|
Order the CD
Our Troops
To U.S. and Allied troops the world over, our deepest respect and
admiration. Get home safe.
| |
Master Poker's FAQ
There are always questions left unanswered, and here is where I have posted
those I'm asked most often. If you have any questions left after exploring the rest of the MP website look here for the answer. If you're still left wondering
about any facet of MP feel free to email
me with your specific questions. For current Users there is also a small Troubleshooting section
for known issues at the bottom of this page.
"Not
terribly flashy, but of all my games the one I spend the most hours playing,
and I've had it over a year! That's really saying something!! Keep up the good
work!"--Spencer T., Beverly Hills, CA
Q: How does the order process work, and do you accept credit cards?
A: We accept these major credit cards, direct bank account transfers (eChecks), and Paypal.
We ship all orders within 12-36 hours of receiving them, to anywhere in the
world. Typically, you will receive a shipping notice directly from
Computer Opponents Software within 24 hours of placing your order (unless the
middle of a weekend).
As a member of Paypal Financial
Services (a well respected global financial institution owned by eBay),
all of our website orders are securely processed directly through Paypal even if you
are not a Paypal member yourself. Since your order is being placed through the
Paypal Financial Network, and we, Computer Opponents Software, are an official
Paypal Business Merchant, you, the buyer, are protected by Paypal (an excellent
company by the way). Paypal is vouching for our legitimacy and has an excellent
built-in protection policy for all of our online shoppers. For anyone still not
convinced, if you are an Amazon member, you can also link directly to Amazon
from our Order Page if you would prefer to place your order through them. Order
Now
Q: Is Master Poker Vista
compatible?
A: Yes. Neither is listed on the Master Poker CD case, but it is a
Vista Compatible Program, and will also be Windows 7 compatible. Only Mac users need fear compatibility issues.
Q: Is Master Poker Windows-7 compatible?
A: Yes. Master Poker should be fully compatible with Windows 7, aside from perhaps some early release blues (as we had to go through with early Vista) while Microsoft irons out the kinks.
When I speak of 'blues' I'm generally referring to things like having to
reinstall Master Poker after upgrading from WinXP/Vista to Win7, where some
versions of the new operating system use a different directory system (calling for a
re-installation to resync the program with the OS).
24.Oct.09: "Scott,
I just upgraded to 64bit Windows 7. Your software boots faster, and works great with the new OS!"--Mark
B.
Q: Can Master Poker run under 64 bit Windows?
A: Yes (see Win7 quote above). Master Poker is a 32 bit program and 32 bit programs run under 64 bit Windows (all
versions) using WOW emulation. In the case of Master Poker, it runs so
seamlessly that I didn't even realize one of my most computer illiterate testers
had a 64 bit machine until just recently.
Note: For those of you who don't know what 64 bit means, ignore this post.
It refers to an advanced and very powerful Windows version. Most computers
these days sell with 32 bit Windows installed.
Q: Is Master Poker compatible with all virus software?
A: Typically, yes. We've had some recent issues with Microsoft's new
anti-malware software, Security Essentials, where MP had to be reinstalled after
the user installed SE on his/her computer. After reinstalling MP, it was back to
functioning properly.
Before Reinstalling MP: If you must reinstall
your MP software and would like to preserve your personal preferences and
history data you will need to copy the 'MasterDB' file to a safe place before reinstalling.
Once the new installation is complete, copy that file back to the new Master
Poker directory typically located at "C:\Program Files\Master Poker"
(under 'My Computer'). If using 64bit Windows your 'Program Files' folder will
have an '(x86)' attached.
Q: Is there an Instruction Manual for MP?
A: Yes. It is called 'MP Readme' and is located in the Master Poker
programs directory on your Windows Desktop. For Windows XP click the 'Start'
button, highlight 'All Programs', highlight the 'Master Poker' directory, then
left-click the 'MP Readme' file. It is in HTML format so it can be read with any
browser, and easily printed if desired.
I have found that very few buyers actually read the manual before diving
right in to play. For this reason I typically include a Quickstart Sheet with
your package to get you off and running--at a minimum, take a few moments to GO
OVER THE QUICKSTART SHEET! You will not regret it.
I also highly recommend taking the time to read the manual to get all you can
out of your purchase. Master Poker has many hidden features, some of which are
very important. My favorite, betting with the keyboard (multiples of the BB,
percentages of the pot, etc) ... check it out!
Q: Are all the players in my tournament actually
playing behind the scenes?
A: Yes, they are actually playing every hand, just as you are. Master
Poker does not use fill-in arrays or standby player lists to draw from when a
seat comes open at the human player's table, as this would not create real-world
conditions. In MP, each active table out of
your view plays a complete and legitimate hand each time you push the Deal
button. When players fill the empty seats at your table they are being pulled
from other active tables which are being broken down as the total number of
remaining players dwindles. The players you eventually meet at the final table,
whether weak or tough, have actually earned their way there, just as you have.
This is all part of the overall MP concept of making your event as close to the
real world as possible.
Q: Does Master Poker control which cards are being
dealt to make my hands more dramatic, or constantly take me out on the River? I
seem to see Pocket Aces and miracle River cards far too often.
