Player Profile: Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan
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Tom Dwan is young, confident and part of the “new school” of professional poker players. You might know Dwan better as “durrrr”, his online screen name and alter ego. When you see Dwan playing for the first time your first thought will probably be that he is cocky, but he has the reasons to be just that. At the age of 23 he might just be the best online high stakes cash player in the world, and has all the skills to back up his attitude.
You might have first noticed “durrrr” at the 2008 National Heads-up Championship, when he had a classic clash with poker legend Phil Hellmuth. Early in their match, Dwan made an all in call and sucked out to beat Phil’s aces, and – shockingly- Phil exploded and Tom didn’t back down. In fact, he challenged Hellmuth to a series of high stakes freezeouts – a challenge that Hellmuth quickly backed his way out of.
Recently, Dwan has gained exposure for his excellent turns on the televised cash game programs High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark. Dwan’s play, especially on HSP against a lineup of top cash veterans, further established him as one of the top cash game players in the world.
The story of Mr. Dwan is one that online poker dreams are made of and it all started with a $50 bankroll and $5 sit and go’s online. Soon he made the transition to cash games and as his bankroll grew he got better and better. Now a days you can find Dwan playing in the highest stakes you can find on Full Tilt Poker.
Dwan doesn’t settle for just your typical high stakes action, either. In early 2009 he issued what has become known as the ‘durrrr challenge’, a high stakes omaha match where Dwan laid opponents 3-1 that they couldn’t beat him over 50,000 hands. Here’s how the challenge was proposed, in Dwan’s words:
“I’m making this heads-up challenge to the world. Anyone can accept. Four tables, minimum of $200/$400, and I’ll put up $1.5 million to their $500,000. We play 50,000 hands minimum and if they end up a dollar after rake they keep the side money or whatever. So basically, if you and I played and you won a dollar, you would get my $1.5 million and if I won a dollar I would win your $500,000.”
“So I’m giving a million dollars free if anyone thinks they can do it.”
Patrik Antonius was the first to take him up on the challenge, and the two have been battling their way toward 50k hands since.
In 2008 Dwan threw his hat in the ring at major tournaments world wide. Although he had no major tournament victories he managed two top tens at the World Series of Poker in Vegas. He finished 7th in the World Championship Mixed Event for $67 000, and he added to that with a 8th place finish in event 18, No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball Draw and made more then $45 000. Previous to the World Series last year he had some impressive finishes world wide. He started the year finishing second at the Spotlight Pot Limit Omaha event at the Aussie Millions, and followed that up with a cash in the Aussie Millions Main Event. When he left Australia he continued his good run finishing second in the Borgata Winter Classic, which added $226 000 to his bankroll.
As the year went on Tom continued to gain experience playing in live tournaments. Right before the World Series of Poker, he had an impressive run at the WPT No Limit Holdem Championship finishing 9th and making more then $180,000. When it was all said and done and 2008 came to an end Tom Dwan’s career tournament earnings were approaching a million dollars.
At the ripe age of 23 Tom Dwan has played more hands of poker then most can even imagine. Therein lies the big difference in poker these days, with multi tabling and the easy access to online poker, all players can gain experience quickly. “Durrrr” might just be the poster boy for the new generation, for all the players out there who didn’t learn how to play poker in smokey back rooms and at crammed poker tables. In the comfort of his own home Tom Dwan set out to become a professional poker player and at the age of 23 he has made it.
If you have the chance I suggest checking out Dwan online, you can commonly find him in the biggest games at Full Tilt Poker. Sit in and watch him play for awhile and you will likely gain respect for this young man and his big game. He is more then willing to play the biggest names in the poker community.
He is young, he is brash and he talks a big game. There is one thing you can’t argue with and that is online (and increasingly in live play as well) he is one of the best players in the world. He in many ways the leader of a new generation of confident, experienced , yet young professional players. Online poker has made our game accessible to all, young and old alike. Tom Dwan is on the right path to becoming a true poker superstar, if he is not there already.
Dwan plays at Full Tilt Poker. You can join him and get an exclusive rakeback deal that will save you hundreds, if not thousands a year in rake and tournament fees. Learn more about all of our rakeback offers by completing the form below:
