52 thoughts on “there are two colo(u)rs in my head”

1. Congratulations! And that is a cool watch!

2. Hey, about Pokerstars, due to your influence, I did manage to learn to play poker (Hold ’em), and I’ve played all of one game. (I managed to win all the chips, but I’m certain it was total beginner’s luck). It seemed like so much of the game was interpersonal more than just the cards. How do you get a read on people, etc, if you’re playing them online? It seems like it would be a really different game without that element of sizing them up across the table.
   Oh and, the site for the watch said they had free shipping on all orders over $40…

3. Congrats! I signed up on PS a few weeks ago and have been playing the play money games. Yesterday, I played in my first 6000 player freeroll tournament and came in 59th. However, my wife is restricting real money play until I can demonstrate my skill by winning a $50k play money sng. I think that is probably a good idea.

4. I’ll sign up for Poker Stars the minute they get a Mac client.
   You’re a big-wig over there now, care to twist their arms a bit as a favour to the faithful?
   PS. Thanks for including the parenthetic (u). Those of us in the colonies appreciate the gesture. 🙂

5. I’ve been on PokerStars over a year now, and I never seem to get in there when you’re online. I’d love to play against you. Looking forward to your WWdN tourney.

6. A WWdN tourney is a great idea. You’ve got some good players here and you could probably get a beefy game going.
   Awesome how well you treated Michael. People get a rush out of meeting celebs and always remember who’s cool and who’s an asshole.
   For sure you’ve got a new, happy reader in him. I can’t help but wonder how much it COST him though. 😉

7. naiah: Even when I play in brick-and-mortar casinos, I don’t spend too much time trying to “read” other players’ body language or tells. At the level I play, the only truly reliable tells are betting patterns, and a few things like shaking hands (usually means he’s got a good hand and can’t wait to get his money in . . . it does NOT mean he’s scared of a call) and the standard Mike Caro “strong means weak and weak means strong” thing. Online, I watch betting patterns, and do my best to make fundamentally correct plays based on my cards, the situation, and what I’ve been able to figure out about my opponent from his or her betting.
   foley: I don’t think there’s a Mac client in the works, but that whole aspect of ‘Stars is beyond the scope of my relationship with them.
   AJ: I can honestly say that this was the most enjoyable heads-up contest I’ve ever played, and I enjoyed Michael’s company even more than I enjoyed playing my way back into the game. Something I’ve noticed about the $22 SNGs vs. the $11 SNGs is that they are a lot more fun. There are fewer suckouts, and fewer tantrums when they *do* happen.

8. Wil Wheaton said, “that’s totally going on my blog”
   hehehe… cute!

9. Oh, and Alan, 59th out of 6000 is fucking incredible, man! Free play or not, that’s a fantastic achievement.

10. Hi Will
    Thanks to you, I’m a farker now, so thanks. Also, the word ‘teh’ and the words ‘teh funny’ used to really irrirate me, but now I can’t type them enough.
    So thanks for that. Also in researching that, I learned about the whole strange lingo thing, like pr0n. Which I still hate. But teh is good.
    Sorry to hear about the loss of your teens. As a certified former major teen asshole myself, all I can offer is – don’t bend. Be flexible, but establish your lines and stick to em. Nobody respects anyone they can push around or manipulate.
    Back to fark now.

11. Wil
    Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease make your tournament Australia-time friendly. I am SO up for this.
    Like Alan, I’m building confidence in my play at PokerStars. I’m winning 3 out of every 4 300+20 single table play money games I sit at. I’m feeling ready to step up to the 2000 games. When I can build my play money stack to 100000, I’ll feel ready to play for real money (at VERY small stakes).

12. Hey Wil!
    You don’t know me, but an online quiz just told me that you and I are blogtwins! Just thought you should know that you have family up in Canada.
    Also, as a step-father who came into a kid’s life while they were in the pangs of adolescence, I can tell you that after a series of stomped floors and slammed doors, things do get better. Or, alternatively, they move out.
    Cheers, mate!

13. Super ultra cool about the poker thing. Names gettin’ a bit big out there. Don’t forget us little people.
    The watch: AWESOME!! I sucked at Astoroids, but loved trying. One game I actually didn’t suck at was Spy vs. Spy. I play it on XBox now with Trevor and I’m sucking, but it’s still super fun. Aw the old games. How fun were they?

