��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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