Stop-start Dwan challenge plays again

10/02/2009

Tom Dwan's (dare we say it) intermittent and at times boring 50 000 hand, million dollar challenge against Patrik Antonius groaned briefly into life again this week, with the two slogging through another 400 hands, bringing the challenge to the 47 percent completion mark, according to independent stats site MarketPulse.

This time Dwan came out ahead, taking $274 000 from Antonius to regain the overall lead.

The clash was the first Challenge action in almost a month from the two pros, who appear to have been fully committed to live tourneys and the Full Tilt high stakes cash game tables.

To breathe more life into this poker marathon, both players need to meet more often and play longer sessions; if they don't, interest in the whole thing will continue to wane. In the dynamic world of Internet poker any Challenge that could take years to complete is unlikely to generate the right levels of interest and excitement.

MarketPulse's latest stats on the Challenge show:

•Total amount wagered so far: $181 320 977

•Amount Dwan is ahead: $235 453

•Total hands played so far: 23 597