First off, my sincerest apologies. I've been terribad about blogging as of late and feel like I owe you guys a bit of a "poker-themed" blog/article... so here it goes:

I guess there is no more fitting time to write about Tom Dwan than now. With his second opponent in his Durrrr Challenge lined up and the beginning of the Challenge potentially happening at any given moment, it is a great time for me to share my couple of thoughts on Dwan.



Technical Savvy - It is without question that Durrrr was one of the first to really adopt a unique style. He allows his tremendous hand reading, his complete fearlessness, and his total disregard for money to really keep his opponents on their heels. While the televised pros represent a VERY small sample of the poker playing population, I think any of us would be hard-pressed to find one other player who has such a tremendous impact at a full-ring table. Dwan changes all the dynamics of the table because everyone tailors their play to what he does. It's quite amazing to witness, but it is pretty evident from multiple broadcasts of televised cash games (PAD, HSP 5, HSP 6). He really just grabs hold of the table and dictates what does/doesn't happen.

Disregard for Money - I mentioned it under "technical savvy" but it deserves it's own category. Dwan's complete disregard for money is rivaled only probably by Ivey. They are willing to play the highest games possible and aren't afraid to bet when they feel it has +EV results. A perfect example is the hand that Dwan and Ivey played on HSP Season 6. Dwan bets $268,000 on the river with complete air. Let me illustrate what that buys:

With $268,000 you could buy:

One of these:



OR just a house in Florida



Usually when I river bluff, I'm betting one of these:



Marketing Genius - A lot of forum lurkers and posters ask the question why more online and internet players have not reached the acclaim or stardom that Dwan did. The simple answer is -- Dwan really went above and beyond to get himself into the living rooms of millions on TV. He played every televised event and went to great lengths to issue the Durrrr Challenge.

I'll admit that when he was just playing as Durrrr without red-pro status and rumors swirled that he was only seeking a Team FTP position -- I thought he was fooling himself. What does a white-kid from a middle-class family in Boston have that might be worth equity and potential millions to Full Tilt? What could he possibly offer?

A year later and now we see that he builds hype, he builds interest, and he undoubtedly is solely responsible for thousands of created accounts on FTP to watch his matches and see his legend unfold first-hand.

Dwan stands out as the fearless youngster who takes on all who challenge him. The King of the Hill. He definitely has played his 'life cards' Wondurrrrfully.



Anyways the Challenge has literally just started. Look out for all the exposure that FTP will receive in the coming days.