14. Wil Smith plays at PokerStars.com?
    Wow, he is a real celebrity! I might have to sign up.

15. Hey Wil,
    A WWdN tournament would be a great idea.
    My game is improving a lot because of PokerStars and it would be great to play a tournament that wasn’t a SNG, or a satellite to the WCOOP or EPT, (those things are brutal), especially with the WWdN readers.
    I’m looking forward to it already!!
    Chris

16. Wow. That watch really is freakin’ sweet. I know what I’m shopping for next time I need a new one.
    Barry

17. Wil,
    something occured to me. Being a huge Battlestar:Galactica (new one) fan, I find it weird that you have yet to mention it (that I’ve seen) on your blog. It is done by one of your former (maybe? I dont know if you were there at the same time) co-workers (Ron Moore), and it is INCREDIBLY well done. A saw a blog post by a writer on (I think) Lost talking about how he thought it was the best show on tv. Anyway, that is something that just struck me while I was reading your blog…

18. WWdN Tourney?
    COUNT ME IN, BABY
    (Congrats on your 20+2 success Wil, still trying to tame the 10+1s…)

19. Thanks Wil. That tourney really showed me how much more I need to learn. Two things happened. First, I got my stack up to $150k when I realized the average stack at the final table was going to be $1M. I got a little freaked out and my play tightened up way too much. Second, the remaining players were good. I entered a few pots but having lost my nerve got chased out too easily. I was blinded down to about $50k (around 1/3 of the average stack with 8k blinds) and went all-in with KQs (which was on my short list). I was called by 77 who then got two more sevens on the board.
    I almost made chip leader at one point. Late position, $95k, 2k BB, I was dealt QQ. Fold, call, raise 2k. I raise to 16k — about 2x the current pot. Next player (named him 2) goes all in with 26k. One more caller (name him 3). I call. Flop comes up Q42 off suite. Player 3 bets $2k. I see zero danger and raise to $20k. Turn is a 6. Still doesn’t scare me. I go all in with $49k. Player 3 calls. River is 7. Player 3 QTs. I get his money. But player 2 has 53o which gives him the straight. He was trying to quit and lucked out. I ended up with about 140k instead of the 220k that would have put me in the chip lead at that point (or even the 190k if player 2 had folded 53o like a good boy should), but, hey, that’s the game.
    I see crazy stuff like that all the time on the free games (that I doubt I would see so much on the live games) and it has really screwed up my sense of how to play. I came in first in the first two 9 player sngs I entered. Lost the third and four to some bad beats and then went on tilt by playing too conservatively. I’m taking a few weeks off from playing to let myself brain deemphasize some of those bad beats and study some books.
    Speaking of which, you really should put a “Wil’s Poker Library” affiliate link page up. I’d be happy to send a few cents your way as I expand my collection.

20. http://www.choiceshirts.com/item/k/a10331c/
    saw this and thought you might get amusement out of it Wil ! *hugs*
    Haven’t posted for a bit but I have been reading, just so ya know!

21. Wil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You *DON’T!* find the Coolest Things at The Mall!!!..
    hahahahaha
    Cheers.

22. I’m all for the above suggestion to make the WWdN tournament Australia-friendly. 🙂

23. If everyone else is throwing their request in…..
    East Coast friendly would be appreciated.

24. Wil,
    I’ll take your word for it that the $22 games are better. I’ve found that moving up in limits to find better players only turns into more expensive games with still more devastating suck-outs. I may have to pick up Lee Jones’ book. I started out July on a tear, but it’s been a steady decline since then (I win almost enough to keep me even overall).
    However, I won a WCOOP satellite to another WCOOP satellite this weekend. That’s good for something. It would pale in comparison to the prestige of winning a Wheaton Open, though.

25. I would be very interested in a WWDN PokerStars tourney. Unfortunately, all I can play right now is play money tourneys, because as of last week, I’m unemployed (not my choice, no severance after nearly 8 years, no I’m not bitter, not at all.) Even though I usually place in the money in the 45 player Turbo S&Gs, I can’t bring myself to play for real money when I don’t have a job.
    Hopefully this tourney will go well and you will choose to host some more when I’m … ahem … “flush” again.

26. I just got my copy of Winning Low Limit Hold’Em last week and it’s a great book so far. As an added bonus which I didn’t realize until I got it, Wil wrote the foreword to the 3rd edition.

