Wired Poker

"Poker fever" exploded shortly after Gus "The Great Dane" Hansen captured the inaugural World Poker Tour (WPT) tournament in June 2002. The condition is highly contagious and widespread, and shows no sign of waning. In this article, we'll explore how poker's proliferating landscape affects us as players and delve into some of the ramifications from a strategy perspective.

In Las Vegas (my home turf), several hotels have resurrected previously cast-aside poker rooms. Others have expanded their cardrooms, adding tables, personnel, and no-limit games. On average, I receive one invitation each week to play in a home game. But, perhaps the greatest growth our game has encountered has been in the number of players who enjoy mouse clicking for fun and profit … playing poker on the Internet.

Gus Hansen celebrates his World Poker Tour victory

Card Player has responded to the expanding popularity of poker with more diverse and wide-reaching coverage. To that end, in issues No. 18, 19, and 20, Roy Cooke gave us a comprehensive view of the history and current state of Internet poker. He told us that at times, " … more than 100,000 players are playing poker from the convenience of their homes." I just checked http://www.pokerpulse.com/ (a website that specializes in tracking current and peak player participation on a daily basis) and noticed more than 35,000 players are moving chips at PartyPoker alone.

Matt Savage

Roy also discussed the synergistic (my characterization) interdependence that casinos and online gaming sites now share. In 1999, I sensed a "Hatfields versus McCoys" type of combative relationship between Internet and casino poker rooms (the latter are often referred to as "brick-and-mortar" establishments). Five years later there is an implied understanding that both can survive and thrive, thus a more compatible connection exists. As an example (thanks to tournament director Matt Savage), I learned that of the 2,576 players who were dealt into the championship event at the 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP), approximately 900 qualified through Internet play. Five of the nine finalists won their seats through online tournaments. Many of these Internet qualifiers arrived early, enjoyed Las Vegas, and played in ring games all over town.

Many are learning to play online. Recently, I was chatting with several players who told me they now play at Bellagio and other Las Vegas cardrooms after watching the WPT, then learning the game by using play money at major poker sites. They gained experience and confidence quickly, enabling them to walk into brick-and-mortar cardrooms with less fear of the unknown. Several times when watching the WPT, I have heard Mike Sexton say a finalist has never played with real chips, as he is playing in his first "live" tournament – having learned to play and qualified online. Conversely, many learn in poker rooms and later add online play to their repertoire.

I attribute a substantial portion of the whopping growth in tournament poker to the seemingly omnipresent television coverage and the "Moneymaker" factor. As most are now aware, in 2003, an unknown 27-year-old player from Tennessee by the name of Chris Moneymaker parlayed a $39 investment through a series of PokerStars.com online satellite tournaments and was seen by millions (up to eight times if you include ESPN reruns) emerging as our world champion from a field of 839 combatants. A year later, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer (although an experienced, accomplished tournament player) qualified online at PokerStars (for $160), then bested 2,575 opponents to win the championship. Based on the success of these television stars, countless online players have elevated their aspirations. Online gaming sites and casino poker rooms have increased the number of qualifying events they spread. The multiple "coattail" effect has been explosive growth in the overall number of tournaments offered and the number of participants enjoying them. Year-over-year entries are up substantially in every venue.

I have changed the way I think about tournament strategy (that includes when I enter events held in casinos). The fields I face today are much larger than I encountered just two years ago. This morning I played in a $10 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament at a major online site. I encountered 509 opponents. My records show that I played in a similar tournament at the same site 27 months ago … against 56 players.

Based on the number of players alone, I believe our strategies must evolve. But, there's another factor … televised poker has created a different style of player. Watching final-table play has led many players to believe they should play more hands and push harder. These players fail to understand that the aggressive play they see on the small screen is driven by shorthanded play (for example, the WPT begins each final table with six players) and the high blind/ante to total-chips-in-play ratios. They see a player open with a raise from the button with Q-4 when playing fourhanded and don't properly incorporate his circumstances.

