Duplicate Poker

[twoblacknines]

Hey I just got an email advertising "duplicate poker". Here are the basic rules:

Duplicate Poker presents a different kind of online poker experience. It follows the normal Texas Holdem style poker in almost every way except for a few key differences:

1. There are always two or more tables of players. The same number of players are seated at each table.
2. For each hand, an identically shuffled deck is used at each of the table. This means that players sitting in the same position at different tables receive the exact same cards. Each table also sees the same common cards.
3. For every hand, all players on all competing tables receive the same number of chips, irrespective of how many a player finished with in the previous hand.
4. A score is generated for each player based on the net number of chips they have at the end of each hand.
5. A player's final score is calculated by comparing their initial score with the score of all other players sitting in the same seat position at the different tables. The player that has the highest comparative positive chip score at the end of a session wins.

That sounds kind of cool but isn't it just asking for cheaters? If someone's friend is on a different table but in my seat they can tell their friend my exact hole cards? I suppose in a tourny setting it could work...

What are your thoughts?

[Minn_pokerplyr]

If you pick up a cardplayer mag from your local pokerroom or online, there is a bonus code for them. I forgot what it is, but its like $25 free no deposit, to try out the software.

[nycplayer]

I just put $50 on this to check it out. They said there was 100% dep. bonus, but I either missed something, or did it wrong, because I haven't seen anything yet. Wish I'd known about the cardplayer thing.

On the plus side, I used a plain old US mastercard, and it went thru with no problems.

As far as cheating goes, I'm not sure, but it does seem like there could be some.
If A plays B and C plays D in two HU matches, then A is actually competing against C and B is competing against D to see who could make more.
If B and C collude on the phone, then I'd say A and D are at a big disadvantage, since their opponents know both sets of cards. The flops are simultaneous, and every hand you see turn and river, regardless of folds, so there's no way to know how the hand will play out for sure. But I still think knowing you are in with the advantage PF could go a long way towards profitable cheating.
I don't think I'll put more money into this until I find some kind of assurances against this.

[Lyrrad]

To be honest, it seems stupid for online play. They seem to claim it's a skill-based game to get around the UIGEA in the US, but there's still an element of chance in the randomization of card. So, I find it difficult to believe the advertising claims that this type poker is 100% skill based. Sure, you get the same cards as other people, but the flop/turn/river are essentially random, meaning the result of each hand has some element of chance.

[nycplayer]

but the luck is the same for everyone - so it cancels out. All that matters is how well you play the cards you get, compared to others. I just won a match, by losing less than the other guy did on some hands that started well and ended badly. -400 for me, -1000 for him, so I win, even though we both had the exact same [censored] luck.

[mbpoker]

You have AA and your opponent has 27o. You raise and he folds as normal player will. On the other table some donkey with 27 calls and hits 222 flop. He wins. Was it skill or luck?

[nycplayer]

in that case, you win the blinds and your opponent w/ AA on the other table loses his stack. You win your match.
In the other seat, the guy that took a stupid chance got paid.
But over several hands it will even out. And there's interplay between the two players as well, for example if the other guy w/ AA can or can't get off his hand.

Also, the games are pot limit so far, so it is harder to push PF statistical advantages.

[mbpoker]

My point is that in difference from duplicate bridge where there is no coming cards there is still a substantial degree of luck in duplicate poker. It might be less than in regular poker, but in both skill wins in the long run. So I don't see how duplicate poker is any more legal than regular poker.

[SmokeyRidesAgain]

This whole thing seems like a really stupid solution to a really stupid problem.

Keep on rocking in the free world.

[nycplayer]

I thought it was an interesting idea, but the play is way too slow for me. Plus there aren't enough players on the site. I'll probably cash out my small profit in a couple of days and give it a pass from there.