Hollay
07-29-2005, 11:00 AM
Hollywood Hills
Last week in Hollywood Hills, readers were taken on an emotional thrill-ride as Hollywood Poker’s Player Manager, Julie, battled her inner-demons and finally won out thanks to an auspiciously timed e-mail from a player.
With all right again in the HP office, it was business as usual. Well, as usual as anything at Hollywood Poker ever is…
It was common knowledge that Hollywood Poker’s editor, Hollay, was somewhat of a poker anomaly and Mike decided to take it upon himself to reel in and refine her technique.
“You’re a rogue, Hollay - a wild card. Poker is about skill, dedication, patience. You’re…well, you’re…”
“Lacking?” Hollay offered.
“Well, yes. I’d like to invite you to my weekly poker game. It’d be good for you. It starts at 8pm. Bring some cheese puffs.”
Hollay accepted and spent the rest of the day brooding over how she was going to take Mike down and cause irreparable damage to his reputation right in front of his friends. As far as she was concerned, victory was in the bag.
That night, at the appointed 8pm, Hollay showed up with her master plan and of course, the cheese puffs.
The game started much like any other poker game. The pendulum swing of Lady Luck’s good graces left all the players on tilt, adamantly defending their precious chip-stacks and fragile egos.
Three hours later, the cheese puffs were dwindling and it was down to Hollay and Mike – head to head, mono a mono, dedicated horticulturalist against fanatic turophile. Never before had anyone seen such skill, rapier wit and persistence executed in a single game.
Never, that is, until the kitchen door burst open and Hollywood Poker’s esteemed player, Ella9750 emerged from a haze of smoke, dazzling in a pair of gold capris and a cowboy hat and offering forth a bag of cheese puffs.
“Mind if I join?” she asked, flashing a truly daunting smile.
Mike and Hollay exchanged a weary glance. They’d heard other players marvel at her merciless tactics and unrivalled playing.
“Sure,” Mike responded uneasily. “Pull up a chair”.
That night, Hollay and Mike learned humility. They were slapped by the cold hand of shame, crushed under the oppressive boot-heel of defeat. Though unknown to them at the time, they’d walk into the office in the morning changed people.
Later, Hollay would confess, “I never saw it coming. I mean, it was like rapid-fire”.
Mike would concur in a teary-eyed admission. “I still can’t get my mind around it. Horrible…just horrible”.
Those that were not blinded by shock remember it something like this:
Final hand.
Pre-flop:
Hollay: A,A
Mike: A,K
Ella9750: 7,2 OS
Flop: 3, 7, 2.
Hollay and Mike bet hard.
Ella9750 calls.
Turn: K.
The air is thick with anticipation. Hollay’s face is smudged with simulated cheese flavoring. No one says anything because they feel awkward for her.
River: 7.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Always the considerate player, Ella9750 left the rest of the cheese puffs for Hollay and Mike to munch on while lamenting their luck.
Still, the tables can always turn, and in Hollywood Hills, plot development dictates that they always do – but we want your help to decide what’s going to happen next week!
Will…
1-Mike and Hollay lose all faith in poker and existence in general and journey to a Buddhist temple to seek truth and meaning?
2-The first ever Hollywood Poker ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’ end in bloodshed when Julie brings her cats?
3-A Hollywood Poker player discover that the most notorious smack-talker on the site is actually the player's mother?
The future of Hollywood Hills is in your hands - vote!
Last week in Hollywood Hills, readers were taken on an emotional thrill-ride as Hollywood Poker’s Player Manager, Julie, battled her inner-demons and finally won out thanks to an auspiciously timed e-mail from a player.
With all right again in the HP office, it was business as usual. Well, as usual as anything at Hollywood Poker ever is…
It was common knowledge that Hollywood Poker’s editor, Hollay, was somewhat of a poker anomaly and Mike decided to take it upon himself to reel in and refine her technique.
“You’re a rogue, Hollay - a wild card. Poker is about skill, dedication, patience. You’re…well, you’re…”
“Lacking?” Hollay offered.
“Well, yes. I’d like to invite you to my weekly poker game. It’d be good for you. It starts at 8pm. Bring some cheese puffs.”
Hollay accepted and spent the rest of the day brooding over how she was going to take Mike down and cause irreparable damage to his reputation right in front of his friends. As far as she was concerned, victory was in the bag.
That night, at the appointed 8pm, Hollay showed up with her master plan and of course, the cheese puffs.
The game started much like any other poker game. The pendulum swing of Lady Luck’s good graces left all the players on tilt, adamantly defending their precious chip-stacks and fragile egos.
Three hours later, the cheese puffs were dwindling and it was down to Hollay and Mike – head to head, mono a mono, dedicated horticulturalist against fanatic turophile. Never before had anyone seen such skill, rapier wit and persistence executed in a single game.
Never, that is, until the kitchen door burst open and Hollywood Poker’s esteemed player, Ella9750 emerged from a haze of smoke, dazzling in a pair of gold capris and a cowboy hat and offering forth a bag of cheese puffs.
“Mind if I join?” she asked, flashing a truly daunting smile.
Mike and Hollay exchanged a weary glance. They’d heard other players marvel at her merciless tactics and unrivalled playing.
“Sure,” Mike responded uneasily. “Pull up a chair”.
That night, Hollay and Mike learned humility. They were slapped by the cold hand of shame, crushed under the oppressive boot-heel of defeat. Though unknown to them at the time, they’d walk into the office in the morning changed people.
Later, Hollay would confess, “I never saw it coming. I mean, it was like rapid-fire”.
Mike would concur in a teary-eyed admission. “I still can’t get my mind around it. Horrible…just horrible”.
Those that were not blinded by shock remember it something like this:
Final hand.
Pre-flop:
Hollay: A,A
Mike: A,K
Ella9750: 7,2 OS
Flop: 3, 7, 2.
Hollay and Mike bet hard.
Ella9750 calls.
Turn: K.
The air is thick with anticipation. Hollay’s face is smudged with simulated cheese flavoring. No one says anything because they feel awkward for her.
River: 7.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Always the considerate player, Ella9750 left the rest of the cheese puffs for Hollay and Mike to munch on while lamenting their luck.
Still, the tables can always turn, and in Hollywood Hills, plot development dictates that they always do – but we want your help to decide what’s going to happen next week!
Will…
1-Mike and Hollay lose all faith in poker and existence in general and journey to a Buddhist temple to seek truth and meaning?
2-The first ever Hollywood Poker ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’ end in bloodshed when Julie brings her cats?
3-A Hollywood Poker player discover that the most notorious smack-talker on the site is actually the player's mother?
The future of Hollywood Hills is in your hands - vote!