I'm not advising that players should tighten their tournament strategy. Conversely, I believe today's successful large-field tournament experts are using a different, more gambling-based strategy (even when blinds and limits are raised "gently," giving players "more play"). In an effort to build chip stacks, these gamblers are graciously offering opponents a better chance in big-pot situations (by taking more risk for higher reward). So, I am advising that we shift gears based on the variables (such as number of players, prize pool distribution, opponents' tendencies, and relative chip strength) involved throughout an event; in general, I'm suggesting that we play tighter in the early stages when we face full tables and the blinds are "comfortable." When the blinds escalate (especially when antes are added), it's time to become more aggressive and look for opportunities to pick off the battering-ram players. In very large fields, especially when blinds and limits are moving quickly, we simply can't keep avoiding coin-flip situations while many in the field are taking them and building huge stacks. Sure, to win the tournament we must get lucky and win almost all of our coin flips; thus, you might counter that we are allowing luck to play a greater role than we previously did. You would be correct, but to win a tournament with 509 or 2,576 players, you must play well and get a little lucky, as Greg Raymer did.

The base of players who are capable of winning with slightly above-average cards and selectively aggressive play has been growing. I attribute this to an online player's capability to gain information and experience rapidly. Online play is much quicker than casino play due to the lack of shuffling, no deck changes, no dealer down changes, rapid card generation, and instantaneous realization of which player holds the winning hand. The players act more quickly online. There is no need to count out chips and place them in the pot; a click on "bet," "call," or "raise" will suffice in a limit game. In addition, players have the option of playing several games simultaneously. I know many who play four or more games at once.

Many online poker players are capable of playing multiple games simultaneously, giving them many more hands per hour.

Poker students have access to almost any type of learning material one can imagine. When 23-year-old Scott Fischman won two bracelets and more than $400,000 in prize money at the 2004 World Series of Poker, he was able to explain away the nexus from his age to a lack of experience by alluding to his penchant to play many games simultaneously while online. Players now gain the type of experience their early predecessors, such as Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson, needed a decade or more to obtain. The legendary Brunson supported Fischman's view, stating the software programs that are now available solve mysteries that took him years to unravel with pencil and paper. While playing online, in less than 10 seconds I can determine how I will do in an all-in situation versus other specific hands. For example, let's see how the K Q fares when called by the J 10 and the 6 6. It took me five seconds to input the hands and one second to obtain the results: in order and by expected return, they are 35.48 percent, 31.50 percent, and 33.02 percent.

Rob Gillespie

In September, http://www.bodog.com added poker because, well, it's simply on fire! Bodog, the first Internet sportsbook based in Costa Rica, has been around since 1995 and is well-respected in one of my other "circles" (sports betting). Here's how Rob Gillespie, the president of Bodog, feels about competition: "We're certainly not afraid of our competition. In fact, we welcome it. It's healthy for companies in this industry to play off each other's successes, and better for the players to have a choice where they post-up their hard-earned money."

Recently, while enjoying dinner with a friend/beginner poker player, he asked, "Aren't you scared to play on the Internet?" I told him I had concerns when I made the decision to start clicking for pots from home. Safety of principal and site software security issues (my desire to play in "square" games) were paramount. I'm not too worried about my money sitting with a "cashier" in a well-established online poker room, but start-up sites are another story. While we have his ear, let's ask Bodog.com's Gillespie how he protects my money in his "cage." Rob responds, "Our reputation has been built upon the foundation of top-of-the-line wagering technology, the fastest payouts in the industry, and knowledgeable customer service. BoDog Entertainment Group confidently holds 100 percent of all deposits plus winnings for all players in a segregated reserve account with Europe's largest Private Bank in Zurich, Switzerland. We have processed more than 150 million wagering transactions."