27. Wil,
    Since I JUST found your site about oh…a week ago (shows how much I surf the web and keep up on stuff eh?), I have been having a ball reading the archives to kill time at work (currently up to May 2002). OK, not just at work. I stayed up until 2:00 AM the other night reading it too. Since I have no computer technical skills at all other than surfing the web, Lotus Notes (the evil empire of corporate jobs makes us use it), email etc, I couldn’t figure out how to do the encryption to send an email, so I have to post it here.
    I have to tell you that I am in total awe of how you handle Ryan and Nolan. If you didn’t have anything else going for you at least you can pat yourself on the back for being a kick-ass step-dad. I have been on both sides of the situation with having 2 step-fathers (my mom has been married 5 times) and now my son having an evil step-mother, I know that it takes a Mt. Everest amount of patience to deal with the situation. It can either be incredibly challenging, but rewarding, or a total fireball going quickly to the pit of Hell.
    I am sure that your humor definitely helps.
    On that note, I love the fact that you do Improv. My best friend is studying Improv at Second City in Detroit and hopes to make it her career. She has the skill and the desire so watch out, you might have a run for your money. heh
    I too was someone who had a TOTAL crush on Wesley Crusher. I had no idea that people hated him until I read your website, but then again I have never been to a Con and although TNG was a great show, I have never been considered a Trekkie, Trecker or any other word that would describe a Star Trek fanatic. BTW, you were right about DS9. It was too serious and you could have totally rocked the place.
    For a long time I had wondered what had happened to you (since I had a total Jr. High school type crush on you) and now I know that you are kick A$$ funny and doing great things with your life. You totally lucked out in the wife dept. Anne ROCKS!!!
    I would like announce that I am now a proud reader of WWdN and have told all of my friends to read it too. If you are ever in Chicago or Michigan for an Improv show you will have at least one WWdN fan in the audience.
    Tanget- I just took a call from a Mr. Sexe (pronounced sexy)….Try saying “Good Morning, Mr. Sexe, how can I help you?” in a completely serious voice. NOT easy. heh
    As for online poker….I would love to try it someday, but since I tend to get addicted to any type of online game when I find it, I might have to stay away. I do enjoy Celebrity Poker Showdown though. Will we be seeing you there anytime soon? I missed last season, so if you were already on there PLEASE forgive me. (remember that I am ONLY up to May 2002 so far)….
    Rachel

28. Make sure to grab that watch ASAP. I saw the coolest watch in the world (to me) back in 1993 and didn’t buy it because I thought it was too expensive. I *still* think about and look for that watch!
    It was designed by an artist with a color representing each hour of the day-so there are twelve wedges of color-then a black disc with one of the wedges cut out is over the face–as the time goes by only one of the colors or a fraction of two colors is revealed so you have to learn how to tell time by seeing the colors of the day.. Anyway- I saw it twice-never got the name of who made it… and I can’t find the darn thing anymore!
    ummmmm, okay… back to poker talk…

29. Wen,
    Would PLEASE let us men just talk about poker?
    And thanks for not mentioning that Swatch Jellyfish watch I thoguht was cool just to boost your “cooler than your brother” points.

30. Casio has this crazy watch that is called the G Shock Solar Digital
    Basicly, it’s a watch that has the following features.
    1) Get’s the time from an atomic clock in colorado once a day
    2) It’s solar powered
    3) Some models look like an analog watch(hour, minute and seconds)
    4) The analog looking watches have digital background, so you can have a countdown timer.
    5) Automaticly adjusts to daylight savings time.
    A guy at my work has one and it’s pretty neat.

31. Speaking of watches…..sometime in 1988 I started to wear 2 Swatch watches on my wrist And do know why Wil?? Do you?? Yep…. cause you did (at least you did in a photo in Teen Beat type mag) I even had to go find the black and white one you had. Ahh those crazy teenage years.

32. Count me in for the tourney, if you want the WPBT crew there, just let Iggy and Pauly know 😀

33. Haven’t played much low-limit, will have to study up, but a tourney sounds like great fun!
    Hope to see everyone there!

34. I miss my Swatch, it belonged to an x but i kinda inherited it when we split. It had this shiney blue band /sigh. I took it with me when i worked a camp for disabled adults a few years back and i took it off by the pool and someone stepped on it… anyhow…
    Grats on coming out ahead lately, you got the skillz 😛 I used to love playing cards, and like many others here i feel this pull toward learning/relearning to play poker. Sadly i’m not certain i have a solid enough group to put together a rl game these days. C’est la vie.
    I’m all for a WWdN tournament, though i will probobly just be a spectator, granted thats possible… hmmm… All these times zones to accomodate… g/l 🙂
    -=Mynna
    “The journey gives meaning to the destination”

35. that watch is alright, i guess… i still think that the timex outdoor camper is the greatest watch ever…
    postscript. yet, i DID type that correctly about the timex.

