Head Hunting On CryptoLogic


A scan of a card reminding RakeTheRake members of the Juha Santa series of Christmas freerolls. Those were the days!

Once upon a time there was a poker network known as CryptoLogic. The company still exists but alas the CryptoLogic Network itself is no more. Many of those who played on the Network look back on it with fond memories. I’m not a great fan of no limit hold ’em but have been known to play small tournaments, and especially freerolls. And head hunters! Some of these tournaments were great, especially the affiliate freerolls: a realistic shot at big prizes at no risk at all, as will be seen from the Juha Santa Christmas promotion below played December 3, 2007.

The ten screengrabs here were all taken from the CryptoLogic Network. There is also a scan of a leaflet – actually a piece of card (above) – that came through my door from the affiliate RakeTheRake.


A head hunter played on William Hill, November 30, 2007. I finished runner up.


A Juha Santa head hunter on InterPoker, December 3, 2007. $1000 prize pool, half for places, half for heads. 85 runners, 12 places paid. Our hero wins first prize.


A Juha Santa freeroll on InterPoker, December 14, 2007.


A head hunter on William Hill, February 3, 2008.

A small stud tournament ($5 + 50c) on the CryptoLogic Network, February 26, 2008. I entered this on William Hill. 22 runners and only 3 places paid. This was not a head hunter of course, but I believe it was the first regular stud tournament I ever won. The first stud hi lo tournament I ever won was some considerable time before, on Absolute Poker.

March 2, 2008: a £5 + 50p head hunter, about as large a buy-in as you will ever find me playing for any form of hold ’em. 120 runners, 20 places paid, and guess who won it!


A head hunter on InterPoker, March 31, 2008. Our hero wins the tournament and $198.73, not a bad return for $5 + 50c.


Wiliam Hill head hunter, April 10, 2008. A nice prize for runner up.


Auntie wins the lion’s share of the pot with a straight flush at Omaha hi lo on William Hill, May 10, 2008.

Heads up pot limit Omaha on William Hill. I can’t remember the date this was played but I think it was around August 2008. I won this hand and the tournament with a straight flush. I think the other guy had the ace.

[The above article was originally published as a blog, September 19, 2012 with the 11 images here.]

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