When I told a few friends I was going to write this article and asked them what they'd like to know about Internet poker, the response was twofold: how to get started and how to win. Fortunately, I have a close friend who worked his way up to the highest limits available online (he plays $100-$200) and has won at every level. He has agreed to provide low-limit help (translated to $5-$10 and lower), as he refuses to assist his opponents. Here's my conversation with our mystery man:

Lee Munzer: For someone just getting into computers or having two left hands when it comes to navigating the Internet, how difficult is it to set up a poker account and adapt to the software?

Mystery Man: I'm someone you describe. I recently downloaded a financial program and didn't realize I had to install it. On several occasions I have found myself frozen and unable to diagnose the problem. Fortunately, my 7-year-old son sets me straight when the computer outfoxes me. But, getting started at a poker website is simple, even for me. Their programmers have simplified software downloading and automatically activated the programs. Deposit/withdrawal procedures are plentiful and come with tutorial assistance. To facilitate an exchange of our funds for their "chips," online poker rooms offer one or more common methods, such as credit cards, Western Union, cashier's checks, bank wires, and/or money orders. Specialized money transfer agent companies provide an alternative. They include Neteller, Citadel, Instant Check, Central Coin, Firepay, and iGM-Pay. A customer's choices are clearly shown at each site. I have never paid a fee for a deposit or withdrawal. If any of this seems confusing, every site has a customer service team that is staffed with employees who can address any concern from set up to rule interpretations.

LM: When you download a poker site's software, are you required to fund your account?

MM: No, you can begin with play money. Even if you intend to play with chips acquired with real money, it's a good idea to use play money at first to familiarize yourself with the software.

LM: What are some of the initial differences from casino poker that a new online player will notice?

MM: Aside from the speed of the game, online software has become more player-friendly in the last few years. You can customize your player preferences, including turning the chat off, posting blinds automatically, sitting out when necessary, enabling sounds such as chips entering the pot, and showing winning hands at your request. At several sites, you can play with a four-color deck, show an avatar (a photo or image of your choice), transfer money to another player, and/or choose to display the image of a cocktail on your cyber side table.

LM: Speaking of cocktails, do online poker rooms provide comps like casinos do?

MM: (Laughing) I've never received a food comp, per se, but one site arranged for delivery of a pizza while I played in a $100-$200 hold'em game. Some have bonus rewards based on the number of raked hands played; some provide sign-up bonuses (for example, $120 in chips for a $100 deposit); and some periodically offer "reload bonuses." Promotions differ and can be viewed on the home page of each website. Perhaps the best online promotions are "risk a little to win a lot" offerings. Countless players (I'm one of them) have entered satellites and ended up playing in major tournaments or taking fantastic poker cruises run by Card Player cruises.

LM: Let's talk strategy. What winning adjustments have you made?

MM: Here's a partial listing of strategies (unique to online play) that I use for low-limit games:

• I watch the chat box and take part in conversations. I do this for enjoyment (social interaction), image creation, and information enhancement.

• I keep notes on almost every opponent. These memory joggers separate different games and propensities. Here's an example: "Highly aggressive preflop in O/8 from late position, but will slow down or play straightforward on next three streets." Every site where I play (six in all) offers players the capability of clicking on "Notes," then annotating several lines of information on a specific opponent.

• I generate hand histories to analyze my play and that of my opponents. If you are unfamiliar with this option, most online poker rooms allow customers to retrieve previous hands that they have played. For example, if I click on "last 200 hands," I can analyze my play and that of my opponents for the last several hours I played. Another tool offered by many sites is "statistics." Clicking on "stats" shows what percentage of the time you have been seeing the flop, raising, defending your big blind, and so on.

