Recommend me a good Poker game

Ubercat · June 03, 2015, 10:28:05 PM

I'd like something very Newb friendly, preferably with bot opponents to start with and real players being an option when my confidence and skill increases. Hand by hand tips would be a big bonus.

I have an iPad so tablet apps are also an option. I did a search in the Apple store and was overwhelmed with the numbers available. I tried one and was quickly turned off when an opponent called me an idiot, or similar insult. In a real game, only an idiot would call an opponent an idiot. Better to be friendly and just milk them for whatever you can get!

Silent Disapproval Robot · June 03, 2015, 11:57:18 PM

Poker Night 2 from Telltale games.

Good game, some funny dialogue and only $1.70 at GG right now.

http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-PN2/poker-night-2

Huw the Poo · June 04, 2015, 12:48:23 AM

Yep the Poker Night games are ideal for beginners, and very enjoyable to play too.

jomni · June 04, 2015, 12:56:09 AM

Strip Poker

BanzaiCat · June 04, 2015, 06:03:19 AM

Yeah, thirding Poker Night 2; it was the first thing I thought of when I saw your thread, UC.

I don't even like card games in general, let alone poker, but this (and the first one too) are rather fun.

Staggerwing · June 04, 2015, 06:32:15 AM

Just to chime in:
I've been curious about this as well. I've never even played poker in RL, much less on a device. When I was younger the folks I hung out with were not into poker and when I got older raising kids pretty much eliminated any chance go out and learn. Now that there are virtual poker options I'm so far behind I don't know where to begin.

Do the Poker Night games also teach the basics of poker? If not, are there poker playing teaching apps or games? I know there are many variants of poker so I'd be most interested in whatever is most popular.

Toonces · June 04, 2015, 08:49:16 AM

I don't think they teach you how to play, so no. I've only played Poker Night 1, although I have both.

It is a super fun Friday night drinking game, not much brain burn at all. However, the game isn't a "good" poker game. I read a review about this and I agree with it. A huge part of poker is being able to read your opponent, learning their nuances so you can determine when they are bluffing. Poker Night does this poorly because the characters are completely unpredictable. They aren't consistently conservative or aggressive, and so it's really a guess regarding what kind of hand they are holding which defeats the whole purpose of poker.

That's not to say it isn't fun- it is super fun- but it's beer and pretzels for poker. I highly recommend it, but just understand what you're getting.

JasonPratt · June 04, 2015, 02:30:32 PM

Love the Poker at the Inventory game series, but I don't recall offhand if it teaches you how to play. The second game has Omaha Hold'Em not only Texas, though.

I suspect Hoyle has a good poker suite with more than just Hold'Em styles. Their games have extensive help modes, and you can upgrade to playing live people when you want. (Or that's true about their general casino suite game, which has a few poker variants naturally.)

Far Cry 3 actually has a poker tutorial if I recall correctly; and you can shoot people to death if you lose. :D But you have to tolerate being Douche McDudebro long enough to get to that point. Red Dead Redemption would be the superior sandbox shooter choice, in that regard, but it's only available for consoles. Also I seem to recall a bug developing if you stay at a table too long, where the computer thinks the cards are different than what the computer is showing you.

Governor of Poker 2 may or may not have a tutorial, I don't recall, but it has a 'campaign'. And funny hats. Part of the game is intentionally designed so that you learn to look for AI tells.

Deutschmark · June 04, 2015, 03:22:16 PM

Poker Stars;
https://www.pokerstars.eu/

Its a free game!
It has none real money games and also real money games.
I know about this as my wife plays it and she does real good with the real money games, she has put much money into the bank from playing this game.

Deutschmark

Ubercat · June 05, 2015, 09:32:04 AM

Thanks everyone! I think you've helped me narrow it down.

Ubercat · June 07, 2015, 06:55:08 PM

I went with Governor of Poker 2 and so far, it's fitting the bill just fine.

Unfortunately online real money poker is illegal in the states, as I'd love to get into it some day. The story of how it became illegal is kind of interesting. I think some politician just snuck it into a law behind everyone's back. It's been a few years since I read about it.

Capn Darwin · June 07, 2015, 08:35:19 PM

Quote from: jomni on June 04, 2015, 12:56:09 AM
Strip Poker

+1, that's what I thought of. >:D

airboy · June 07, 2015, 08:47:45 PM

Poker involves knowing the odds and knowing how to bluff.

Why do you want to play poker? If you want to learn to make money you should probably read a couple of books. PM me if you want some recommendations. Warning - Limit poker vs no limit poker is so different in nature that they are not comparable.

Do you want to play poker to have fun? If so, play low stakes poker with your buddies. I do this regularly and enjoy it immensely. I have played in multiple groups. The "drunk poker" group played no limit texas holdem. The social groups played "dealer calls the game" which can get into some really wild games where predicting the odds is extremely difficult. I played about 500 hands of "criss-cross" self-dealt to even get a handle on what a good starting hand looks like.

