan ($141,004.50) three-bet to $6,800 from the button. The blinds both folded, Galfond called, and the flop came down the 9♥6♥9♦. Galfond checked, Dwan bet $8,500, and Galfond check-raised to $25,750. Dwan called and then bet $39,000 when Galfond checked the 5♣ turn. Galfond then check-raised to $183,350, and Dwan called off his remaining $69,454.50.

Dwan: 9♣8♠5♦Q♦
Galfond: 6♦A♥7♣5♥

Galfond was drawing dead on the turn, which meant neither the 9♠ nor the 3♣ on both runs of the river helped him. Ship the $283,056 pot to Dwan.

In another notable hand, action was heads up when “patpatpanda” ($133,471.50) opened for $1,700 and Dwan ($335,806) three-bet to $5,300. A call was made, the flop fell 9♥5♣7♠, and Dwan led out for $9,000. “Patpatpanda” responded with a raise to $24,000, Dwan three-bet to $54,500, and “patpatpanda” moved all in for $128,171.50. Dwan called and the cards were turned on their backs.

“patpatpanda”: 7♦10♣J♦8♠
Dwan: J♠10♠9♠7♣

Dwan got it in with two pair and a gut-shot straight draw, but “patpatpanda” was drawing live with a wrap. Once again the turn and river were run twice. The A♦ and the 3♠ on the first run missed “patpatpanda” and ensured Dwan half the pot, but the 6♠ turn on the second run completed the aforementioned straight to give "patpatpanda” the lead. It was only temporary, though, as the 9♦ spiked on the river to give Dwan a full house and the entire $266,943 pot.

A little over half a million of Dwan’s profit came from PLO, but about $300,000 came from no-limit 2-7 Triple Draw, which is also where “punting-peddler” won $360,000. That meant there were some pretty big losers, and indeed there were as Galfond, Tollerene and Phil “Polarizing” Ivey all lost around $500,000.

Interestingly, Galfond and “patpatpanda”, who won $353,500 on the day, played the biggest online poker pot in two years on Saturday.

Dwan Continues to Roll

After losing $693,000 on Monday, Feb. 11, which was the same day Phil “Polarizing” Ivey won $582,100, Tom “durrrr” Dwan bounced back on Tuesday with a huge win of $934,100 on Full Tilt Poker. Much of that came from the $250/$500 no-limit 2-7 triple draw tables against Ivey and Ben “Sauce1234” Sulsky, with the latter dropping $365,000 and finishing as the day’s biggest loser. Some of it also came from a $300/$600 no-limit hold’em game against “Sanlker”. That is where the day’s two biggest pots occurred.

Hand #1: “Sanlker” ($99,760.44) opened for $1,200 and Dwan ($95,130) three-bet to $3,800. Not to be outdone, “Sanlker” four-bet to $9,500, Dwan called, and the 4♥10♣7♥ appeared on the flop. Dwan ended up check-calling a bet of $10,970 and then check-called another bet, this time $23,625, on the 3♥ turn. When the Q♠ completed the board on the river, Dwan checked for a third time and then called off his remaining $51,035 after “Sanlker” moved all in. “Sanlker” rolled over K♠K♦, and it was good enough to win the $190,260 pot as Dwan simply mucked.

Hand #2: Dwan ($94,458.69) opened for $1,500 and then called when “Sanlker” ($88,552.10) raised to $4,700. When the flop fell 6♣4♦3♥, “Sanlker” led out for $6,204, Dwan called, and the 6♦ appeared on the turn. “Sanlker” bet $14,393.25, Dwan called and the J♠ completed the board on the river. “Sanlker” moved all in for $63,254.84 holding 6♠7♠, but it was no good as Dwan called with his 7♣5♣ flopped straight. Ship the $177,104 pot to Dwan.

Biggest Winners/Losers (Full Tilt Poker)

Week’s biggest winners (2/7-2/13): Tom “durrrr” Dwan (+$2,293,368), “patpatpanda” (+$670,807), Patrik “FinddaGrind” Antonius (+$449,497), Kyle “KPR16” Ray (+$423,343), Hac “trex313” Dang (+$399,730), Rui Cao (+$399,666), Alexander “PostFlopAction” Kostritsyn (+$299,600)

Week’s biggest losers: Ben “Sauce1234” Sulsky (-$1,465,543), Phil “Polarizing” Ivey (-$1,077,767), “punting-peddler” (-$638,164), “kagome kagome” (-$346,829), Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond (-$343,507)

Year’s biggest winners: Tom “durrrr” Dwan (+$1,762,020), “SallyWoo” (+$1,585,616), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (+$1,385,838), Alexander “PostFlopAction” Kostritsyn (+$1,290,267), Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond (+$1,109,689), Kyle “KPR16” Ray (+$1,028,386), Ronny “ronnyr37617” Kaiser (+$924,866), Ben “Bttech86” Tollerene (+$869,396), Rui Cao (+$794,828), “1Il|1Il|1il|”* (+$753,067)

Year’s biggest losers: Ben “Sauce1234” Sulsky (-$2,838,464), Phil “Polarizing” Ivey (-$1,120,813), Alex “IReadYrSoul” Millar (-$978,338), “punting-peddler” (-$838,470), “CRAIN85” (-$831,430), “kagome kagome” (-$826,409), “Johnbest” (-$793,503), Gus Hansen (-$779,490)

*DenotesPokerStars

_{Data, hands and replayer obtained from HighStakesDB.com}

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