36. woo! colour! i’m so proud of my canadian spelling 🙂

37. i suck at poker…………totally shit at it!

38. Wil – Don’t mean to sound dumb, but I assume you’re playing the Limit Hold-Em $22 SNG, eh?
    Also, do you play the cash tables, or just the SNGs? I like the tourney-style tables much better than the cash tables, where you tend to find even more erratic players than you find @ the SNGs!

39. I guess I’d better get my real money account opened at Poker Stars so I can get into the WWdN tourney. I’ve done OK in the play money SNGs that I’ve played, so I’m curious to see how the real money play differs. But for tonight, I’m headed out to my weekly Amateur Poker League tourrnament. Wish me luck!

40. All in on KK? I finally get to watch you play a tournament, and all in on KK?
    Man. Better luck next time.

41. I don’t know anything about poker actually, so I’ll pass on this one, except to say… I’ve got a bunch of links at my blog on poker if you want ’em! Spammers visit me alot and leave me nice little info behind. 😉 Oh, and it looks like rachel STILL has that crush.

42. That *is* the coolest watch in history.

43. I’d love to play on PokerStars but I’m on a PowerBook.
    The thought of losing to Wil Wheaton in a WWdN tournament is almost enough to cause me to set up a windows box.
    Hrm…

44. A note to Alan and some of the others about “Play Money” versus “Real Money” ESPECIALLY in 1-table SNG’s. It won’t necessarily mean that you are ready for REAL money just because you can win play SNG’s.
    Go WATCH a few real money SNG’s at the $500+50 level, and tell me how many people go ALL IN on the first hand with A-4os and if they do, how many people get TWO ALL-IN CALLS. It don’t happen. The nutjobs who treat the play sng’s like the money was free, rather than using it to hone their skills put a weird skew in the whole thing. Once you know how to play them (wait for cards and then take their chips) and ACT LIKE THEM when you have the nuts and get calls, it’s pretty easy to make it to the half-table-gone point without much other poker skill. And even then, the presence of the ALL-IN’er has altered the balance of power, depending on who was lucky/skillful enough to take their chips.
    Personally, I think that a $500 SNG for real money is going to have 6-8 fairly strong players, if not 2 sets of players in collusion (either actively, or passively). MUCH TOUGHER COMPETITION.
    For me, it’s like being good at both tennis and racquetball — doable, but you spend at least a few cycles in every round shot remembering which game you are playing and adjusting your physical response accordingly.
    Charlie
    P.S. Wil, I’m another of those people who would wish you might do a second tournament at Poker Room for those of us who don’t (no longer) have a PC. For YOUR tournament, though, I will go find one to borrow.
    P.P.S. And as for “east coast friendly” or “Australia friendly” that’s so subjective. What if you’re on night shift? What if you play at work? What if? This is a 24-hour globe. You’ll just have to take a nap and play when Wil sets the time.

45. Hey, DCfreakingM, some of us ladies like to play too, yannow 😉
    I am not too sharp with the betting rules – check what? What do I need to put in the pot now? Shut up, I can TOO go all in. Suckers! – but I’m not too bad at the game. I can hold my own pretty well. I’m trying to learn to be less conservative.
    I’ll probably sign up, for the practice, since we’ll be starting up a regular game here among my coworkers this winter.
    Here’s a question. If my fiance and I both go, can we sit at the same table, or is that like giving our House an extra advantage?

46. Okay I suck at poker and all of that went right over my head, but WOW that is a cool watch!!! I love Fossil watches, but I’d never really checked out their limited edition stuff.
    Only just discovered the blog today through another – it’s pretty fun, I’ll be back.

47. If I have my own crappy dial up connection by the time this happens.. I am so taking your money Wheaton.. 😉
    No seriously.. I have improved.. 😛

48. I agree, I think a WWdN tourney is a great idea!

49. Bronwyn,
    Of course I know women can play, my wife plays, too. (there is a fair body of evidence to indicate hse is the better player, even). I just had to give my sister a hard time.
    And you course you guys can play together, you just can’t play TOGETHER.

50. Yo Wil!
    I have posted a couple of times on here, usually when it relates to holdem. I have been a member at PS for a couple of years now. I was actually a part of their beta! Anyway, any idea when the tourney is going to happen? I would love to be a part of it! I have been checking the site daily to see if you have updated. Grats on the PS gig. It must have also been pretty damn cool to rub shoulders with the pros at the WPT championship. I bet your heart was pounding when you originally took your seat. I know mine would have been!
    Take care, hope to see something up about the tourney soon…
    Later,
    Marty

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