It's All About The Quatloos

2006-11-17T20:41:00.000-08:00

WWdNot 2006 Nov 16

In a dazzling display of brilliant heads-up play, plus a few major suckouts, L0K1 arose from the dead and did NOT NOT win the WWdNot. [SCREENSHOTS] Even the most casual observer had to say, Wow. His victory hand was slow-played rockets with which he called an all-in after the flop. Nomad1539 had two pair. The A on the turn started L0K1 off on the victory lap.

2006-11-02T21:39:00.000-08:00

WWdNot - 2006Nov02

A small dozen turn out, but still fun. Perhaps the new start time was too confusing. At least it didn't take 4+ hrs. I sucked out a couple of hands on the river, but otherwise couldn't get a flop with a 12-gauge shotgun. Don't miss the last two hands of the tournament with hoyazo and xkm heads-up. Hoy was ahead in the chip count by a factor of 4 to 1 until the LAST TWO HANDS. Screenshots.

My own demise was at the hands of hoy's QQ. My dinky 77 just got brushed aside like Autumn leaves in the driveway.

2006-11-02T21:29:00.000-08:00

Mookie - 2006Nov01

Very first hand, UTG, pocket rockets. I limped in as did a few others including Iakaris in the BB. Flop was 9JQ. Iak makes a big bet and I'm thinking he's got AQ or KQ. I go all-in and I could almost hear him chuckling. I didn't need to see his cards. He had KTs and had flopped the nut straight. All I could do was compose myself enough to catch screenshots.

Amazing how many screenshots you can take when you've nothing better to do.

2006-11-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

WWdN - 2006 Oct 31

I should have gone trick or treatin'! At least I would have gotten some candy. I couldn't catch a hand if Christmas depended on it. Correction, the few hands I caught weren't worth peanuts and then VTepes sucks out on the river to put me out of my misery. Screenshots.

2006-11-01T07:59:00.000-08:00

WWdN - 2006 Oct 24

I was too late to register to play, because I was playing real poker (1-2 NLHE) at the new poker room at Green Valley Ranch, Henderson,NV. Was doing pretty well, so I didn't bother to keep realy close track of the time. I did catch some screenshots when I checked in on the tournament.

2006-10-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Cowards at PacificPoker

For quite a few years, PacificPoker had, arguably, the worst poker software on the internet. Then they made an upgrade to where they should have been a couple of years ago and now they only among the worst in the online poker world. But the IUGEA makes cowards of all online gambling sites that are on the fringe of competence. The cryptos were the first to crawl into their holes. Now PacificPoker retreats and surrenders:

Head for the hills! The Federales are coming!!

2006-10-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

How To Not Play Tournaments?

This just busts me up! When I've nothing better to do or I'm doing something that just takes marginal attention, I'll go play a freeroll tournament somewhere just for the heck of it. Nothing to lose and might be worth a grin or two. Well, I was doing this last night and I was ready to go to bed, so just before the 2nd break I typed into the chat, "gotta go to bed, going full tilt." I did not lose a single all-in for more than a dozen straight hands! I was going all-in with total crap and pulling the winning hand every time! And when new people came in and hadn't seen my msg, but figured out what I was doing, they would call me with a real hand and I would have a better one. I was apologizing for every suckout! I remember one all-in with 23o, a sure loser. Flop was AQ3 and I was pretty sure one of the two callers had an Ace or a Q. One had KJo and the other had TJs! My lousy pair of 3's held up and won the hand. The chatbox lit up.

By the time we hit the break, I was chip leader by more than a factor of two. I typed, 'good night and gl all' and went to bed, thinking I'll eventually just die when the blinds get really big. Well, I suppose that's what happened, but apparently I still finished 19th to qualify for one of the 27 seats to the Sunday tournament!

Well, that's fine and dandy, and would be unremarkable except for that extraordinary run and the fact that I didn't play after the first two hrs., but I had already won a seat to the Sunday tournament!