If you end up playing poker in hopes of making money in the USA a couple of warnings. Casino poker takes a rake off the top. They usually have enough people playing with a lot of bankroll that even if you understand the game - the costs of getting to the table are huge. Also, if you cannot handle your drinking casino poker is truly the road to ruin.

If you want to make money in private games - think again. They are dangerous situations since they are illegal with a large amount of cash on the table. Good way to lower your life expectancy.

I have a very good grasp of statistics and play a lot of social poker. I enjoy it. I have read a lot of poker books both to understand the math as well as to understand the psychology. But I play low stakes social poker. I could be just as happy playing low stakes bridge, hearts, spades, etc..... But poker is a great social game.

I have yet to find anything like a decent poker computer game for any type of poker. Any good wargamer can probably dope out the way to beat the system. Online poker is frankly nuts. If you are playing where you cannot audit the game systems, I can figure out a dozen ways to rake the money off. Just having a pair of people coordinating betting can crush any game (on-line or real).

JasonPratt · June 09, 2015, 04:45:51 PM

My brother would bring me along to his business fraternity's poker games once a month in college, where the dealer called the game; we didn't conspire to crush the table in team coordination because we'd've never been invited back. Despite some truly loopy and enjoyable versions of poker (rarely Texas Hold'em which in those days in East Tennessee was almost unknown -- I had an old Mac version of the game and it seemed completely alien to me), most of which I don't even remember clearly now (except for Beat the Bitch, which I almost remember the rules to), I regularly walked out $50 ahead for the night on average. On nickle-chip poker.

This wasn't because I was amazing at understanding odds or reading opponents, but because I played conservatively and sober against seven or eight guys who drank heavily. With porn playing behind me. (Bro had enough sense not to drink as much, and with his back mostly to the entertainment, so he did okay, too, though not quite as well.)

Bro knew perfectly well what the conditions would be, and that I would sit that way -- because I don't drink or watch porn -- so since he was the one who taught me strategy games when we were both much younger, I suspect he was amusing himself with their befuddled amazement when I regularly and carefully took most of their night's stake. ;) I'll have to ask him someday if he had an ulterior political game he was playing against some of the table or something. 8) O0

Edited to add: it just occurred to me that he probably wanted some of the benefits of taking that seat without losing social status in the fraternity, so brought me along as an excuse to sit next to me thus almost with his back to the distracting entertainment, and also so he could drink less while naturally drinking more than me by comparison. Very clever if so.

Ubercat · June 12, 2015, 09:16:39 AM

Quote from: airboy on June 07, 2015, 08:47:45 PM
Poker involves knowing the odds and knowing how to bluff.

Why do you want to play poker? If you want to learn to make money you should probably read a couple of books. PM me if you want some recommendations. Warning - Limit poker vs no limit poker is so different in nature that they are not comparable.

I want to have fun and if I get good enough to make money, that would be great. I would be grateful for some book recommendations.

QuoteDo you want to play poker to have fun? If so, play low stakes poker with your buddies. I do this regularly and enjoy it immensely. I have played in multiple groups. The "drunk poker" group played no limit texas holdem. The social groups played "dealer calls the game" which can get into some really wild games where predicting the odds is extremely difficult. I played about 500 hands of "criss-cross" self-dealt to even get a handle on what a good starting hand looks like.

I'd rather stick to one game, Texas holdem, for the time being. If I constantly play different games, I'll never be able to gauge if I've gotten good at any.

QuoteIf you end up playing poker in hopes of making money in the USA a couple of warnings. Casino poker takes a rake off the top. They usually have enough people playing with a lot of bankroll that even if you understand the game - the costs of getting to the table are huge. Also, if you cannot handle your drinking casino poker is truly the road to ruin.

If you want to make money in private games - think again. They are dangerous situations since they are illegal with a large amount of cash on the table. Good way to lower your life expectancy.

I wouldn't mess with a private game. Casino poker would be something that I'd like to try when I thought I was good enough. It would be tough, though, as I'd have to convince my wife to let me!

QuoteI have a very good grasp of statistics and play a lot of social poker. I enjoy it. I have read a lot of poker books both to understand the math as well as to understand the psychology. But I play low stakes social poker. I could be just as happy playing low stakes bridge, hearts, spades, etc..... But poker is a great social game.

I have yet to find anything like a decent poker computer game for any type of poker. Any good wargamer can probably dope out the way to beat the system. Online poker is frankly nuts. If you are playing where you cannot audit the game systems, I can figure out a dozen ways to rake the money off. Just having a pair of people coordinating betting can crush any game (on-line or real).