‘durrrr Challenge’ Update: Antonius Holds on to $424,000 Lead
With Tom “durrrr” Dwan busy playing $3,000-$9,000 heads-up PLO matches with Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies and Patrik Antonius continuing to post the most impressive online cash game results of any player this year, the pace of the “durrrr Challenge” has ground to the slowest of crawls over the last month. Yesterday, the high-stakes rivals played only their fifth session in the last 30 days, a 693-hand poker match that took exactly two hours to complete. Dwan’s match with Antonius capped off a long night of heads-up PLO where he took on Sahamies, Gus Hansen, and Phil Ivey. Antonius added $32,927 to his substantial lead over Dwan in the challenge, bringing his grand total to $424,631.
When it came to the ten largest pots, Dwan and Antonius split them evenly, taking down five apiece. The first pot to break the $100K mark unfolded only ten minutes after they sat down, Dwan leading off the action with a pre-flop raise to $1,200. Antonius three-bet to $3,600 and Dwan quickly came back over the top for $10,800. Antonius called, and both players checked the J♦7♥3♣ flop. When the 10♥ hit the turn, Antonius bet $21,600, Dwan moved all in for $39,399 and Antonius made the call. Dwan showed the K♥Q♦10♦8♥ for middle pair, a straight draw and a flush draw and Antonius discovered he was behind, with A♣K♦Q♣4♥ for the same straight draw and a couple of overcards. The 8♣ on the river made Dwan two pair and he collected the $100,397 pot.
Moments later, their stacks were in the middle again on a K♥10♠4♦3♦ board, Antonius with A♠10♣8♠3♣ for two pair and Dwan with A♦Q♦Q♠5♦ for a flush draw and a gutshot straight draw. Dwan got there when the 6♦ hit the river, runner-runnering Antonius to win a $110,000 pot. Antonius, however, would hit a lucky river card of his own about twenty minutes later to take down the session’s second-largest pot. Dwan opened for $1,200 from the button and Antonius called from the big blind. Antonius led at the 9♠5♠4♣ flop for $2,400 and Dwan smooth-called. The 3♥ fell on the turn and Antonius fired again, this time for $6,000. Again, Dwan called. The river fell the 10♠, putting three spades on the board. Antonius slowed down and checked, opening the door for Dwan to bet $15,600. Antonius came right in with the check-raise, moving all in for his remaining $64,192. Dwan called and couldn’t have been happy to see Antonius roll over A♠J♠8♥3♣ for the nut flush, good for the $147,583 pot.
Though he finished the session over $33,000 in the hole, Dwan did lay claim to the session’s largest pot, his standard $1,200 opening raise met with a standard $3,600 three-bet from Antonius. Dwan flatted and they saw a flop of J♥9♠4♥. Antonius checked, Dwan bet $4,800, Antonius raised to $21,600 and Dwan called. The K♠ on the turn was the real action card, prompting a $50,400 bet from Antonius, an all-in from Dwan and a call by the Finn. It was K♣J♥9♠4♥ for Dwan for top two pair and the A♠J♦9♥7♦ for a smaller two pair for Antonius. The 5♠ on the river couldn’t help him and Dwan took down the $153,225 pot.
“Bed time. GG,” declared Antonius as he left the tables after two hours of play.
The World Series of Poker is only five days away. Will these two reunite for a last-minute marathon before hunkering down in Vegas for the summer? Stay tuned to PokerNews for continuing updates.
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