I told you I just did this for grins! I mean, it's a freeroll!! People play like maniacs in these tournaments!!! It was only with the greatest skill and cunning that won this seat!!!! And here I go and win another one without even being there and by pure luck!!!!! Since I already had a ticket to the Sunday tournament, I ruined somebody's 5 hr. investment. FYI, I had about T211,000+ at the 2nd break when I went to bed. Too bad PokerStars doesn't provide hand histories for freerolls. Would have been interesting to see how well I played while I was asleep... literally!

2006-10-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

WWdN Not 2006 Oct 19

Less than record-setting attendance at the tables, but a nice game. I got clobbered when nomad called my QQ all-in with 77 and caught another 7 on the turn. There were a lot of worthless pairs in the hole in this tournament. Screenshots.

2006-10-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

WWdN Not - 2006 Oct. 12

With the legislation requiring the enforcement of the no online gambling law, this WWdN Not could very well be the last. Ironically, L0K1, the conservator of the Thurs. eve WWdN, did Not win the WWdN Not so next week's WWdN Not, if there is one, will be named after him. Here are my screenshots. LifesAGrind is on my list! I lost with KK against LaG TWICE!!

2006-10-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Poker Now Not Hollywood Poker

The following was sent to US online poker players:

Dear Quatloos,

The President of the United States has signed new legislation
that will cause HollywoodPoker to suspend accepting deposits
from U.S. players and examine potential offerings to U.S. players
that would be within the new law. Normal play will
continue for approximately 30 days while we monitor any new
developments surrounding this new legislation. During this
time you will continue to have the ability to access your
account as well as play HollywoodPoker games as you normally
would, with the exception of making deposits. U.S. Free money
play will not be affected.

All Non-U.S. players will not be affected. They will be able
to access poker, Blackjack and soon to be launched casino and
slot games, including progressive slots!

We understand that you may have a number of questions regarding
this new action, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions
section on the site to find out more:

http://www.hollywoodpoker.com/US-players-FAQ

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your
cooperation and understanding. If you think this new law is
unfair please voice your opinion by sending a mail to your U.S. Senators at:

http://capwiz.com/pokerplayersalliance/issues/alert/?alertid=8585611&type=CO

Or by signing a repeal petition online at:

http://www.petitiononline.com/LOGNOW/petition.html

Sincerely,

The HollywoodPoker Team
support@hollywoodpoker.com
www.HollywoodPoker.com
Where the "Stars" Come to Play

I'm guessing they are going to have to change that motto to, "Where the 'Non-U.S. Stars' Come to Play" And don't blame the President for signing it! The anti-gambling Nazis attached it as a rider to a homeland security bill at last minute. It was either accept the provision to enforce the no online gambling law or throw out the whole bill. I can't wait to see how they intend to enforce this law.

2006-10-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

First Mookie - 11 Oct 2006

I hadn't played the Mookie before. Same basic set of poker bloggers plus a few I hadn't seen before. Here are some screenshots. Seemed to have a thing with LifesAGrind and my pocket KK tonight... TWICE! The first time, I walked right into his AA (no screenshot, I was too rattled). I was severely crippled on that hand, but made a significant comeback.

The fatal hand, I slow-played my KK and LaG put out a pretty good bet on a 8TJ flop with two spades in there. Of course, super genius that I am, I'm thinking he was holding two spads or AJ or some other such silly pair, so I go all-in. He's got 79s! Next time I go all-in on the flop!! No more of this slow-playing big pairs!!!... tonight anyway.

2006-10-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

They're coming to take me away, ha, ha,...

In case some of you poker people don't read the news, we HollywoodPoker players got this email msg.

Dear Quatloos,

On September 30th the US Senate passed a bill that would restrict
US consumers’ ability to deposit funds to an online gambling
business. HollywoodPoker is currently reviewing this recent development.

There are still many unanswered questions and we will notify you with
any possible change in our policies or any restrictions in your ability
to play on the site as the matter evolves.

