Last week, partypoker distributed an update to its poker software. There was nothing revolutionary included, but a few additions should appeal to recreational players and, as we know, the industry has been targeting casual players for months. The highlight of the update is something pros will probably hurumph at: rabbit hunting.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda
Rabbit hunting is the practice of looking at what cards would have been dealt next when a hand ends before showdown. Most of us have probably done it in home games. Perhaps you had four to a flush, but folded when your buddy put you all-in on the river. But you just NEED to know. You are itching to find out if that fifth flush card would have come on the river, so you reach over to the deck, burn a card, and then flip over that river card while your friend is scooping the pot.
In most casinos, rabbit hunting is not allowed. If it is, you need to ask first. The primary reason rabbit hunting is frowned upon is that it slows down the game. One or two players might not mind it, but most players at the table, especially those who were not involved in the end stages of the hand, are just going to be annoyed. They couldn’t care less what card would have been dealt – they just want to move on to the next hand.
It’s also not typically the best idea to ask for a rabbit hunt because it can give away your holdings. If there are two spades on the board and you want to see what the river would have been, I think everyone is going to know that you’re looking for a flush. Player reactions can also reveal players’ strategy, so your opponents might not appreciate the rabbit hunt.
Diamonds needed for rabbit hunting
But back to partypoker. Rabbit hunting is currently only available in SPINS tournaments. And lest one fear that it will be used every single hand (it might), players must purchase a rabbit hunt using the Diamonds virtual currency. Diamonds were previously introduced on the mobile app. They don’t cost real money – this currency is simply earned by playing.
Diamonds can also be used on the mobile app to buy objects to throw at opponents at the table, just for a little silliness, but that functionality is not yet up and running on the desktop app.
Another addition – and this will be found at Hold’em tables – is a new feature that will display showdown equity in all-in situations. There’s not much else too this. When two or more players are all-in against each other and the cards are revealed. Each player’s equity is shown next to their name.
And finally, at heads-up tables, players are now required to pay the same number of big blinds during the match.
“Should a player quit the game before an equal number of big blinds are paid, they will automatically post the big blind and then their hand folded,” reads the partypoker blog.
Lead photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash