There are a several benefits to being on Team PokerStars. The most obvious is that I get to work with a company that feels like a family, and I get to occasionally pose for Magnificent Seven-style photos with the likes of Joe Hachem, Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, and Isabelle Mercier.
The second most obvious is that I get to play in a few big tournaments each year, most notably the World Series of Poker and the World Championship of Online Poker, while flying the Team PokerStars flag.
The least obvious is that I get to play high-stakes heads-up (just two player) matches several times a year, against some of the best opponents in the world, in a weekly match that PokerStars calls the Tournament Leaderboard Winner Match.
Isabelle was supposed to play in the heads-up match this week, but was unavailable, so I got called off the bench to represent the team . . . and I totally won!
So this morning, before my PokerStars TLB Winner Heads-Up Match, I went through my pre-tourney rituals (reviewing some well-worn notes from Absinthe, paging through Harrington, a little meditation, and a brisk walk around my yard to shake everything off and just focus on the game) and sat down hoping that I’d catch cards when I needed them, and make more good decisions than bad.
[. . .]
I got very lucky and caught some good hands right around the time my opponent (who played a very good, solid match) started to hit a place where a standard raise was about 20% of his stack, and I was able to apply pressure at some key points (I’m not good enough to explain what those points are, I just sort of know when they come up, I guess) so I was able to start raising with K-rag, J-rag, and the one little pair I caught, knowing that he would only play back with a real hand. That let me steal some blinds and keep his M low enough to set him up for playing at me with a weak hand, I hoped.
I really like heads-up play, and I’m beginning to think that I don’t completely suck at it. I’m 1-1 when I’m scheduled for myself, and 2-0 when I’m filling in for someone else (I filled in for 2005 WSOP Champion Joe Hachem a couple of weeks ago and won that match.) I also play these 4-player, two round heads-up tournaments at PokerStars pretty frequently, and I’m a lifetime winner there, as well. (Those are great; you risk one buy-in to win three if you beat two opponents.)
Okay, I’m totally starting to speak in poker code, so if I haven’t lost you entirely, you can read the full story at Cardsquad.
Technorati Tags: poker, pokerstars
You should probably get on a team with Ben Affleck, I don’t rate him as an actor but I remember on kevin smiths boards people said he was actually good at poker. I myself am terrible at both acting and poker, but as long a I have a console, dvd box sets and occasional co-worker social bonding nights, I’ll be a happy pappy.
“Victory is mine, victory is mine. Great day in the morning, victory is mine.I drink from the keg of glory. Bring me the finest muffins and bagels in all the land”
I think I got most of what you said. When ya gonna be on TV, hmmm?
I work for a production company in NYC and they just finished filming season 5 of Celebrity Poker for Bravo and I was watching the footage the other day and thinking to myself hmm, why isn’t Wil ever on this show. I’m not sure how they cast for these things (dare I ask the producers) but it’d be something pretty cool for you to do I think.
Hooray for you! And, speaking as a platonic happily-married fan, you look pretty hot in that photo. It’s the intensity. And the monkey. 🙂
i love that your face is dead serious, but that you have a little monkey sitting right in front of you. i mean c’mon, how many other people play poker with a sidekick monkey? XD
WTG WILS! See you really do have some great poker skills.. Don’t ever doubt yourself, you are on the Pokerstars team for a reason! 🙂 I agree with Kelli, I love watching Celebrity Poker Showdown, and I keep wondering when the HELL are they going to have WIL WHEATON on it?!
Some of my family still don’t believe I have said hi to the REAL WIL WHEATON.. Heh, Guess thats ok, they can keep right on thinking that.. I know better 😀 HUGS! AND.. I hope you had a wonderful EASTER!!
Ben Affleck was a solid poker player (pre-Jennifer Garner), even winning the California State Championship back in 2004. (It was a major $10,000 buy-in event with some top players in the field, but unfortunately there was no camera crew to record it.)
