The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a fortuitously pulled, Arts and Lit softball question that locks down the win and fills up the afternoon poker news Trivial Pursuit wheel.
Any suggestions for a future 3-Bet, feel free to leave a tip in the comments.
Today in the 3-Bet we find Tom “durrrr” Dwan falling behind on the news cycle and stepping into a Twitter trap, life abroad wearing thin for poker players still in exile after Black Friday and Michael Ian Black getting called out on his self-proclaimed “poker whiz” status.
1) Dwan Tweets in Transit, Takes Heat
It’s a treacherous social media world out there these days with online vigilantes tracking terror "suspects" and Twitter trolls lurking in the wings to keyboard slap you for even the slightest misstep.
Tom “durrrr” Dwan felt the wrath of the Twitter hounds earlier today with a few ill-timed tweets about the US government and its ongoing attack on gambling:
Going to new york from london. I think this is the most unhappy I've ever been to go "home." Our goverment's persecution of gambling is— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
Getting to be absurd. :(— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
I'm still trying to figure out if the doj is going after gambling to advance individual careers, or because they actually think its wrong— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
@tomdwan do you know what's going on right now? No one cares about that shit— Tyler Godley (@ralphnew) April 19, 2013
Granted it wasn't the perfect time to throw it out there given developments in Boston but clearly an unintended oversight (if even an oversight) by durrrr. Still, he stood by his frustration with the DOJ:
. @macefire I am sad about the events in boston, along with a ton of other bad events throughout the world, however me mentioning those isnt— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
News to anyone. Whereas a lot of people who follow me on twitter, while they know about more serious events, probably don't realize how— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
Ridiculous the doj's actions have been in the last few days on gambling. I'm also friends with lots of people affected, so I'm likely biased— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
"@btimmtweets: what happened to make you make this tweet? Any major developments?" A lot of people got arrested 2days ago for crimes that— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
Very clearly shouldn't be illegal. On another note I was behind on the boston news- and I'm sorry if my tweets timing offended anyone,— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) April 19, 2013
More on Dwan's subject of ire here.
2) Two Years After Black Friday, Exiles Still Clicking Away
Speaking of the DOJ's iron fist, the two-year anniversary of Black Friday passed on Monday and, well, we didn't have much of heart to revisit it. It's still as ridiculous as it was then and 24 months of incompetence and bureaucratic inefficiency has only served to make it worse.
Nathan Singer (Photo: Toronto Star)
The Toronto Star, on the other hand, commemorated BF's anniversary with a profile of yet another poker player clicking away in a new country to make a living.
Nathan Singer, an online poker pro living in Panama, is the subject this time and while he still enjoys the freedom a life of online poker, it's no easier a grind than it ever was:
“Learning a new language and making foreign friends takes time, and poker players tend to see time not spent playing as money lost.
“It is also a very solitary profession, which lends itself to social awkwardness,” Singer says.
Another interesting - if now tiresome- look at the continuing ripple effect of Black Friday. Check the full piece here.
Matros: Up to the challenge.
3) Michael Ian Black vs. WSOP Bracelet Crusher Matt Matros
Ever wanted to see how self-proclaimed "poker whiz" and actor/comedian Michael Ian Black would fare in a poker trivia showdown with three-time WSOP bracelet winner Matt Matros?
We didn't either, really - until we heard it, thanks to the NPR "Ask Me Another" challenge show.
It's an enjoyable enough 8 mins with questions about "poker lingo, poker lore, the world's weirdest bet" plus a Jonathan Coulton cover of Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler."
Anna Kournikova makes an appearance, Gabe Kaplan makes an appearance, Phil Hellmuth makes an appearance, and so does a poetic description of splashing the pot.
Meh. Guess it's a slow Friday. We do enjoy revisiting a legendary prop bet though.
