Duplicate Poker

Duplicate Poker is an interesting experiment that just went commercial. The game idea is pretty simple: players sit in two or more tables. Each player receives the same hole cards as the other players which are sitting in his same position in the other tables (e.g. all players in sit #1), the community cards are also identical. Players bet as in any other No Limit Hold'em game, however, in the end of every hand the chips stacks return to their original state and points are awarded according to how many chips you had in the end of the hand (also compared to the position counterparts for extra points).

As I've stated, this idea first started as an experiment. It showed how different players play the same cards and how the game evolves differently in each table, proving that poker is based on skill, rather then luck.

However, now someone created a duplicate poker software that allows you to actually play the game for real cash. The games are mostly tournaments consisting of around 5 sessions, each session plays a set amount of hands (usually 10-12). After one or two sessions the bottom half of the score board gets eliminated, leaving the rest to fight over a set amount of money places (this changes according to the number of starters).

It was really interesting to play a game and see the other players in my seat position have such varied results (at some point I was +3000 while another player was +6500 and yet another was -4000). There were also positions that had the whole board in the minus, but again varied greatly (from -500 to -16000), showing that even when the cards run bad (presumably), conserving chips is just as important (and requires skill) as earning them.

It is a necessary evil that no one can sneak a peak at any table but his own (as to prevent cheating) but it is a shame that it prevents spectators from watching how the games play differently with the same cards. There is a lot to learn about how different players and styles effect the game.

The site itself is pretty basic, giving out all the information and as easy to use as the next poker software but a polish up is still desirable, if for nothing else but to put a better face on an emerging product.

Speaking of emerging, the site is still new and not as frequently visited as to allow games to start in a reasonable amount of time. Expect to wait when trying to get a game started.

You can go to Duplicate Poker to try it out.

Note: US players can actually play this game for money as it is deemed skill based and so does come under the evil UIGEA.

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The Final Table

(Sorry it toke so long guys and girls - first week of Uni and all)

So the final table for the 2 day event was set to go.

We gathered around for the press release photo:

(Second from the right with the scarf)

And then it was time to shuffle up and deal.

Since it toke us so long to get to the final table, the blinds were already at 20,000 and 40,000; so with the chip leader (myself) being on 470,000 in chips, it was going to be a fast playing final table.

After only two hands middle position raised all-in from the button with AJ off-suit and was called by the big blinds pocket nines, the nines held up and the first player busted.

The game was intense, since there were such big jumps in payouts (think first receives $100 and first receives $15k), everyone were trying to hold on but with the blinds being so high, that meant making moves.

With me in the small blind, the button raised for an extra 100k, thinking that he was stealing I raised another 150k with Q9 off-suit (I stole my way up to around 800k by then). Big blind folded but the button went all-in for 200k on top. I thought for a bit and folded, the button flipped over pocket jacks.

I was in small blind again when early position went all in for 190k, with 20k already invested I called with KQ suited and he turned over J10 suited. With a KQ on the flop, it was a sealed deal and I busted the second player

The third player out raised his last 120k on his small blind and was called by big blind. Small blind had 57 suited and big blind had A3 off suit. Blanks all the way to the river meant that big blind toke the pot and we were down to six.

Now that the chips were a bit less spread around, we were bound to see some flop action, rather then pre-flop all-ins. This was an interesting (and odd) hand:

Middle position and small blind limped in and I checked the big blind with 93 off suit. The flop was AQ5 with two hearts (Q5), both blinds checked and middle position bet out 100k but small blind checked-raised for 250k on top. I quickly folded and middle position (chip leader) raised all-in for 300k more. With so much in the pot, I would insta-call with any check-raise worthy hand but amazingly, small blind folded.

I later found that middle position had A10 with the ace of hearts. I still don't know what the small blind had, anyone care to guess?
Funnily enough, the aforementioned small blind player busted out when he was forced to put on all chips in with a Q10 and was dominated by...A10! Ain't poker great?

So we were down to five players and the blinds went up to 40k and 80k. The middle position that toke the previous huge pot, named Rob, was bullying the table with his stack that now was over a million chips.

I decided to make a stand when he raised my small blind and I looked down at A9 suited (diamond). I raised all in (which was about 200k on top) and was unfortunately called by Robs...AK off suit. The flop was Q,5,Q with one diamond (Things were looking really bad), the turn was the seven of diamonds giving me some outs but the queen of spades on the river sealed it and I was sadly eliminated, cashing $750.

Understandably, I didn't really pay much attention for a little while and when I came back the table was down to three players.

Quite a few hands of blind stealing ensued until the small blind raised to 250k and big blind called. The flop was J,7,7 rainbow. Small blind checked and big blind raised 400k, big blind went over the top for 200k more and all-in and big blind quickly called. Small blinds AJ looked good until big blind showed KK which held up and we were down to two.

Heads up was quite interesting, since Rob, which steam rolled the table was holding a 3 to 1 chip advantage over Todd. However it seems that Rob started getting a cold deck (or cold feet) since he allowed Todd to steal quite a few blinds, which in those levels mean that soon Rob stack went down to around 2 million in chips while Todd held just over a million, when the following happened:

Todd had the button and the small blind and he limped in, Rob raised to 300k and Todd called. The flop was 4,5,7 rainbow and Rob raised 600k, Todd went all in (only around 200k more) which meant that Rob had to call. Rob showed KQ while Todd showed A6 for high card and a open straight draw. The turn was a blank but the river showed the eight for Todds straight

Todd actually had quite a following in the crowd as they all started cheering and screaming when the eight dropped. With a $3k second place payout compared to the $15k first place, they had reasons.

Only a few hands later, Rob raised off the small blind to 350k and Todd raised him all-in, which Rob called showing K10 while Todd showed pocket threes - A $15k race. The flop was A,J,5 giving Rob an inside straight draw along with his over cards. Todd turned his head away, unwilling to look (he was actually slightly ahead, but it is a scary board). The turn was another 5 and the river...a harmless 7.

Todds friends rushed down to surround him as the Tournament Director brought down the huge check that we all craved:


As for me, I am a big believer that you can not be disappointed if you played your best. After all, thats what Poker is all about.

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