Di Dang

Di Dang was born in 1984 and grew up in northern Virginia. He attended the University of Virginia, where he studied engineering. During his time at university, he began playing poker and quickly realized he could earn more money at the tables than in a traditional engineering career. He switched to playing poker full-time but still completed his engineering degree, taking five years to finish.

Di Dang specialized in online high-stakes cash games, with a particular focus on pot-limit Omaha hold'em. He played under the screen names "Urindanger" on Full Tilt Poker and "ilvdnfl" on PokerStars. Between the two accounts, he amassed over $8,000,000 in online cash game winnings. On Full Tilt alone, he won more than $7,400,000, while on PokerStars he added over $650,000.

Dang began his poker journey with his brother, Hac Dang, combining their bankroll. After losing their first $200 deposit, they put in another $200 and "never looked back." The brothers shared a bankroll and made a rule never to sit in the same game together. Prior to Black Friday in 2011, they were among the biggest winners in online poker.

In 2008, Di Dang was the fourth most successful high-stakes cash game player on Full Tilt Poker, winning approximately $3.7 million over 168,811 tracked hands. That year, he earned $1.75 million in no-limit hold'em and $1.9 million in pot-limit Omaha. From the beginning of 2007 through 2008, he was up $4.95 million on Full Tilt over 310,315 tracked hands.

His success made him feared at the tables. Many players refused to play him heads-up in no-limit hold'em, where he was considered virtually unbeatable. As a result, he was forced to shift more of his action to pot-limit Omaha to find games. He was known for remarkable consistency, rarely turning in a losing month even at the highest stakes.

Both Di and his brother Hac were invited to join Phil Galfond's training website RunItOnce as poker coaches. Their reputation as two of the top online players of their era was cemented by their consistent results. HighstakesDB later ranked the Dang brothers among the top five online players who quit while they were ahead.

As of 2019, Di Dang's "Urindanger" account stood as the fifth largest online high-stakes cash game winner of all time. His success was widely covered in poker media, and he was featured in interviews with outlets such as Cardplayer TV and AOL.

Although Di Dang focused almost exclusively on online cash games, he did participate in some live tournaments. He has cashed for over $600,000 in live poker events. His most notable live result came at the 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event, where he finished 850th. He has two WSOP money finishes in total, though he never won a WSOP bracelet. He also has no World Poker Tour titles or final tables, and no European Poker Tour titles or final tables.

After Black Friday (April 15, 2011), when the U.S. Department of Justice indicted the founders of the major online poker sites and seized their domains, Di Dang decided to step away from professional poker. He retired from the game to open a restaurant called Chasin' Tails, a seafood spot in Virginia. The restaurant opened in 2012 and eventually grew to two locations: one in Arlington, Virginia, and the other in Centreville.

Di Dang has said he believes he left online poker at the right time, citing a shrinking skill gap and decreased edge for top players. He and his brother were celebrated for walking away from the game while still on top, a rare move in the poker world.

Di Dang's legacy is that of an online poker pioneer who dominated the highest-stakes cash games during the golden era of online poker. His ability to win consistently in both no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha, his feared heads-up play, and his decision to retire at the peak of his success have made him a notable figure in poker history. His story was profiled in publications such as the Washingtonian and Pokerlistings, highlighting his transition from high-stakes poker to the restaurant business.