A: No. Card dealing for
all computer card simulations is controlled by a simple random number generator,
a mathematical algorithm that says, "Look at my deck of (52) cards and
randomly deal a new card that has not been dealt yet." As the programmer I exert no control over which cards have been
dealt to whom. As a poker player myself, to do so would be cheating (stacking
the deck), and violate
everything for which I stand in regards to quality poker software (and life). In fact, I
would guess this implication would be blasphemy even to my competitors, whose
software might look at your hand (to support a weak AI), but would never likely
stack the deck against you.
As for frequent pocket aces, you will be dealt pocket aces 1 in
221 hands (220 to 1). With a full table of (10) players you will see them in someone’s hand every
(22) hands. With the dealing animation turned off and using the Zip feature for
garbage hands Master Poker will deal the average player (22) hands in around 2
minutes of play time (with only a small portion of them playable). This means you will see Pocket Aces in someone's hand
about every two minutes. That might seem like a lot
to an inexperienced player, or someone used to watching TV poker (where you
might not see (22) hands in the whole show), but it's just math.
As for miracle cards on the river, I'm reminded of the players we all see at
online poker sites. They flop a nice Set of Aces then sit there quietly slowplaying
it to gain maximum value on their hand, checking and calling all the way to the
River. By trying to wring as much money as possible out of your vulnerable hand
you're letting the entire table catch up. Good opponents on big draws will call
your small bets and take their free cards when you check. Then bam, you've been
"Rivered!" Even a basic flush draw is going to get you one time
in three. Imagine having several draws out against you at once!
These players then shout that the online site
itself is crooked and part of same vast conspiracy to cheat this particular
player out of his deserved pot. It's not a conspiracy, it's just the math catching up with
you, and it happens to everyone at some point. Master Poker is professional-grade
software. It never controls how the cards are dealt (either in your hand or on
the board), it never looks at your cards, and it never cheats.
Note: You're actually making a case for the skill of MP's computer
players. By not falling into your slowplaying traps and finally drawing out on
you they are doing their job. ;)
Q: I love the ability to change table backgrounds, is there anywhere we can
download more?
A: Not currently. I am giving more thought to it and may opt to provide
more choices in the future, but I think the current (12) options will hold most
players over for a long while.
Q: Is there a way to see the size of the average
player's chipstack at any point in a tournament?
A: Yes. On the Table Screen, left-click the yellow Leaderboard
label and hold the mouse button down to see a breakdown of all of the following
running data:
- Total Chips in Play
- Average Chipstack
- Your Chipstack
- Your Overall Share (of Total Chips in Play)
- The number of Big Blinds left in your stack
- Your current 'M' Factor (for Harrington fans)
- The current Pot-To-Stack ratio (if your turn to act)
Q: Is there a way to make dealing of the next hand automatic
(after I Zip) or do I have to press the 'Deal' button each time?
A: You must press the 'Deal' button each time. This allows all tables
out of your view to complete their hands before the next hand may be dealt. For
those players really pushing through hands at single table events I will likely
add a construct to do so in the next version of the software.
Q: Can I turn off the dealing animation to make play
faster?
A: Yes. Turn off the personal preference 'Show cards being
dealt' (remove the check). This should eliminate the dealing animation and instantaneously start all dealt
hands in front of each player.
You can further speed up the game by also adjusting the preference 'Turn off AI Realism
Delays' (check the box). This pref kills the delay where the computer players seem to be 'thinking' about what to do (when their name is flashing in gold letters). Both the dealing animation and the AI thinking delay were installed for players looking for a casual game with a relaxed pace. Power-players need not apply.
And finally, you can further speed your game by reducing the 'AI
Action Delay' (on the Main Sign-up Screen) to the lowest possible
setting.
For me personally, these adjustments allow an average of more than a thousand
hands played per hour. That's a bunch.
Q: What is the maximum number of players allowed in tournament play?
A: Playing 10-Seated tables, and opening 500 tables, the current maximum tournament size is 5000
players (each with a unique screen name). At the time of this publication only
the World Series Main Event has ever exceeded 5k players. If there is a genuine
need to increase this number in the future I will of course do so.
Q: Does Master Poker allow me to see an AI Player's cards even if I fold
the hand?
A: Of course. Not giving you the option to view an AI player's cards
(at any time) would be like blacking out the stars in a photograph of the moon
landing or the space
shuttle. It just doesn't make sense unless there's something to hide.
On the Table Screen, as you play a hand the gray button on the far right side
of the command button bar will read 'Review Action'. Clicking this button at any
time during the hand lets you see a running text review for all action that has
occurred up until that point in the hand. Once the hand has completed (in this
case when you folded) this button will change to read 'Review Hands'. Clicking
it now will graphically display the starting hands of all players at the table,
whether they stayed in the hand all the way down or not. Clicking it a second
time will display the running text review for the entire hand from start to
finish.
Q: Why should I buy home software when I have the
Internet to play on?
A: The Internet is certainly a boon for poker and an excellent place to
play ... for money. It's not an excellent place to play if you play for fun, for
practice, or for real, but lose more money than you win (be honest with
yourself). Even if you're already an Internet or regular live player consider
these reasons as to why you should invest in good poker software to play at
home:
- Saves you money while you practice/perfect your game, or while you play
for recreation.
- Unless you already play multiple tables online you can easily play 15-25 times more hands than online play in the same
amount of time. Excellent for building experience in a short time period.