And Celebrity Poker Showdown probably chooses guests the same way as late-night talk shows — they want BIG names or actors that are promoting current projects (movies, TV shows, etc.). I think Wil might need to get that Sci-Fi hosting gig to get on Celebrity Poker Showdown.
On the other hand, Wil is FAR too skilled for that show. I’d rather see him at a WPT or WSOP final table. (He came up two tables short at the WPT Invitational in February.) By the way, Wil, are you playing in the WPT World Championship at Bellagio this year? It starts on Tuesday … Hope to see you there!
No.. not all celebs on CPS are in current work.. some were well.. we won’t say has been.. just say out of acting for awhile..AND
It is my point that Wil is
an EXCELLENT PLAYER.. and would decimate anyone he went up against.. and could use the show’s charity money for any of his excellent causes. I still say I hope they ask him some day and I hope he says yes.
Since I have been reading your blog, I have noticed a steady climb in your tournament placements. Your hard work is paying off.
Keep learning and never forget why your started playing. ‘The money?’…..No! The fun of the game and love of the competition.
Hey Wil!
Any podcasts on the way? My ears need something intersting to listen to.
I’ve gone through all my U2 collection. I need some inspiration.
I love that monkey. 😀
When are you going to tell everyone about winning the STRIP Poker tournament?
http://pokermag.com/managearticle.asp?C=210&A=11606
Oh, and we’d like plenty of pictures please.
The poker lingo lost me yeah, but I understood 3 words and the look. The words were, “I totally won”, and I believe the look in the pic is what is called a “Poker face”, which when demonstrated as well as that one can mean anything from, “I own you”, to, “I just made a ka ka in my pants.”
Congratulations on the win, and the Poker face.
You will be sharing the profits with Darwin, I trust…
Way to go Wil!
Awesome job, congrats dude.
Impressive! I suck at poker. Oh, and your Monkey looks HOT in that picture.
-Cheri
For me, when you do the poker talk, it’s like when you used to do the computer talk. Huh? But even though I don’t get the jargon, I always get the enthusiasm. “…and I totally won!” is always understandable. Bonus points for including that great photo. Red’s a good color for you. Good job, Wil!
Hey Wil. You might also want to include your 2nd place finish out of 50+ players in the DADI Heads Up game. Hell, I’d even suggest you adopt the title “Wil Wheaton, Heads Up Poker Specialist.”
Completely off topic,
but just a scary little fact, have you heard about the canabalistic killing of the 10 year old girl in OK?
Well turns out the 26 year old guy who confessed to it, has a blog and believe it or not, he is a fan of your blog, there is a link for your blog on his page?!?
The story:
http://www.kcci.com/nationalnews/8763686/detail.html
The blog:
http://www.futureworldruler.blogspot.com/
But then again, so does Dave Barry, so Wil’s got plausible deniability here.
Congrats, Wil! And that is such a hawesome pic of you, complete with your lucky mojo monkey.
Just don’t turn all batty on us like the old women at Bingo games with their lucky troll dolls!! LMAO!
But seriously, congrats 🙂
Gotta wonder what your exact thought was at time of that pic Wil???…
Umm, that guy knows I’m Bluffing….
Oh Shit!!!, He’s gonna kill me on this hand…
hehehe
Hi Wil,
I had a friend tell me about your blog. Had to come by and check it out. Entertaining reading!
Also, Alan Smithee? Too funny.
no, Wil’s real thoughts are…
“hrmmm, I wonder if that hostess over there is wearing panties. I don’t see any lines beneath the skirt, but one never knows. Oh, shit–I’m playing poker. Head back in the game, head back in the game…”
j/k wil — thought I’d throw that out there for humors sake.
Hi Wil-
That is truely awesome!!
Didn’t Celebrity Poker have a Star Trek themed round? Or am I getting it confused with something else?
Anyway, I’ve heard if you can get in good with Josh Molina that helps.
Love the monkey, too. I have a stuffed gorilla that travelled all over Europe with me once…
Congrats on the win. Don’t you just love that game?
🙂
http://charmingly-wicked.blogspot.com/
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