Poker Perambulation

Well, I downloaded the thing and tried to look around and tried to figure out what it is all about. I didn’t succeed at that too well. I played a SnG and won it and still can’t figure out why I won or what it is all about.

After downloading the Duplicate Poker software using our referral, [US Welcome] I finished registering and did their tutorial and viewed their FAQ and rules and…and…and. Didn’t really sink in. About the only thing I figured out is there are a lot of new rules.

The hype says it does away with the luck factor. Man, if that is the case, what a double-edged sword. The fact that I am a donkey of epic proportions would be exposed. Fortunately, I’m now of the opinion that the hype is just that and my secret remains safe.

So, I have the software installed and take a look. There are a few playing with money but not a lot. I figure they are the ones to take a look at and load a running session for a look-see. Not possible! Players can’t see the other guys table to tell if they are ahead of the guy playing the same seat. The winnings are a variable. You aren’t playing the table you are playing the guy[s] in the same seat who is playing the same cards

Remember that I said I read the rules? I lied. I did scan them a bit but there are a lot of rules including how ties are broken. The final option is a coin flip. Looks like luck is back and my secret remains safe.

So, here I am after a half hour or so. I done the flash tutorial and wandered the docs and I don’t have a clue. Reminds me of reading my first poker book and then trying to play cash games. It is that educated fool phase we all had to go through. So, I click on the play money tables to give it a chance to woo me. I guess it was a SnG that wasn’t a freeze out. I just played the other seat for a win. There were 7 runners but I only played two tables. Exactly how 7 played to a win in 2 heads up tables remains confusing but I’m not going to revisit the rules to figure it out. All I know is I bought in for P$100 and won P$39.

I think the way I won is that the first guy I played was a wimp. I could raise him with anything and he’d fold. You get a new chip stack for each hand. I’d make a good size bet. If he called, I make a move and he’d fold on the flop. Why can’t people be like that at real final tables? Oh, they are. But that is called the WSOP final table. Online you run into cut-throat muscle men and have to play back. Anyway, I moved to the next heads up and on that one my head went up you-know-where. I got lousy cards and my second pairs consistently got clobbered. The rules said something about adjusting for card quality. I do know that mine sucked like it was a real situation. When it was over, I was stunned that I’d won.

There is no doubt that this idea makes for a very different game. It is going to require a different skill set. If you haven’t found a home in the normal SnG, MTT or cash games, you might find a home here. It doesn’t look like a way you’ll win a lot or lose a lot. It is certainly different from all the other poker options out there. If there is less luck there’s also a whole new approach to assimilate.

As a burn out at a lot of ways to play online, I may end up on Duplicate Poker before it all plays out. Mixed game play and Stud have become my way to keep interest. If that wears out before I do, then I might revisit. You always invest in a learning curve when you take up something different. I just may end up giving this another go. I guess I’ll leave the software installed for now. If drive space were tight, I might not.

Conclusion: Interesting idea but it looks like a work in process. I’ll tip my hat to them trying to find a new approach and conclude that I just didn’t invest the time and effort to figure it out. But, it should be something you could figure that is different from the regular scene. Others may find that attractive.

ADDENDUM:

I will post the winner of the poker book in tomorrows blog. You still have today to enter. Just go here to enter.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 23rd, 2007 at 5:16 am and is filed under Journal, Poker Other. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.