- Allows you to test and improve upon your theories, or those
concepts you're reading in poker books, or your own personal ideas, all
without the time or pressure constraints of an online or live game.
- Allows you to perfectly simulate your regularly played events, then play them
over and over in a fraction of the time, in order to become more comfortable with specific
stakes, or blind structures, and to give
yourself an accurate idea of what type of results you can consistently
expect in that type of event (ie. WSOP Main Event, your local Sunday online
tournament, your weekly home tournament).
- Allows you to quickly warm-up your poker mind, before playing online or
local live events (very important).
- Allows you to step away from your game at any time to cook dinner,
handle a phone call, check on crying kids, take out the garbage, or
respond to your spouse, without concern for losing chips, or being dealt
out of a hand, or missing your turn to act.
- For students of the game, allows you to take all the time you need to
analyze any given hand more closely as it occurs, without the pressure of
a time clock.
- For novices, allows you to increase your skill and knowledge
without embarrassment or negative interaction, and without pressure to act
within a time limit (as in online play).
- For beginners. A much better substitute for Internet 'play money' or penny games,
which can not only fail to give you the proper
practice to develop good skills, but will often provoke the development of
bad habits (such as impatience in starting hand decisions).
- If you're an online player, think about no more flashing ads, or
annoying chatter, or guys screaming that the website is out to get them, while
you're trying to concentrate on your game.
- If you're a live player, think about the driving time and the gas you
will save, or the nagging you won't have to suffer every time you want to
leave the house to play poker.
- You'll no longer have to put up with unruly players, bad attitudes,
smoke-filled rooms, bells ringing, and bands playing in the background,
unless you're really in the mood.
- You can play anytime you wish, even when the Internet goes down, without
having to warm up the car, get fully dressed, or wait for a seat in your
desired game.
- If you're a cash player, you won't have to pay another real life rake
until you're certain you're going to be winning many more pots than you're
losing.
- There's never a problem finding just the right game to suit your mood;
the perfect event, the perfect number of opponents, the perfect stakes,
the perfect atmosphere, the perfect companions, and at any time day or night in the safety of your
own home, office, dorm, hotel room, airplane, truck cab, park bench, cyber
cafe, wherever.
- The purchase price for Master Poker is much less than a
single losing session in a .50/$1.00
cash game. Think about that.
- And finally ... It's fun!
The only players who may not benefit from quality home software are those who
already spend the vast majority of their day winning money playing poker online
professionally. And even then, there might be a few reasons for you to own it
anyway:
- Since you can easily play 15-25 times more hands than online in the same
amount of time it allows you to test and improve upon your new theories
without needing to risk any real money.
- For tournament players, it allows you to perfectly simulate a new event
structure with which you might not be familiar. For example, if you're
going to the Aussie Millions you could get the actual structure in
advance, input it into Master Poker, and play the tournament over and over
again to get a solid grasp of what actions will be needed at which stages
during the real deal.
- For cash players, it allows you to practice at a new level before moving
up in stakes. Though computer players are not likely to exhibit the
precise changes you will experience in the next level up it does allow you
to get familiar with the specific betting levels, etc., which can be
expected.
- You can play while traveling if bored, or to keep your mind sharp; in
the airport, on the plane, while sitting in that foreign hotel room with
no Internet connection, whenever.
- Allows you to quickly warm-up your poker mind, before playing online or
local live events (very important).
- Allows you to sometimes play only to relax, as opposed to juggling a
half dozen tables for eight straight hours in an effort to squeeze every
penny out of your game.
- And again ... It's a one-time cost of less than a single losing session in a .50/$1.00
cash game.
Believe it or not, these are just the reasons off the top of my head. I'm
sure if motivated, you can probably think of a dozen more reasons that apply to
you personally. For poker players who already risk any amount of money at the
tables, even just small change, there really is no down side. And we should all pray
that our governing fathers resist the ludicrous urge to make Internet poker
illegal (an obvious game of skill, not gambling, to anyone who pays attention).
If that happens this list might grow too large to safely download.
Q: Do Master Poker's AI players use a different style when playing in Cash
Games as opposed to Tournaments?
A: Yes. While a good Hold'em player can probably survive in
either environment there are definite differences between cash games and
tournaments. MP's AI players know how to adjust their playing style to suit the
current event, whether a large Tournament, a one-table Sit and Go, or a Cash
Game.
Q: Does Master Poker have a Heads-up play option?
 A: Yes, and a pretty good one. The primary AI
(artificial intelligence) is geared toward a full
table of players (9/10). While it is still strong as the number of players at a table
are reduced, it reaches a point of critical mass at less than 6 seated players.
Strategy and tactics for the game change dramatically from this point on
down to Heads-up play as each subsequent player leaves the table. It didn't take
long to realize I would need to write an AI addendum for Shorthanded play (3-5
players) and a fully dedicated AI for Heads-up play. I did exactly that. After
working rather extensively with the Heads-up AI I feel pretty confident that it
will give even most advanced players a solid run for their money (and properly annihilate
weak competition). A good Heads-up opponent was
one of the original demands I placed on myself back when the software was
still intended only for me. To play Heads-up simply adjust the appropriate slider on the Event Setup
Screen to two players.
Note: You may play all events with anywhere from 2-10 players (including
yourself), and as players are removed from the table the remaining players will
evenly spread out to other seats around the table. For example, when you play
Heads-up your opponent will be seated directly across the table from you, not to
your immediate right or left.
