The short answer to the headline is, no, not in the foreseeable future, but the first Tom Dwan interview in a while gives us an insight into just how tough the poker legend is finding the game these days…
With Dwan appearing in the Triton Super High Roller series in Jeju, South Korea this week, fans of ‘durrr’ were doubtless hoping for a resounding success to herald the ‘return of the king’.
Instead, as Tom Dwan tells interviewer Pete Latham, “It has been brutal! I lost like, 5 bullets, in this tournament – and in the 1st tournament, I got to play for about 5 minutes…hopefully my luck changes!”
36-card Short Deck poker…
The Short Deck game on display yet again in the Triton tournaments has been a firm favourite of Dwan’s for many years, but he admits it’s getting tougher.
“I was playing short deck 3 years before everyone else”, he says in response to a question about where his edge lies over others. He readily admits, however, “The problem is other people are starting to get pretty good!”
Pretty good is an understatement when it comes to the likes of Jason Koon, Triton ambassador and winner of the HKD$1million buy-in event this week…
#TritonPoker Ambassador Jason Koon (@JasonKoon) is the #TritonJeju2019 HKD 1m Short Deck winner!! Paul Phua comes second, playing extremely well in an epic battle.
Congratulations sirHKD 2m NLH Main Event NOW LIVE: https://t.co/1ARqkcH9ht pic.twitter.com/Un1x9EkRKQ
— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) March 7, 2019
…and it’s not only Koon who is making life tough for everyone’s favourite ‘durrrr’. The top Asian players have been showing their mettle at the 36-card game as well, with Devon Tang a new name to add to the list…
Payouts for @tritonpoker‘s HKD $500 Short Deck (Event 2) is out guys! Check it out and let us know who are you most excited for in our 3rd event – HKD $500 NLH 6-Max!!
Catch the action: https://t.co/LEnzOQh38I pic.twitter.com/eHHmJrtuue
— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) 4 March 2019
…is the future of high stakes poker?
It’s the talk of Short Deck poker that gets him most animated, and he thinks it’s great for the future of poker, particularly at high stakes.
“It’s more action, more fun overall, less predatory!” he says enthusiastically, pointing out that many of the high-rolling amateurs would leave the game unhappy at ‘normal’ poker, finding the GTO robopros thinking way too deep to have fun against.
Dwan explains: “If you can come up with a game that everyone has a better time, win or lose, I think that’s a good thing…and I think that’s what Short Deck is”, adding: “It feels like more of a fair battle”.
Love and Obsession
Dwan, of course, has been out in Asia more often than not over the past few years, but he seems oblivious to the general poker public’s fascination with his whereabouts and whatsheupto’s.
“I didn’t know the poker world was obsessed with me!” he says, and he really seems to mean it.
Our man in Jeju seems relaxed – the Dwan of old – although again he seems genuinely surprised when asked: “Are you still in love with the game?”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been in love with the game”, says Tom Dwan, although it dawns on him that playing 30-hour cash game sessions and long tournaments must count for something.
Will Tom Dwan keep on keeping on?
In among the usual questions about ‘favourite place for poker’ (Maldives, Vegas, London and Montenegro as it happens) and what he would teach his younger self (to speak Chinese apparently) talk turns to ‘retirement’
Never an easy question to ask – or answer – Dwan admits: “Someday I’d like to have poker not my MAIN focus, but…I think I’ll still be playing some of the time – at least for the foreseeable future”.
It’s those long days and nights against ever-improving opposition that seems to be his recurring nightmare though. “Pulling a bunch of 30-hour sessions in a row? Yeah, I’d like that to be a less common thing at some point in the future…I’m working on it!
And with that, the legendary Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan headed back to the tables where he belongs!
Get the best Partypoker Rakeback Deal!
Ready to hop into some poker action yourself? Get the best Partypoker rakeback deal and claim your free $22 Tickets, up to 60% rakeback and take part in our exclusive promotions, including:
Terms and conditions apply. New customer offer and 18+ only. Should you require help regarding your gambling pattern, please visit www.begambleaware.org.
