Published on 2007-08-09 08:35:53
Am I missing something here?
In case you don't know what I am talking about, a company called Pokertek has a product called Pokerpro (with a spin-off Pokerpro Heads-Up product.) Basically, these are electronic poker tables that have a computerized dealer. Instead of using real cards, players are dealt their cards electronically, and they can view their cards on a small screen that only they can see. They bet, fold and go all-in using the computerized screen in front of them. The heads-up table is basically the same thing, except there are places for two players to sit (across from each other), instead of having a full ring game.
Pokertek boasts that by using their Pokerpro tables, casinos can increase the amount of rake that they take in per hour by 50-60%, and eliminate the need for live human dealers. There will be no more dealing mistakes, no more long pauses to figure out sidepots; the computer will do it all automatically.
My question is: why? What is the point of this product? If I want to play with computerized dealers, I'll 4-table at home on Pokerstars. I venture outside and play live in order to play with real cards. I want to observe people as they look at their cards, stack their chips and place their bets. You can get quite a bit of information from that. Plus I love the feeling of playing with real cards and real chips. Who doesn't? There is nothing quite like raking a huge pot and staking up all of your freshly won chips.
By playing at these "Pokerpro" tables, you are eliminating all of that. You might as well just be playing at home on your computer, in the comfort of your own home. Plus you will be saving a number of dealer jobs. Besides, dealers can sometimes have some of the best banter at the tables.
Just say no to these Pokerpro machines. If you want to play live, then play live with real cards, real chips and a real dealer. If you want to play with a computerized dealer, stay at home on your Pokerstars account.
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Filed Under: Miscellaneous Poker Articles
Am I missing something here?In case you don't know what I am talking about, a company called Pokertek has a product called Pokerpro (with a spin-off Pokerpro Heads-Up product.) Basically, these are electronic poker tables that have a computerized dealer. Instead of using real cards, players are dealt their cards electronically, and they can view their cards on a small screen that only they can see. They bet, fold and go all-in using the computerized screen in front of them. The heads-up table is basically the same thing, except there are places for two players to sit (across from each other), instead of having a full ring game.
Pokertek boasts that by using their Pokerpro tables, casinos can increase the amount of rake that they take in per hour by 50-60%, and eliminate the need for live human dealers. There will be no more dealing mistakes, no more long pauses to figure out sidepots; the computer will do it all automatically.
My question is: why? What is the point of this product? If I want to play with computerized dealers, I'll 4-table at home on Pokerstars. I venture outside and play live in order to play with real cards. I want to observe people as they look at their cards, stack their chips and place their bets. You can get quite a bit of information from that. Plus I love the feeling of playing with real cards and real chips. Who doesn't? There is nothing quite like raking a huge pot and staking up all of your freshly won chips.
By playing at these "Pokerpro" tables, you are eliminating all of that. You might as well just be playing at home on your computer, in the comfort of your own home. Plus you will be saving a number of dealer jobs. Besides, dealers can sometimes have some of the best banter at the tables.
Just say no to these Pokerpro machines. If you want to play live, then play live with real cards, real chips and a real dealer. If you want to play with a computerized dealer, stay at home on your Pokerstars account.
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Filed Under: Miscellaneous Poker Articles