Q: Does MP have the ability to save a tournament in progress so I can finish
it at a later time?
A: Yes. Master Poker allows you to save any type of event, whether
Tournament, Sit and Go, Survivor, or even Cash Games if you wish, at any stage in the event to return to it at a later date. Even
after saving your session, you will have the option to quit at that point, or
continue playing right where you left off.
Note: MP will even temporarily store your played hands if you had the 'Record Every
Hand I Play' preference checked, allowing you to pick up right where you
left off when you continue the event (with no need to save them separately
just because you saved your session).
To save the current game you have a couple options. Either click the little asterisk button on the far left of the gray button bar to bring up the Options Menu (you can also hit the Escape key to do this), then click on the 'Save Game' button. Or, you can use the
F6 Key on your keyboard. If you hit F6 it will tell you 'Game saved' without bothering you with the Options Menu. To resume a saved session you will find a 'Resume' button under the 'Play' key on the Main
Signup Screen.
Q: The command button bar has options to raise-minimum, raise-pot-size or
push all-in, but are these the only choices? I don't see how to simply raise by the amount that I want to
bet (e.g. twice the Big Blind). Is there any way to do that?
A: Yes. There are three primary ways to enter your wagers in Master
Poker. They are as follows:
The Gray Command Bar buttons:
These are the buttons you're referring to above--they simply provide some simple
mouse shortcuts, but won't be used often by most serious players once you have grown accustomed to the software.
The Betting Bar:
When it is your turn to act, simply move your mouse cursor over the area just
above the gray button bar and to the right of your cards. A green betting bar
will automatically pop up allowing you to bet any amount you wish. It possesses not only a
slider to make sizing your bet very easy, but also several sets of up/dn arrow
keys to make precise adjustments. At the start of each session attention is
drawn to this area with bright yellow letters reading 'Place
cursor over this area for betting bar' (until you use the bar for the the
first time). Look for those yellow letters when it is your turn to act (they are
grayed out when it's not your turn).
The Keyboard Number keys:
My favorite, and soon to be yours too (highly recommended). There are three ways
to use your keyboard's number keys for precise betting patterns:
1) Preflop: Using the 0-9 number keys you can raise a precise multiple of the Big Blind (0=10). For example, the action gets around to you and no one has yet opened the betting. By hitting the
2 key on your keyboard you will automatically raise the Big Blind by precisely 2 more BB's (for a total bet of 3x's the BB). If you hit the 3 key, your initial raise will be 3x's the BB, etc.
2) Postflop: If you're the initial bettor in any round after the flop, you can bet a percentage of the pot by using the same 0-9 number keys. For example, if you hit the 5 key you will automatically bet 50% of the pot. The 7 key would bet 70%, etc. ...
3) Preflop/Postflop. Any time there is a raise, you can use the same 0-9 number keys to make a reraise
of the current raise by a multiple equal to the number key you push. For example, If a computer player opens the hand for a standard 3xBB
wager (he has called the BB and raised 2 more BB's), you can hit the 2 key to reraise twice the amount of his initial raise. If you hit the 3 key, you will automatically
reraise 3x's the amount of his initial raise, etc ... This works against
all raises both Preflop and Postflop.
It's highly recommended that all buyers take a few moments to go over the 'MP Readme' file (Instruction Manual) in your Windows Programs Menu (under Master Poker) for specific
details on the full use of your keyboard and other hidden features. This is the only
way to be sure you're going to get the full benefit of all of Master Poker's
powerful feature set. From your Windows Desktop click the 'Start' button and 'All programs' to see your programs menu.
Q: The Starting Hand Guide's comments seem to be aimed at a tight/aggressive
style?
A: Yes, they are. The SHG is meant primarily for those players who are
not yet comfortable with their playing style, their starting hand choices, or
their actual level of expertise. I believe the priority of new or novice players
should be to become comfortable in their starting hand decisions under
dynamically changing table conditions, while developing a tight/solid style that
provides protection against aggressive players.
The SHG is very powerful, and structured toward
furthering these goals. If you're a new player to the game, or don't feel you
have a solid grasp of the games basic-to-intermediate concepts the Starting Hand
Guide alone will be worth the price of the software. Don't miss out!
Q: MP's Tough players seem to play more hands than the
Starting Hand Guide suggests. I can understand this behavior from the Dead Money and the
Aggressives, but I thought the Tough players were closer to what I should be trying to achieve. Am I missing something?
A: As I noted above, the SHG is aimed primarily at helping novice players learn to build a solid foundation. It is by no means the only way to play, or even the best way to play. It advocates a tight/aggressive style. It is good, solid, general advice, meant to keep a novice player from getting in too much trouble. It's primarily to keep you from making obvious mistakes. To teach you what not to do. To make you more aware of what's happening at the table outside of your own hand. To give you an idea of how more experienced players might be thinking.
The more experience you gain in Hold'em the more hands you will be able to play without drastically increasing your risk (the reason MP's Tough players can play more hands). The more hands you play, the more opportunities you will see. You can do this after you have become experienced because you will learn how to recognize traps and get away from second best hands (perhaps the most dangerous condition
a novice faces).
