Tom “durrrr” Dwan Returns To Poker, Promptly Runs Like God

Written By Jessica Welman on August 17, 2017Last Updated on September 18, 2017
four aces

[toc]Poker After Dark, the popular poker television show, made a comeback this week. However, truthfully, it could have easily been called The Tom Dwan Show.

Dwan, after spending a few years under the radar in Asia, returned to the U.S. to participate in the show. The event was hosted by Aria Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was broadcast live on PokerGO’s subscription-based streaming service.

Three cash game sessions took place, each featuring a unique line-up. Dwan, more commonly recognized by his online alias “durrrr”, participated in all three sessions.

Dwan won high six figures after three sessions

Once the three-day period concluded, Dwan was ahead by more than $500,000. He undoubtedly had a significant victory. However, a closer look at the crucial plays can provide some insight into his excellent performance during the sessions.

During the inaugural night, he drew pocket aces preflop in a pot where Daniel Negreanu held queens and Antonio Esfandiari had kings. In a showdown between Esfandiari and Dwan, they went all-in, creating a pot worth $700,000. Despite running it twice, Dwan’s aces remained unchallenged, earning him the entire pot.

The subsequent night saw Andrew Robl and the renowned poker legend Doyle Brunson join the line-up. Despite the action being $200/$400 no-limit hold’em, Robl chose to buy in for an incredible $1 million due to straddles being in play. In total, there was over $3 million up for grabs on the table.

In the second session, Dwan ended up with more than $1 million. He increased his stack by beating millionaire Bill Klein, who had two pairs against Dwan’s set. Dwan further boosted his stack when he and Jean-Robert Bellande both flopped a set, but Dwan’s was larger. Bellande did manage to fold on the river, but it still resulted in Dwan winning $575,000 from the hand.

Brunson left an impression on Poker After Dark too

Brunson took to Twitter the next morning to comment on Dwan’s lucky streak.

 

Defending Brunson, he was his own harshest critic. Originally, he was slated to play on the third night but he withdrew himself. He stated that his game wasn’t up to the standard required to participate in such high stakes.

 

 

Brunson didn’t participate. Instead, “Aussie” Matt Kirk stepped into the action.

Dwan and Poker After Dark had fans feeling nostalgic

During the Poker After Dark sessions, social media was buzzing. There was a substantial amount of criticism, particularly due to the limited graphics package that frustrated viewers as it did not display the position at the table or bet sizes.

A lot of the remaining conversation was fueled by enthusiasm for the large prizes. This reminded many of the golden age of online poker, when players eagerly watched high-stakes cash games where Dwan was a prominent figure.

Regrettably for the show and PokerGO, it’s impossible to preplan a popular player out-performing everyone else. Therefore, it’s uncertain if upcoming Poker After Dark episodes will maintain the excitement of this one. As for Dwan, it’s unclear if this implies his re-emergence on the scene or if he will recede back under the radar, now considerably richer.

Betwhale Nevada Sports App Now Available!
1
125% WELCOME BONUS
Up to $1250 to bet on sports
250% Slots + Table Bonus
150 Free Spins On Gorilla Or Buffalo Ways
50 Daily Boost For Your Massive Wins
Grab your 175% + 50 free spins
2
In Bonus Bets
UP TO $1,000
Free Live Streaming - Watch Live Games
$1,000 Paid Back in Bonus Bets
Use Bonus Code: PLAYBONUS
Jessica Welman Avatar
Written by

Jessica Welman

Jessica Welman has a long history in the poker media industry. Her experience includes working as a tournament reporter for the World Poker Tour, co-hosting a podcast for Poker Road, and acting as the managing editor for WSOP.com. Welman, an alumna of both the University of Southern California and Indiana University, is more than just a writer; she also works as a producer. Her production experience includes involvement in livestreams for the WSOP and WPT, as well as consultancy work on various other poker productions. You can follow her on Twitter @jesswelman.

View all posts by Jessica Welman