It's Just The Wheatie

Not sure why, but Wil's tourney has taken a bit of flack this week. Some blogs focused on the donkey play inherent in it, and someone said to me "It's just the Wheatie."

Don't get me wrong, the WWdN's are pretty much only played for fun these days. The variance brought in by the non-regulars and novices keeps it interesting, but not necessarily educational. But where else can you play with a Team Poker Stars member for $11? Turns out Wil is also a writer, actor, geek, and totally not that loser ensign from that show about green babes. Yah, this we've known for years. What? You don't read his blog?

There's definitely a fair bit of fonkey play going on. But this is the granddaddy of the blogger tourneys. It's also the major feeder to the rest of them. Wil plays in another game, invites everyone over, and some of them might actually stick around a few weeks and decide it's worthwhile to improve their play. This of course means that the Wheatie is seldom a skill competition. The Mookie, MATH, The Big Game and CC's Bash have more-or-less kept pace with the bloggers' improvement though, so they're for fun and a means to test oneself.

But I, like everyone else, love the weekly Wheatie. It got me into this crazy poker world, and it's probably the tournament I most look forward to every week.

BTW - I went out 19th I think. And 16th in the 2nd chance, but that was pretty much on purpose.

Personally, I think it's great. $11 for one of the least-stressed games out there, and it gives hope that there are still those who are starting out and want to learn and improve. Surely we all remember when $11 was a pretty big buy-in for us and we had no idea how these players could know when to scare us off a pot... or why our top pair never held up. So I'm happy to see the new luckboxes and fish join in the fun. Some will even come back, and they'll start getting interested in improving their game.

I did love one guy's complete breakdown in the second chance when he ran into a hammer boat. Nothing quite like a newbie having no idea about the power of 72o. He didn't last much longer and kept ranting well into the observer chat. Not that anyone paid him any mind.

Although I think Wil needs a bot to answer the chat. It would have these responses.

- I don't have time to sign autographs and send them out
- I'm a member of Team PS because I was asked to be
- I'm playing in this tourney because it's MY tournament and I like the people
- Thank you for saying you loved me in Stand By Me or TNG
- I haven't really been a celebrity for years
- Greg Raymer

Maybe that would cut down the chat traffic a bit. That, and if Stars would implement an individual observer mute.

Anyway, yay to The Wheatie! May it continue for many moons.

Mookie tonight. If you're lucky, you'll get to steal my blinds for a while as I rush home to defend.