1e. Re: "Poker room" gambling on machine?
Date: Tue May 12, 2009 7:35 am ((PDT))http://www.pokertek.com/pokerpro.html
I've played on these tables at Excalibur. Advantages? Lower rake,
no need to tip your dealer, and more hands per hour.
I've also played on them, and will continue to do so, because they are the only option within an hour of my house (poker with "live" dealers available about 2.5 hours away - and further). But if it were not for the proximity, I personally don't care for them that much, in spite of the above advantages, to which I will add
no opportunity for players to play out of turn,
no mistakes possible, including by the dealer,
no playing out of turn, betting incorrect amounts,
rapid awarding of pots, including split pots and side pots,
reduced possibility of player disagreement over a lot of things (including whether someone bet correctly with their chips, was misleading in some way, etc. etc. - although I did see one near-fight between players anyway, related to the conversation that occurred)
and one player has told me he thinks he gets fewer colds (a common malady from handling cards and chips that dozens of others have handled, unless you are a fanatic about hygiene and not touching your face, etc.).
Finally, no need to "call the clock" on a slow player; there is an automatic 60-second countdown timer before a player's hand is folded.
My first introduction was at a casino I usually don't go to, that was "on the way" when I was on a road trip. There wasn't much social interaction, and that took from the enjoyment; also one player was standing up a lot and I felt like he might be able to see my cards when I exposed them on the screen (I could have asked him to sit down and/or gotten the card room manager to help with that problem, so partly my fault).
More recent experiences have been more "sociable" with more player interaction. Of course, even a game with a live dealer can have more or less social interaction depending on the players.
I still get greater enjoyment out of having a live dealer. It is too much like playing online, with the exception of someone suddenly speaking up across the table to say something to you.
The small disadvantages another post mentioned (confusion due to inability to use the players card that "holds" one's money for purchase of chips) should not occur if there is adequate management and they take the time to teach a new player the very easy fundamentals of using the card and the machine itself - 2-3 minutes should tell you everything you need to know. It wouldn't be a bad idea, however, to have a printed instruction brochure for interested players; there is nothing instinctive / intuitive about the use of the cards or the machines themselves, even for those with plenty of poker experience.
I agree that "old-timers" are not likely to enjoy the switch; at least one casino I attend with a large poker room has one or two of the poker-pro tables for lower stakes games that they could not make much (or any) money at if they had to offer them with a live dealer (I guess that's another advantage).
I have seen them used not only for "cash" games, but for tournaments, and I would think it would be very easy to program them for games other than hold'em, including a lot of less common games, if there was enough interest to justify development and purcase of the software for that.
--BG
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