The online poker room PartyPoker released a software update this week that brings some intriguing concepts to the online felts. The site introduced “Show a Card” and “Rabbit Hunting” features as well as anonymous heads-up tables, stirring up some debate in the poker community.
Anonymous tables offer players the chance to play without a moniker or avatar, which prevents any statistics or previous history from being available to an opponent. Online players who utilize poker software tools like PokerTracker and Holdem Manager won’t have access to details about opponents, which will level the playing field for non-software users.
The concept goes against traditional game play in that players won’t ever know who they’re competing against – something you’ll never find in a brick-and-mortar casino. However, in a time when many players have become multi-tabling robots with every statistic at their disposal, the anonymous tables are a refreshing change to today’s online game.
PartyPoker also revealed “Show a Card” and “Rabbit Hunting” features that add elements of enjoyment for both the casual and serious player alike. The “Show a Card” option is available in many brick-and-mortar card rooms around the world, including some high-stakes games that appear on television. Players will now have the ability to turn over one card during heads-up play in order to play mind games with an opponent. Are they bluffing? Are they on a draw? Knowing one of your opponent’s hole cards can be both helpful and confusing, which is why the tactic is a popular one.
“Rabbit Hunting” was first made available on the Merge Gaming Network and is a nice addition to PartyPoker. The feature allows players a chance to see what the next card on the board would have been. Although the card doesn’t change the result of the hand, it adds some intrigue that normally isn’t found in online card rooms.
Aside from the on-table additions, PartyPoker also introduced a “Spot the Party Pro” feature in the lobby. Players will now be able to distinguish whether an opponent is a sponsored PartyPoker player such as Tony G, Kara Scott, Mike Sexton, Felipe “Mohave” Ramos, Dragan Galic, or Tryon Krost. Top online poker rooms like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker established this feature long ago, but PartyPoker has been bolstering its roster of pros over the past year. Tony G and Scott joined the team in January, while Ramos was added earlier this month.
The final upgrade that PartyPoker revealed was enhanced tournament information. The previous software offered little in the way of data for a particular tournament, but PartyPoker has added new statistics for both multi-table and single-table tournaments. Players will now be able to find their position on the leaderboard and look at stack sizes, total chips in play, time bank information, and how much time is left until the break. All of the vital information can be found right on the table.
To get a closer look at all of the new features, log on to Party Poker.