There are three key items that we can tell you right now:

1. Your money is completely safe at HollywoodPoker. Your money is
kept in a segregated account at one of the largest International banks.

2. You always have 24/7 access to your account funds. You will always
be able to get to your money.

3. Your satisfaction is our primary goal and we will continue to keep
you apprised of the situation and welcome your feedback. Please do
not hesitate to contact us at the support forum
(http://forum.hollywoodpoker.com) or contact us by email at
support@hollywoodpoker.com

Sincerely,

The HollywoodPoker Team
support@hollywoodpoker.com
www.HollywoodPoker.com
Where the "Stars" Come to Play

2006-10-04T01:53:00.000-07:00

WWdN Quatloos Invitational - 2006 Oct. 03

I got killed early, so had a lot of time to take screenshots of interesting hands. Missed Wil''s demise. I'm sure it was a worthy death.

Screenshot 05 was interesting. Wil was all-in with AJ against QQ. With J, 2 and T in the flop, I'm sure Wil was ready to hit the road with the under pair. With the Q on the turn, the fat lady was warmed up and ready to sing. I'm sure everyone was surprised the K filled in the gutshot straight.

2006-09-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Some All-Ins Are More Satisfying Than Others

This guy had been a raising station the whole tournament. When he went all-in after the turn and I saw he had the straight flush draw, I thought I was walking. When I killed him, the table cheered.

2006-09-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

Ve Haf Vays Ov Making You Blog...

Okay, so I ain't so serious about updating my blog. But I'll see if I can at least keep some of the WWdNers amused. Patchmaster has spoken. Played the WWdN on Tues. last and unknowingly finished in the money. I didn't even know I was at the final table! Here are some screenshots from the tournament.

One notable hand that I am sure all poker players can sympathize with:

I flopped the nut flush and didn't even notice the nuts was a straight flush. I slow-played the flush and when the 4 came up on the turn, he (ricoM) went all-in. Of course I called him, thinking he made a straight or was also slow-playing a flush. I was counting my chips when he just showed the set. When the river turned up and the chips went his way, I was shocked! I was robbed!! Grand Theft Poker!!! I demand a Congressional investigation!!!! Where's my poker lawyer?!!!!!

Ya, I know. He had 11 outs... AFTER the turn. If I had gone all-in on the flop, he would have almost certainly folded his dinkies. Or else he would have had to pull two runners and we all know how painful that can be. Even if I had put up a moderate 3xBB bet on the flop, he would have at least suspected I had either a straight or a flush or a bigger pair than his and probably not gone all-in with a lousy pair of 4s. Whatever.

Point remains: I was robbed!

Patchmaster, who successfully goaded me into updating this blog, has a discussion on how fast one should play "big" hands at his blog:

Oh, oh, I just checked Patchmaster's blog. Yes, I missed the WWdN Not last eve and, yes, I was at a fancy wine event. I do believe I am going to have to alter the premises of this blog and keep it poker-oriented. I'm going to create a wine blog for my wine people. Will post when up.

2006-06-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

INAUGURAL POSTING: Having lurked about sufficiently and noting PokerStars support of poker blogger (esp. their freeroll for seasoned bloggers!) I have decided to join the poker blog community and throw in my two Quatloos worth on poker and anything else that comes to mind. For you non-Trekkers, Quatloos was the unit of currency(?) that the "talking" brains used to wager on the outcome of gladiator-like battles staged among kidnapped aliens they called Thralls. [ST:TOS, "Gamesters of Triskelion"] Among male Trekkers, this ep. is most remembered for Shahna played by Angelique Pettyjohn. Among female Trekkers... hmmm... are there any female Trekkers?

This is a poker blog, but Star Trek is about to celebrate their 40th Anniversary and I have already purchased my Captain's Seat ticket for the upcoming Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas (17-20 Aug. 2006). No one is going to beat at a trivia contest! I am the uber-Trekker!! I'm sure poker blogger Wil Wheaton will be there. I will probably go supernova from Star Trek geekiness overload around the 2nd day.