In our last post we revealed Tom Dwan aka Durrrr was already lining up second and maybe event third Durrrr Challenges with possible opponents. Who will take him up in his high stakes poker game? The first appears to be Jungleman12. Who is Jungleman 12? Word has it he’s probably a 20 year old college student at the University of Maryland, named Dan Cates. Jungleman12 is on record as having started his poker career in 2008.
The kid cut his teeth play $0.25/$0.50 heads up cash games. Within short order the phenomenon had moved all the way up to $10/$20 heads up games. Still a far cry from the minimum $200/$400 blinds of the Durrrr Challenge but the kid was just getting started. He finished the year up around 100k in profit.
The next year, a guy some have tabbed as the “new” Dwan, was playing $25/$50 and built up over 1.1 million in profits. The kid is super aggressive and obviously incredibly intelligent. The online poker strategy expert offers lessons at rates of one to two thousand an hour depending on the level. As rapid as his climb to success has been Jungleman12 is not afraid to go even higher.
It appears Tom “Durrrr” Dwan is in his sights. A conversation during some online play (see previous post) led many to belive that Jungleman12 was going to be Durrrr’s next taker and another recent one seemed to support that even more. They said:
durrrr: did u send ivey $$ yet?
jungleman12: not yet
jungleman12: ill send now
jungleman12: how soon is soon?
durrrr: read ur phone…
jungleman12: ah i see
durrrr: few days at most
durrrr: did u send yet?
jungleman12: yeah
jungleman12: sent
durrrr: then i can start talking &&%%
durrrr: since we’re booked
jungleman12: ?
durrrr: and say that its cute u think u’ll ever have an edge =)
jungleman12: lol
jungleman12: you never seemed like the type
durrrr: never wanna scare off the fish =)
durrrr: but if they escrow….
durrrr: haha ok
durrrr: lmk if u wanna play if not we’ll start in a few days
durrrr: gl n stuff
jungleman12: u2
Obviously, the smack talking by Dwan has to have online poker fans rubbing their hands in anticipation. The challenge with Antonius was a dull affair, but a lively animated chat-box challenge, could be a terrific moment for online poker. There doesn’t seem to be any bad blood between the two but with Durrrr at this point playfully talking smack it could boil and simmer as the Challenge wears on.
The surprise of jungleman12 “you never seemed like the type” is mirrored by most neutral observers. Replying he never wants to scare off the fish unless they escrow is just more fuel to the fire. Yes, holding the money is Phil Ivey, who at one point was said to be in line for a subsequent challenge, interesting that he ended up as Dwan’s banker instead of his opponent.
As mentioned in the previous post Durrrrr wants to play this challenge, maybe another as yet unannounced challege, and probably wrap up the Antonius challenge before the World Series of Poker Europe tournament in London. Likely, jungleman12 will be happy to play Dwan quickly, but we’ll see as things progress.
One of the unanswered questions about the first challenge is will there be a buy-out. As Dwan’s lead gets bigger rather than smaller you have to think Antonius is going to call it quits at some point. Dwan recently refused to let people buy out of a bracelet bet (which turned out to be to his own detriment) he made at the World Seiries so perhaps this is a secret point of contention.
The new challenge and the likely quick style of play might just put either opponent in a bind. One runs hot and the other runs cold there won’t be much time to regroup or to gather oneself. We have to think that favors the more experienced Dwan. Afterall he’s one of only two people to have even played in a challegne.