A simple example might be when the novice calls an early preflop raise with a hand like A9 suited. When an ace flops he think he did good and he bets it. When that early player raises,
the novice calls ... and now he's in big trouble. He's already committed a bunch
of chips to the pot and then what do you do if the early raiser bets again on the Turn? Most novices would call again, and since
the novice is showing no real strength he might have to call another big bet on the River (and he likely will). His opponent turns over AK and he's lost 3/4 of his stack on a weak ace.
Master Poker's Starting Hand Guide would have told him not to play that ace from the
beginning (and explained why). There's why. To keep him out of this type of trouble.
I recommend you do indeed first try to understand the concepts being put forth by the
SHG. From there, you can open up your game a bit and pay a little more attention to what other hands the Tough players are playing, but don't just look at their cards. You must also look at the conditions under which they played a certain hand. Were they in position, getting huge pot odds, on a huge stack, facing a weaker player, etc ... this game is all about your opponents and the table conditions. It has less and less to do with your actual cards as your game improves. The most important tip I can give you is to be patient with your skills ... play thousands and thousands of hands (hundreds of thousands). Your skill will naturally increase with time without even thinking about it--it's about seeing the same
table conditions over and over and discovering what works and what doesn't ...
that's experience.
Q: The Dead Money players in MP don't seem to be so weak as their name might
imply. It's tough to win
a tournament even with 100% Dead Money. How bad are they, really, compared to real world
players?
A: The truth is, MP's
Dead Money players are actually pretty good when compared to the multitude of
really bad players out in the real world, both online and in the brick and
mortar cardrooms. The poker community has coined the term 'Donkey' to describe a
truly BAD player. With hindsight, I probably should have included another level
of player personality below my Dead Money players known as Donkeys. The problem is, the
intention behind Master Poker is to make you a high quality poker player by
putting you into real-world confrontations with solid opponents, not opponents
who literally throw their money at you. In the end your MP successes will be
measured by the level of competition you've faced. Most users will gain far
more confidence, experience and satisfaction doing well in a tournament against 50% Dead Money
players (meaning the other 50% is Tough), than if they were to win a tournament that
possessed 100% Donkeys.
While it's true you do need to learn to play against
Dead Money players (it's much different than facing skilled players), you do not
necessarily need experience playing against Donkeys. Let's just say MP's Dead
Money players are aimed at simulating the vast number of
players who know enough to get themselves into trouble, but don't know enough to
get themselves out of trouble. A Donkey is another beast entirely.
Q: What's the smallest game I can play as far as chip denominations?
A: The smallest chip denomination in MP is 1 chip (or $1 in Cash
Games), which means the smallest game possible will have blinds of 1/2 (in chips
or dollars). The largest single denomination chips allow games in the hundreds
of millions of dollars, should you desire.
Q: Why does my player (the human player) ALWAYS get his higher card first?
A: As I tediously tested the software I found it much easier to read the hands quickly if the larger ranked card were placed first. I figured most players would prefer to have them delivered in this manner for the same reason, particularly those power players who found themselves zipping through large quantities of hands. All
computer hands are sorted in the same manner for when they are displayed to you
(for ease of view). As the inner workings go--Master Poker deals out all hands
in a completely random manner, then arranges them in order of rank within each player's hand, then displays them to the
User.
Q: I average about 60 hands per hour when playing
online. How many hands per hour would you say I can play with Master Poker?
A: I think most any player would agree, your experience level in
No-limit Hold'em is directly related to the number of played hands you can tuck
under your belt. Using MP's Zip function (to zip to the end of hands you don't
want to play), playing a tight/aggressive style (about 12-14% of the hands
dealt), and using an AI Action Speed of .2 seconds (one notch below maximum
speed), I regularly book between 900-1000 hands per hour. Even at the low end
that's 15 times the number of hands you will see in
online play, and more than 25 times the hands you would see in a live game. As
any experienced player knows, any time you're playing with other humans the vast
majority of your time is wasted watching cards being dealt as you wait for the next playable hand.
Q: Are you saying I can't learn to play good No-limit Hold'em
on my X-Box or Playstation?
A: I would agree with that, yes, and it's not just the gaming consoles.
While many do produce excellent visual effects (and graphics of your favorite
poker heroes) you just can't learn to be a good player if you're playing against bad competition.
This applies to the outside world, the Internet, or any poker software. Yes, you can learn the mechanics, and perhaps some basic
strategy, but your playing skill will never reach a winning level unless you're faced
with the challenges provided by solid competition. As I've said before,
the AI can only be as good at poker as the folks who programmed it. If you're
serious about improving your game, invest only in serious software written by
actual poker players who are also dedicated students of the game. Just because
you see a player's likeness in the game, or a picture of a famous player on the
packaging it doesn't mean that player actually had direct input into how the
program's artificial intelligence functions. I can't imagine too many pros giving up
many months
of their valuable time to sit down and work out each possible situation with the
game's programmers. That's just not realistic.
Q: The blinds in my local tournaments go up in timed intervals, how is this
handled by Master Poker?
 A: In a real-world or online tournament a clock typically determines when to implement ante/blind increases (for example, every 15 minutes), but in the real world you are expected to sit in your seat until you are knocked out. Since MP has no need to impose such strict time guidelines on you, we use a 'hands-per-level' clock to determine when blind increases should be implemented. Online poker deals approximately 60 hands per hour, therefore we can simulate time by saying 1 hand equals approximately 1 minute of real time. After playing approximately 60 hands you have been playing the equivalent of 1
hour's real time. This means if you wish to have the blinds increase every 15 minutes, you would set the 'hands-per-level'
slider to raise the blinds at the end of every 15 hands.
