After a lengthy delay, the Durrrr Challenge between Dan “Jungleman” Cates and Tom “durrrr” Dwan (pictured) has suddenly stirred back to life this month.

Earlier this month, the duo decided to head back to the tables after a new agreement was worked out to continue the match. According to Cates, the new accord makes the completion of the challenge a priority for each player by punishing them with financial penalties for not playing. There are also conditions set on the number of hands to be played during each session. You’ll recall the two were at odds with each other earlier this year over the unfinished challenge.

Cates discussed the ongoing competition with PokerListings, indicating there will be roughly 4,000 hands played per month. He wouldn’t go much further in discussing the monetary penalties, however, except to say he would expose the new agreement he had reached with Dwan if he failed to meet the expectations of the challenge. Cates stated to PokerListings, “With the deal we have now, I’ll make money either way.”

For those of you who may have forgotten about the Durrrr Challenge, back in 2009, Dwan threw down the gauntlet to the high-stakes poker community. Over a span of 50,000 hands, he would take on all comers in $200/$400 Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em or Omaha. If he came out ahead after the 50,000 hands, Dwan would earn a $500,000 payday from his vanquished foe plus whatever he had won during play; if his opponent beat him, Dwan would pay out the princely sum of $1.5 million.

“I happen to think that, in this one area, I might have a little edge and we’ll see if I do,” Dwan boasted at the time.

Such players as Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, Brian Townsend, and Cates were rumored to be in line for the challenge, but only Antonius and Cates actually came to the tables. The Antonius match never got very deep and was reportedly concluded through a buyout, but the match-up with Cates actually was able to make some headway. In 2010, the twosome started off on their journey and, after 20,000 hands of play, Cates had worked his way out to a $1.5 million lead.

Then came April 2011 and the Black Friday indictments, forcing the host site, Full Tilt Poker, out of the U.S. market and delaying any further play, especially after the revocation of the room’s license in September 2011. For the past two-plus years, there has been nothing going on between Cates (pictured) and Dwan, at least when it comes to play in the Durrrr Challenge.

As you might expect, the most recent action has once again excited the railbirds. After Full Tilt’s revival, Dwan was able to take two sessions (a 383-hand meeting and a-900 hand session) in early 2013 to cut Cates’ lead down to $1.25 million. On October 2, Cates was able to reverse those losses in a 1,500-hand match, winning $197,600 before the players called it quits.

In the latter session, Cates moved out to a $100,000 lead after the first 200 hands, but Dwan, at the 1,000-hand mark, was up about $150,000. By the time another 500 hands were played, Dwan lost that back and then some to reestablish Cates’ lead in the event.

With the new rules in place, we may see the completion of this part of the Durrrr Challenge by some point in 2014.

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