There was a time when the nicks “Urindanger” and “Trex313” commanded respect at the most expensive online poker tables. During the poker boom of the 2000s, brothers Di and Hac Dang -vt- built a fortune by facing the world’s elite in high-stakes games. Now, more than a decade after stepping away from the spotlight, their new venture is far from cards: they will open an Asian tea and food shop in Maryland
The establishment, located in Rockville, will be named Teas’n You Fusion Tea House and will officially open its doors in August. The project will offer Vietnamese coffee, tea, pastries, and halal fried chicken, among other specialties. The space replaces an old tea shop but maintains the spirit of the place with a completely renovated image.
Heart-stopping graphs and envy
The Dang brothers were two of the biggest winners of online poker’s golden era. Di Dang, known as “Urindanger,” was a specialist at Full Tilt Poker’s heads-up tables, where he played mixed Pot-Limit Omaha and Hold’em games with blinds up to US$500/US$1,000. His brother Hac, under the nick “Trex313,” also accumulated millions facing figures like Phil Ivey
It is estimated that both earned close to US$20 million playing online. Although they also had a presence on the live circuit, their results were much more modest, with Di exceeding US$600,000 in cashes and no significant prizes recorded for more than ten years.
A recurring trend
Their case reflects an increasingly common trend among poker professionals: transforming earnings obtained at the tables into businesses capable of generating stable income. Restaurants, real estate investments, food companies, cryptocurrencies, or training platforms are some of the paths chosen by those who understand that a career in poker can be as lucrative as it is uncertain.
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In a 2012 interview with PokerStrategy.com, Hac Dang explained his decision to retire from poker with winnings: “We realized that poker was not something we wanted to do for the rest of our lives. We had earned enough money to achieve financial freedom and wanted to explore other opportunities.”
The brothers’ life outside the felt
Since their retirement, the Dang brothers have ventured into various business projects, including restaurant investments. They have become advocates for entrepreneurship and financial education, sharing their experiences and knowledge with aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide.
The brothers’ generosity is not limited to their personal success. After buying luxury cars for their parents and paying off their siblings’ college debts, they invested in a complex in Fairfax Station for US$1.35 million in cash, providing the entire family with a comfortable home under one roof.
The story of the Dang brothers is not only a testament to their mastery in poker but also to their ability to adapt and thrive in new horizons after their retirement from the world of virtual cards. Their legacy continues to inspire the poker community and those looking for a transition from the tables to the more “normal” world.
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