This system allows you to save the game, answer the door, empty the trash, or get something to drink at any time during your
tournament while still maintaining an accurate real-life tournament time structure.
Q: Does MP track the human player's tendencies and save this
data from session to session?
A: Yes, and no. Yes, MP tracks your tendencies as if observing your
play at the table and uses that data for the current session. No, MP does not
save this information from session to session. There are many reasons for not
relying on this tracking data for future session decisions:
- Tracking your tendencies from one session to another will give a false
reading on the intelligence of the AI. Any poker software could use this
information to make it appear as if the AI players are smarter than they
are, when in actuality they had to start collecting data on you in order to
be smart. MP's AI players have no need to build a running database on you.
They're already smart, and they will adapt to whatever moves you are making today.
- The reality is that you're not likely playing the same (9) players every
single session (except perhaps a regular home game). If the software uses
this saved tracking data in each new session your opponents are going to
always be proactive against you, basing their actions on your past
actions. They are not going to need a chance to study you and react
to your current style of play as they would have to do in the real world. A
good example is in tournament play, where you're very unlikely to be met
with a table full of players who already know exactly how you play. This
would not be a realistic playing field. Your opponents should have to study
you early on from event to event, just as you should have to study them.
- As you improve as a player this saved data is going to be quickly out of
date. Since there is no way to turn that type of feature off your AI opponents will then always be at a distinct
disadvantage,
as they are being forced to use a style of play against you that is no
longer relevant. Then what?
When the AI is allowed to adjust to your most recent tendencies from session
to session you will consistently receive the most accurate and realistic
response from your opponents. When your style changes, or when your skill
improves, Master Poker's tough
players will adapt and adjust their styles against you. This way you
will always get the most competitive and realistic conditions possible.
Now ... all that said. You do have the option to Save your sessions for
future play. I included the option to Save your cash games (as opposed to
cashing out) for those players who want the AI to remember you. If you're
practicing for a game in which you will be facing players who already know
you're style (ie. a weekly home cash game) you can play your cash games as one
long session. That is, instead of cashing out after each session simply Save the
session and next time you play just pick up where you left off. This should give
you stronger competition, for at least as long as your chipstack doesn't get too
large for the game, then you can cash out and begin again.
Q: Can I build a brand new blind structure from
scratch to match my current home game?
A: Yes. MP comes with nearly (40) built-in blind structures, but these are
included just to make your life easier if you'd like to play something like the
World Series Main Event. The true beauty of the MP Custom Blind Structures is that you
never have to cross your fingers and hope for a pre-made structure that matches
your needs. In MP, if you know the structure, you can quickly
build a precise custom structure to match it (in less than five minutes). And down the line, when your home
structure changes, it's even easier to update your custom structure to match the
new changes, so it's never out of date or inaccurate.
As a player, what I like most about this construct is that I can go to a new
Internet poker site and look up, for example, their special Sunday tournament. The blind
structure for this new tourney is likely to be unfamiliar to me, but ... I pull
up the tournament's blind structure and input it into MP's Custom Structure
template. Five minutes later, I'm practicing tournaments with the precise
buy-in, structure, and blind level intervals as the real thing. By the time
Sunday arrives, I'm ready. You could do the same thing with any home game you're
invited to for the first time, or perhaps a local casino tournament where you're
spending the weekend.
Q: Can Master Poker teach me to play Texas Hold'em if I don't know anything
about the game?
A: No. MP contains many features that will help you become a better
player (ie. the Board Observer and Starting Hand Guide), but it is not a poker tutor per se'. It
can not teach you to play the game from the ground up.
While an intelligent person
could figure out the rules over time, you will probably want to learn the
basic rules of Hold'em before purchasing the software. The good news is the Internet has a
plethora of websites dedicated to exactly this, teaching you to play basic Texas
Hold'em, which can be done in maybe 20 minutes. Just make sure you pick a site that teaches
No-limit Hold'em (like on TV). The basic game is
actually very simple. As television commentators like to say, it takes a minute
to learn and a lifetime to master.
Q: Can I also play Limit Hold'em with Master Poker?
A: No. MP is dedicated exclusively to No-limit Texas Hold'em.
There is currently no option for Limit, or Pot-Limit play.
I'm asked all the time why Master Poker does not contain the option to play
Limit Hold'em. The answer is simple; as the AI is concerned, they are two
entirely different games, just as Razz or Omaha might be. Since programming a
truly powerful AI is such a difficult quest (particularly with NL) I've chosen to have Master Poker excel at it's intended specialty
rather than be sullied by weak additional game options.
Users must also realize there are games within the game. As far as the AI
goes, Master Poker must also consider the type of No-limit event being played.
There are distinct differences in play between large Tournaments, Sit and Go's,
and Cash Games. Then within each type of event, AI players must also make
adjustments for full tables, shorthanded play, Heads-up play, and even their own
inherent playing styles (both general and individual), all
essentially mini-games within the overall No-limit AI blanket.
