Tom Dwan popped up on Twitter this week looking to get in touch with Viktor “Isildur1” Blom, but his search for the mighty Isildur1 walked straight into a classic response from Dan “Jungleman” Cates…
Hey, anyone able to get in touch with you? Let’s conclude our stuff?
— Daniel Cates 🇺🇸 🌎 (@junglemandan) April 23, 2021
Tom Dwan is looking for Viktor “Isildur1” Blom
What the “cool spot” Dwan had in mind for Viktor “Isildur1” Blom is, we may never know, but we certainly know what Jungleman is talking about.
The “stuff” that needs concluding is the infamous Durrrr Challenge match between Cates and Dwan.
It’s now well more than a decade since the duo started their incredible battle at $200/$400on Full Tilt Poker, a heads-up fight that saw Cates crush Dwan for $1.2million over 20,000 of the planned 50,000 hands.
Black Friday brought a halt to proceedings, and Dwan has been ducking and diving ever since to avoid Jungleman, but Cates refuses to let it lie.
Back in 2014 Jungleman seethed: “He failed to uphold any promises he made to me. He’s extremely frustrating. It’s outrageous,”
In 2017 Cates updated the poker world on the progress, or lack of it, in getting Dwan to finish what he started.
Jungleman revealed “He’s been paying me penalties every two months lately. He wants me to point out he’s given me something like $700,000 or $800,000 basically in penalties since 2010.”
With a $1.5million sidebet resting on the outcome of the match – Dwan having offered Cates 3-1 odds on a $500k bet – some went much further than Cates’ occasional calling out of Dwan on Twitter.
Doug Polk described it in no uncertain terms…
Just a casual reminder to everyone that the @TomDwan Challenge against @junglemandan was one of the most massive scams in poker history
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) January 15, 2017
…though Cates actually defended Dwan, stating “Tom and I have been talking about this and working on a resolution. We should get some hands this year. He also revealed: “Tom is cooperating though has had some problems.”
Will Tom Dwan resume the challenge?
The duelling duo even shared a table later that year in the Philippines during a Triton Super High Roller, but despite the pair seeming very friendly at the felt, there was still no sign of Dwan at the Durrrr Challenge table.
Fast-forwarding back to the present day, Dwan’s tweet, and Cates’ catty response, brought back memories for the poker fans:
- You both sparked my love of poker…and lost me so much money
- Suited 6 gappers only work for Tom….
- Best in poker …much respect for both
Some, though, were less misty-eyed and got straight to the point regarding Dwan’s search for Isildur…
Yo @TomDwan I think you should be looking for @junglemandan 🤷🏻♂️. Do the right thing
— Jeff Daniels (@JDanielsPoker) April 23, 2021
With so many heads-up matches between legends going on this past several months – Negreanu vs Hellmuth the latest and set to continue on May 5th, though we have also seen Galfond vs nearly everyone, Negreanu vs Polk and Hellmuth vs Esfandiari – it would be an incredible time for the pair to agree on some sort of conclusion to their decade-long bout.
Probably best not to hold our breath just yet though!
Earn up to 60% partypoker Rakeback!
Sign-up with Partypoker and earn up to 60% Rakeback plus get our additional exclusive promotions below:
- $30 Welcome Bonus in SPINS Tickets
- Up to 60% Cashback via the Diamond Elite Club
- Exclusive $50,000 Party & Bwin Race
- Exclusive Party & Bwin Chase
- 2 x $500 Freerolls
