ShareDoug Polk has offered to play Tom Dwan for $1million in what could be the most amazing heads-up match in poker history – but only if Dwan posts the money first!
I hope that doesnt happen. Live mtts are 1 thing, but it would be very scary to play him in that format knowing his history.
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) March 20, 2022
If push came to shove id do it for the fans. It would be a tough challenge, but I would still put up 1m for 25k hands.
He has to post tho lol https://t.co/Cwqv1wqYYx
Polk himself doesn’t expect it to happen, but he’s not completely averse to the idea of taking on “Durrrr” given the right circumstances. The offer came about after Shaun Deeb tweeted that he’d bet his bankroll on Dwan winning a WSOP Player of the year or bracelet bet.
“What I wouldn’t give for a @TomDwan vs @DougPolkVids Wsop poy/bracelet bet this year I’d bet my roll on Tom,” stated Deeb. He added: “Think Doug was way too harsh on Tom I’ve been very impressed in multiple games by Tom’s skill and logic over the years.”
Dwan was recently voted 8th in the Upswing Poker “Top 20” all-time players list, but Polk didn’t think the “golden boy” should have made the top 20 at all.
“Tom Dwan, at the highstakes scene, is viewed as a very weak player: he’s too loose, he doesn’t bluff enough...in the heads-up scene (of which Polk ended up undisputed number 1) all of the highstakes regs wanted to play Tom Dwan. What is he good at? What has he won? Take away Guy Laliberte and he’s down money online."
Quite a scathing attack, though not unexpected from Polk, who described the “Durrrr Challenge” as “one of the most massive scams in poker history”.
He is, of course, referring to the second of Dwan’s “Durrrr challenge” matches, in which he found himself $1.2million down against Dan “Jungleman” Cates – a match he has consistently avoided finishing in the decade since Black Friday interrupted it.
Back to the here and now, and Polk doesn’t expect Dwan to take him up on his $1million bracelet bet offer...
Zero chance he says yes but im willing to bet a million dollars at even money on a 2022 bracelet vs @TomDwan
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) March 20, 2022
Maybe Tom can bet 500k and the fans or rich Asian businessmen can finance the rest.#DrawingDead https://t.co/J4oAYg01Sk
As it stands, Dwan is yet to pick up a WSOP bracelet, whereas Polk has three of the golden charms, most recently in the 2017 $11,111 buy-in High Roller for One Drop, a win worth more than $3.6million.
When asked by a Twitter “random”, “Is it fair to say that you don't enjoy playing poker anymore but that you are able to mentally trick yourself into coming back to the game that you are good at via these challenges?” Polk responded: “Not afraid to say I'm willing to work a summer for 1m regardless of how I feel about it.”
Whether a WSOP prop bet, bracelet bet or even a huge heads-up battle between the pair takes place is still anyone’s guess. Dwan very rarely appears on social media to discuss such things, although he did recently rise to the occasion to face off with another detractor of his, Phil Hellmuth.
Dwan and Hellmuth faced off twice in High Stakes Duel III, the younger man winning the opening bout for $200k but then losing the rematch for $400k.
Poker fans, of course, would love to see almost any kind of battle between Dwan and Polk, and we’ll keep you updated on what happens next!