I could have fairly easily added Limit and Pot-limit options, with decent
AI's, just to be able
to list them in Master Poker's feature set, but I believe if the AI for these
games was not as strong as the No-limit AI it would have tarnished the overall
product. That's not to say a future
version of MP will not contain solid Limit and Pot-Limit options, but for now, I'm dedicated
exclusively to
strengthening MP's overall NL intelligence.
A monumental task in itself, but one I believe to be worth the time and effort
considering the shortage of quality No-limit software on today's market.
Q: I can find and exploit patterns in any poker
software I've ever played. Are you saying there are no exploitable patterns in
Master Poker?
A: I don't believe any poker software designer can make that guarantee
without being deceptive. This game is so incredibly sophisticated it
would take an army of No-limit specialists to even come close to a product that
could make a guarantee of that type, but ...
Being an admitted perfectionist and lifelong student of the game myself, this
is a rather large pet peeve of mine, to eliminate all discernible patterns from
the AI, and I have spent a great deal of time working specifically on this
issue. I want my buyers to be confident that I have only their best interests in
mind, and will continually strive to keep Master Poker on the cutting edge of AI
performance
for the foreseeable future. If any type of 'flaw' is found in my AI and brought
to my attention (including any recognizable patterns) I will immediately fix it
in all future versions of the software. If a needed fix is ever deemed
significant I will immediately release a patch for all those folks who are
already part of the MP community.
Note: All that said, I can tell you I do receive emails from buyers
recommending future options to the software, but I have not yet received even
a single email complaining about Master Poker's artificial intelligence not
living up to the claims you see here. Not one. How cool is that?
Q: Master Poker sounds too good to be true.
A: LOL. In my opinion you just can't do any better
on today's market for No-limit software, and certainly not at this price. I've been on a focused
mission since the day I decided to take my project to the public (years ago). That day I
made up my mind that if I was going to do this I was going to do it right (for
poker players, not gaming enthusiasts). That
meant:
- I wanted to include most of the prominent features of the most popular competing software,
but upgrade them to be better, faster, more convenient, and prettier.
- I wanted to include new features that I, as a poker player, found myself
yearning for in all those other competing software packages.
- Despite being aimed directly at students of the game I wanted to
include features that would encourage and empower novice players to not only
be comfortable using the software, but to help them take their game to a
more competitive level.
- I wanted the final package to be smooth, clean, complete, useful and
fulfilling to my poker brethren.
Master Poker is certainly not perfect, but I'm content I met those goals, and
more. This should, in turn, translate into a pleasurable and satisfying
experience for all of my end users.
Troubleshooting
Q: When I press the 'Play' button to start a new game
Windows displays an advisement that I'm missing a needed file. I can ignore it,
which lets the game start, but then it comes back the next time I play a new
game. What gives?
A: This issue is almost always related to Microsoft Office. The impression is
that Master Poker is missing the specific file, or is somehow tied in to the
requested application. Neither is true.
In typical Office installations, the application makes several registry
entries on your computer for features that will 'Install on Demand'. Office then
installs a small startup program to watch for when these files are needed (you
can verify this by checking the list of apps that start automatically when you
boot your computer-look for anything with 'Office' in it). When Master Poker, which uses a database file to store your
preferences, starts up, Office can sometimes mistake this for a call to use it's
own database application, resulting in the query for you to insert your Office
CD.
This circumstance has been known to occur during both the initial
installation of Master Poker, and when you press the 'Play' button to start a
new session. The easy fix is to simply fulfill Office's request, and let it
install the file it thinks it needs. That will forever clear the file request
and let you get down to what's important--playing poker.
Note: If for some reason you don't have the Office CD you might be able to
fix the problem by clearing the check from the Office program running in your
startup programs (not allowing it to start when you boot your computer). Here's
where to look:
-Click the 'Start' button
-Click 'Run'
-Type 'msconfig' in the text box
-Click the 'Startup' tab (in the window that appears)
-Look for an OFFICE related file
-Clear the checkbox (you can always put it back).
Q: When I run the program the text seems too large to fit
on the screen, running out over the edges of the table. How can I fix this?
A: People often like to use higher screen resolutions for their Windows
Desktop because it makes your graphics look sharper (particularly on laptops), but Windows text defaults to a very small font and
it can be difficult to read for some folks. To remedy this many Users will
increase the Dots-Per-Inch setting in Windows, which results in larger font
display. You may have found and activated this feature. Unfortunately, this feature
is not user-friendly with Master Poker. It will indeed increase the size of
your Windows fonts, but this makes them out of proportion to MP's graphics. Hence, the text stretches, the graphics do not.
To fix: You'll have to set your default Windows DPI back to 'Normal-96' (standard size) for your sessions, then switch it back again when done playing. Not a real big deal, but I apologize for the inconvenience. You can
adjust your Windows XP DPI setting by following these steps:
-Right-click your open 'Desktop'
-Click 'Properties'
-Click the 'Settings' tab
-Click the 'Advanced' button
-Look for an option called 'DPI Setting' and should put this at 96 dpi. With both my NVIDIA and Radeon cards it is under the 'General' tab, which is the first tab displayed. If I were to guess, you currently have it set at 120 dpi to cause this issue.
Q: When playing at 800x600 resolution the taskbar at
the bottom of my Windows Desktop is covering some text and graphics at the
bottom of the Table Screen. Why is this happening?
