Guest Post: Dr. Pauly on “durrrr vs jungleman12″

Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail

Last week I had a conversation with Tom Dwan about the next durrrr Challenge against Dan “jungleman12″ Cates, 24 hours later the poker world exploded as “durrrr versus jungleman12” was officially underway causing a long jam of railbirds and internet fanboys to mob their favorite forums. TwoPlusTwo ran a live thread which is currently over 166 pages (at last count) full of the standard fare but proving the mass interest among the poker fans. We decided to ask one of the poker world’s top writers to give us his take on the latest “durrrr Challenge” between Dwan and Dan “jungleman12″ Cates. ‘Dr. Pauly’ McGuire did not disappoint.

If you get any of your poker information via the internet, you certainly will know Dr. Pauly and his Tao of Poker blog. One of the most widely read poker-related websites throughout the year but especially during the long stretch of the WSOP. He takes his readers behind the scenes to witness things most white-washed “media outlets” are unwilling, or unable, to describe. Dr. Pauly released his novel Lost Vegas this summer during the World Series of Poker and we look forward to bringing you a review in the very near future.

Enjoy Dr. Pauly’s thoughts on “durrrr versus jungleman12″:

Freaky Styley: Durrrr and Jungleman12
By Paul ‘Dr. Pauly’ McGuire

What the hell is a “durrrr” anyway?

My gut told me the word was made up, but a part of me thought that maybe durrrr had origins in dead languages like Latin or Mayan, or perhaps it was the scientific name for a breed of howler monkey. After a thorough internet search, I discovered… nothing. Indeed, durrrr is a word wholly concocted by Tom Dwan. In an interview, he once mentioned that he made up the “durrrr” moniker in an attempt to annoy the hell out of his opponents. He was spot on, because nothing can tilt you more than knowing that you’re losing a few buy-ins to a guy named durrrr, a word that when said aloud resembles the sounds that an incontinent person makes before they defecate themselves.

Dwan had no idea that would be his nickname for life as he rocketed into the spotlight as the most renowned pro since the inception of online poker. I’m sure if Dan “jungleman12” Cates knew that he was going to become the hottest thing in the industry since the introduction of Rush Poker, then he might have selected a different name. From this day forward, we won’t know Cates as anything other than “jungleman12.”

The only origin of “jungleman” that I can think of in popular culture terms is a song from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In 1985, the Red Hot Chili Peppers released Freaky Styley, their second studio album and the only pure funk-themed album in their storied career. George Clinton, legendary front man of Parliament Funkadelic, produced Freaky Styley, which included a single titled “Jungle Man.” It barely got any radio play and has become a forgotten song in the band’s live repertoire. I’m starting to think that the Red Hot Chili Peppers /Cates connection is a dead end, because Cates was not even born when the song was released 25 years ago. So, the origin of Cates’ “jungleman12” moniker continues to be a mystery.

When Dan Cates dies, his obituary will contain a sentence about how he used to be a professional poker player who once lost over a half a million dollars in a single session to a phantom Scandi named “Isildur1.” Maybe his obit will also note that Cates became the first player to complete the “durrrr Challenge.”

I might be jumping the gun with the “first player to complete” phrase, but through two sessions (one long and the other short) Dwan and Cates completed almost 13% of the 50,000-hand challenge. At that pace, they could finish the challenge in two weeks if they grind out at least six long sessions and a dozen shorter ones. It’s also possible that Dwan finishes his match with Cates and then begins a third challenge with Brian Townsend before his match with Patrik Antonius concludes.

The original challenge that pitted Dwan against Antonius was billed as the greatest heads-up battle since 1951 when Johnny Moss and Nick “The Greek” Dandolos played a marathon match in lobby of The Horseshoe. You had to fly out to Las Vegas and go downtown every day if you wanted to watch those legends play against each other. Only a handful of people were witnesses, which is why it’s been difficult for poker historians to separate fact from fiction in that particular story and determine how much Dandolos lost (estimates suggest $2 to $4 million).

The “durrrr Challenge” is the complete opposite when you toss in modern technology, the easy accessibility of online poker, and amazing advances in tracking software. Every single hand of the challenge is being logged by computer programs and immediately analyzed and scrutinized by stoners who have nothing but free time on their hands. The “durrrr Challenge” is available for anyone to watch by simply downloading Full Tilt Poker’s software. Unlike the Big Game in Las Vegas, you have access to the biggest games online. And the best thing about getting a ring side seat? You don’t have to wear pants or maintain any semblance of sobriety to sweat the action.

