Dan “Jungleman” Cates vows to break Galfond’s spirit as he accepts heads-up challenge

The Galfond Challenge just leveled up with the news that Daniel Cates will take Phil up on his heads-up online offer, the duo set to play 7500 hands at $100/$200 PLO.

Galfond, the owner of the Run It Once online poker-room, took his chance in Bobby’s Room at the Bellagio to ask Cates: “Jungle, are you going to accept my heads-up challenge?”

Daniel Cates, one of the biggest-ever winners in the online nosebleeds, answered in no uncertain terms: “I’m not only going to accept…I’m going to take you down in style…and I’m going to show you a new definition of pain.

He added: “I’m not even in it for the money, I’m in it for the glory. I’m here to teach you a lesson and I’m going to break your spirit. I’m not even trying to break your bank vault, I’m just trying to break your spirit.”

It’s the match-up many have been asking for since Galfond offered out the online poker world.

JNandez1
Fernando “JNandez” Habegger

So far billionaire amateur Bill Perkins, former RIO and Upswing Poker coach Fernando ‘JNandez’ Habegger and online beast VeniVidi1993 have stepped up to the plate, the latter accepting just yesterday as well.

The terms for each match-up vary, but they will all be played at PLO, most likely on Galfond’s RIO site and streamed to the thousands of poker fans who have been crying out for a return to the highstakes challenge days on Full Tilt.

Daniel Cates’ Epic Battle against Tom Dwan

Jungleman, of course, was part of the biggest and most infamous match of all, taking Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan apart in their epic, though unfinished, battle.

Jungleman1
Daniel Cates

Dwan was $1.2million down when Black Friday struck, less than half the hands played.

Despite several attempts over the years to get it finished, it simply hasn’t happened. With that one unlikely to ever reach a conclusion, the Galfond – Cates fight is at least as good a replacement.

Both men have profited by $millions over the past decade or so in the online nosebleeds, Galfond sitting at 6th in the all-time list and Cates at 3rd according to highstakesDB, the head-to-head details below…

Phil ‘OMGClayAiken’ Galfond 6th

Profit:$6,599,839

Hands:645553

Win/hand:$10.22

Most played game: Omaha PL

OMGClayAikenhsdb

Daniel ‘Jungleman12’ Cates 3rd

Profit:$10,270,847

Hands:394738

Win/hand:$26.01

Most played game: Omaha PL

Jungleman12hsdb

Galfond, of course, has played very little compared to his peers over the past 3 years, focussing instead on his Run It Once poker site – the Galfond PLO Challenge matches designed to promote the poker-room and draw in some extra players.

One would expect him to still win against Perkins, Habegger, and VeniVidi1993 – though it won’t be easy, and the 4-1 and 5-1 side bet odds make it a big gamble.

Capture-1
Bill Perkins

Daniel Cates is a completely different matter, very few players in the world equal to Cates in the live and online nosebleed cash game, although over 7500 hands a bit of rungood could prove expensive for either player.

We’ll be sure to keep you posted so you don’t miss anything – just keep your eye on the latest poker news here

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