Learn to Play Poker Like the Legendary Tom Dwan
Tom Dwan is a professional poker player who also goes by the nickname “Durrrr”. Dwan began his career playing poker online before moving into the physical poker world, where he was looked down on because of his background playing online, something that is frowned upon by many poker pros. Today, he is a regular player in live tournaments, specializing in Texas Hold’em and Omaha, where he has defeated other poker greats, such as Phil Helmuth.
Dwan is worth millions of dollars, something he has allegedly achieved with an initial bankroll of only $50. So, what are the techniques that have brought him to the pinnacle of poker success? Let’s find out!
Appropriate Bet Sizing
Many poker players make the mistake of betting too big and ending up losing a big chunk of their stack. Dwan knows when to put the pressure on, betting high and bluffing his opponents by betting the right chip sizes at the right time. Typically, players always bet 50% to 75% of the pot when they are bluffing, but Dwan deviates from this, betting above 75% if he suspects that his opponent only has a pair and a kicker. As such, his opponent’s only option is to fold.
Aggressive on the Pre-Flop
Dwan is also known for putting pressure on his opponents before the flop. This puts his opponents in a tight spot, because they do not want to call him if they do not have a good starting hand. You can learn from this because Dwan is not a proponent of playing the best hands. The key to his strategy is that he knows the range of his hands, and he knows how much money he should risk before the flop.
Adaptable Pace
Dwan plays fast if needs be. And, he is known in the world of poker as an aggressive opponent. He is also known as a good bluffer, something that is rare in poker and that can be a massive weapon in a player’s arsenal. Dwana also makes decisions quickly, something you can observe in his games when he checks and raises immediately, as if there was no thinking involved in the decision making. However, there are also some situations when Dwan takes some time to make his decision, varying the pace of his decisions to throw off his opponents, something that has helped him get where he is today.
Could You be the Next Tom Dwan?
Tom Dwan is a fantastic poker player, and at only 32 years of age has plenty of years ahead of him to make it all the way to the top. If you can take on board these three tips, who knows – maybe you could be sitting on the other side of the table to him one day, challenging the man himself for a multi-million dollar pot.