In early 2009, people could not stop talking about the “durrrr Challenge.” When it first began, I had friends and family members telling me that they had been up all night sweating the action. But then reality sunk in and everyone realized that the match was not going to end before the World Series of Poker and all indications suggested that this was going to be a long and arduous challenge. Dwan and Antonius lived on different continents and the time difference seemed to conspire against them. Also with the infusion of Isildur1’s action into the nosebleed games, the two sharks decided to feast on Isildur instead of gouging out each others’ eyeballs. Flash forward to 18 months later. The two have yet to pass the 40,000-hand mark and Dwan has a healthy $2 million lead.

The Dwan-Cates matchup had lower expectations already built in after the first “durrrr Challenge” was a dud. Dan “jungleman12” Cates is not a household name (he’s under 21 and has never appeared on a televised program, which makes him virtually non-existent to a large portion of the poker community who are only cognizant of pros that they see on TV). I can understand the perception that the 20-year-old Cates came out of nowhere when he agreed to play Dwan shortly after the WSOP summer session ended in mid-July. Tournament players often draw more coverage than cash game players, and in mainstream poker media terms, Cates was off the radar even though in less than two years, he achieved a rapid rise from small stakes to the biggest games online. Cates wasn’t afraid to take shots with what he called “aggressive bankroll management.” He easily handled the jump in stakes and continued to advance instead of dropping back down. Before he knew it, he put down $500,000 of his own cash in escrow for a chance to win 3-1 on his wager if he could best Dwan over 50,000 hands.

Cates has a Chris Moneymaker “aw shucks” quality about him, which means that the average person at home watching the challenge can relate more to Cates than Dwan’s former opponent – the perfectly chiseled Adonis in Patrik Antonius. The taciturn Finn rarely said anything incendiary at the tables and it’s hard to root for someone as perfect as Antonius. If Hollywood taught us anything, it’s that we’re suckers for an underdog or flawed protagonist. Not that Cates has any obvious flaws, but anyone compared to the godlike Antonius will fall short of the mark. Maybe it’s the fact that Cates is not Antonius and not an established live pro that makes him more appealing to masses.

Cates reminds me of an up and coming rookie on your favorite team that you can’t help but root to do well. I guess we’ll find out if he’s going to be a meteor that illuminates the sky for a short period of time only to disappear into the void, or be a static star burning nightly in horizon.

Tags: AlCantHang, Bloggers on the Rail, Dr. Pauly, durrrr, durrrr Challenge, Guest Posts, jungleman12

Permalink | September 1st, 2010 Play Online Poker at Full Tilt Poker

14 Responses to “Guest Post: Dr. Pauly on “durrrr vs jungleman12″”

3ple9 Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:04 pm
What the hell is a “durrrr” anyway?

d – double
u – up
r – raising
r – rapidly
r – race
Rick rdr Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Look up in the sky its a plane, bird, No it’s the UnderDog!
Rick rdr Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:31 pm
ft id, gottawinbigbucs
BIGAUS121 Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Nice guest post Dr. Pauly, enjoyed reading it.
james Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:38 pm
well durrrrrrrr it is!

D- Dont
U- Underestimate (the)
R- river!
R- Repeat
R- RIVER!
bigslick112 Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:49 pm
what’s the dr pauly freeroll for?
JOHANNA ORJUELA Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Thanks the tourney
JOHANNA ORJUELA Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Id ftp: johorj20
zinderalla Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:58 pm
id zinderalla thx u very much
Denver Herald Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:59 pm
ID-Elppokerstar33
thank you for the freeroll
AmyC Says:
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:27 pm
I’ve read a lot about the Durrrr challenges over time. But Pauly’s piece captured the theatre and drama these challenges represent in a way that no one else has. Stunning, funny, and surreal — and yet totally respectful of the players and the game.

Great read.
3ple9 Says:
September 4th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
D – dwans
U – ultimate
R – royal
R – range
R – roller

…one more to choose !
IeatBabies Says:
September 9th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
D- Don’t
u- U
R- Runner
r- Runner
r- Reeetard
don Says:
September 10th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
i find these fascinating to watch but in a sick drive by a car accident and stare kind of way. it seems very little strategy is used. shove shove shove and reveal bottom pair and hope you win. wish i had the money to play reckless and carefree