• I adjust my read on some players based on the time it takes them to make decisions – especially when they show betting interval consistencies (the number of seconds it takes them to act) that relate to their strength of holding. While acknowledging the fact that interval "tells" are not foolproof, in general, players attempt to convey opposite information (strong means weak and vice versa). For example, they hesitate longer than usual when they have a nut (best hand) holding, but bet quickly when they want you to fold. When they hold a weak hand and are first to act, they often delay. They are attempting to convey a thoughtful decision (whether to bet or check). This action is meant to encourage their opponent(s) to check behind them. Oftentimes an opponent's first action becomes clarified by subsequent play. Today, a tight player checked quickly into a rainbow, uncoordinated flop (Q 8 2). Holding the 9 8, I decided to bet. Three opponents folded. After about four seconds, the original "quick checker" surprised me with a raise. I folded, believing his lightning check into four opponents was intended to feign weakness and induce a bet. Many apply almost stopwatch consistency to their actions. Of course, a number of players have widely varying action intervals because they are savvy, they have slow/problematic connections, they occasionally become occupied with household functions, or they are playing multiple games, but these players are relatively easy to spot. Taking advantage of an opponent's "betting interval" is similar to most poker strategies … there are no guarantees, and the use of the information will work best against below-average and consistent opponents.

• Almost all online poker rooms offer "facilitator" action buttons. These boxes appear in an area beneath the cyber poker table and are designed to speed play by allowing players to predesignate their decisions. A typical grouping in a limit ring game might include: "check in turn," "check/fold in turn" (used by the player in the big blind), "call in turn," "call any," and "bet or raise any." I rarely use these buttons. I watch for players who do (I can tell because their action instantaneously follows the decision of the player to their right). These players give you valuable information. I was playing in a no-limit tournament yesterday at a site that does not deploy the "check in turn" facilitator button, but does use "check/fold." I knew my right-side opponent was using that button frequently, and I was able to move him off several big hands.

Michael O'Malley

Let's move along to another expert for a technical view of online security issues. Michael O'Malley, along with being a columnist for Card Player, is active in many areas of the poker community. He has been playing online poker since its inception, and has (for the last three years) worked as a consultant to various poker rooms, most notably PartyPoker.com.

Lee Munzer: Online players want what I want – freedom from any unscrupulous activity. What are your views on the most dangerous threats to us – hackers?

Michael O'Malley: PartyPoker.com uses software technology and security measures that make it almost impossible for anyone to hack into the site. In the three years that PartyPoker.com has been operational, there has not been a single instance of anyone successfully hacking into or being able to gather secured information. In addition to the measures that they use to prevent a hacker, they also utilize technology that would alert them to anyone even attempting to gain access.

LM: Another major concern is collusion. How do you prevent players from sharing information either by using multiple TPC/IP addresses or simply conversing via telephone during hands?

MO: PartyPoker.com has worked with a team of professional poker players to help identify unique playing and betting patterns that might point to collusion. These patterns are turned into software-generated alerts that identify suspect players. In addition, the investigations team uses information gathered from regular players (an excellent resource) to identify and stop any suspected collusion. Players need to be alert and report anything they deem suspicious. In addition to isolation techniques that help to detect and stop collusion, there are numerous internal controls that identify relationships with different accounts. Lee, I have been playing online poker for more than five years, and continue to play every day. My knowledge and personal experience allow me to feel secure. In summary, customers should play with the knowledge that reputable sites have the experience and technology to protect them.

LM: Finally, the shuffle and card distribution process is a major topic of conversation on poker forums. Are my pocket hold'em cards and the boardcards truly random and never messed with?

MO: If you play at PartyPoker.com or any other reputable poker site, your cards are being "shuffled" by random number generator (RNG) software. The RNG system ensures that players get a fair deal each and every time. The RNG system generates innumerable permutations and combinations in the 52-card deck when dealing cards. It is virtually impossible to predict a deal. Basically, what this means is that each time the cards are dealt, you can be assured that the deal will be evenly distributed and unpredictable.

LM: Thanks, Mike. My experience supports your knowledge.

Lee Munzer will be writing feature articles periodically. He can be reached at [email protected] if you have any suggestions for topics.