A: You likely have your Windows taskbar locked. Normally, it should drop out of view when you run
Master Poker (or any other program), unless the User
or another program intentionally locks it. For example, you might want to be
able to access your music media player while playing poker. If you tell the
media player you want it visible at all times it will often reduce itself to
your taskbar and lock the taskbar in place.
To unlock the taskbar in WinXp and previous, right-click on the taskbar
itself and uncheck 'Lock the taskbar' option. This should clear your screen. If
another program is the culprit you might have to turn off the 'Always display on
taskbar' feature within the other program.
Q: The program seems to hang up once in a while during play of hands (the Windows hourglass will appear for a few seconds), then will return to functioning
normally.
A: This is usually the result of some other software or process running in the background on your Windows Desktop
(usually virus software). Windows needs to use the CPU and your computer puts
Master Poker on hold for a few seconds until it's done.
Simple fix, turn off the offending software while you're playing Master
Poker (especially if you're power-playing lots of hands with the Zip function).
This can often be done just by right-clicking the program's little icon down in
your taskbar tray (if you see one). As long as your firewall is up (you better
have one), you will not be at risk to viruses while playing Master Poker. Turn
your virus software back on before you go browsing the Internet.
Q: I'm running Master Poker under Windows Vista and I
can't save a game, or save all my hands played to a file. The program doesn't
say there was a problem, the files just aren't there.
A: In some versions of Vista you will sometimes need to give permission
to allow certain applications (like Master Poker) to WRITE files to the hard
drive (which MP needs to write both 'Saved Game' files and 'Saved Hand Summary'
files), otherwise Vista is protecting your system using virtualization of any
files written to the hard drive (they are only kept in temporary memory until
the program closes). The reason Master Poker doesn't tell you there was a
problem is because it believes the files were properly written (and they were,
they were just written virtually/temporarily).
Q: I've been playing for a few days with no problems,
then suddenly I can't seem to start the program. I've tried both clicking the MP
icon and starting it from the programs menu. What's wrong?
A: There is only one reason why Master Poker would not start when you
click to run the program. The program believes that another instance of Master
Poker is already running. There are two possible culprits here ...
1) The Office Mage feature can sometimes be accidentally activated when a new
user is experimenting with
MP's feature set. The Office Mage is a feature to protect Users from the prying
eyes of say, a nosey boss at work. It is a little blue button that looks like
this ...
Clicking this button will instantly remove all signs of the program from your
Windows Desktop. What may have happened is you clicked that little blue
button to see what would happen and poof! the table was gone. When you tried to restart
the program it failed because the program was already running. Your table is
actually still there, it's just in hiding. The only sign the Office Mage leaves
on your desktop is a little button in the lower right corner of your screen
(labeled 'MP'). To return to your session click that button and your
hidden table will come back into view.
2) The other possibility is that Master Poker was not properly shut down
and is still running in your Windows background. This problem seems to manifest itself in computers that are left on all the time, perhaps powered down into sleep mode, or to energy saving
mode, and don't have the benefit of a fresh boot to begin the day. If this is the case, in XP any time you have the problem you can likely avoid having to reboot completely by hitting Control-Alt-Delete to bring up your Windows Task Manager and look for 'Master Poker' under both the 'Applications' and the 'Processes' tab. If you see it in either place, tell the task manager to shut it down. That should allow you to then start the MP program normally.
Q: Is there a patch available for the program?
A: I wasn't originally going to offer a patch for the first version of
the software (v1.01), but while making little fixes and upgrades for the next version
I decided my original buyers should benefit not only from any fixes I made to
the program, but also from some key upgrades. If you legally purchased Master
Poker you may download the free Patch/Upgrade here.
It takes a keycode to unlock the new patch. If you were not sent a keycode
you will need to contact me with your purchase info (name, place you bought it,
and approximate date). I will send valid users a free keycode. Anyone who received
the CD as a promo from me or as a review copy may also contact me with your info
to receive a free keycode.
Q: Is there any way to save my personal data and
history records if I have to re-install the program?
A: Yes. You will need to copy the 'MasterDB' file (at "C:\Program Files\Master Poker")
to a safe place before reinstalling.
Once the new installation is complete, copy that file back to the new Master
Poker directory typically located at "C:\Program Files\Master Poker"
(under 'My Computer').
Note: If using 64bit Windows your 'Program Files' folder will
have an '(x86)' attached.
Q: Fast-clicking the Deal button with the mouse: Some folks report the 'Deal' button does not click properly when they're quickly clicking to Zip ... Deal ... Zip ... Deal ...
A: This issue seems to occur only in the Demo and usually happens for
one of two reasons:
1) Some folks just click their mice very quickly and the click sometimes doesn't register with the application (I call it
Triggerfinger). You likely do it in all of your software but it's easier to detect while playing poker because you're clicking rapidly on one button and expecting an immediate result, or,
2) When playing multi-table tournaments, you're clicking the Deal button before all AI players on the tables out of your view finish their hands. In Master Poker those unseen tables are actually playing hands just like you are, and the current hand must be finished for all tables before the Deal button officially becomes enabled again for the next hand. Power players can eliminate this tendency by using the
keyboard keys Z and D to Zip ... Deal ... Zip ... Deal ... (instead of the mouse). You will find this is preferable to the mouse anyway and provides very smooth game play when zipping through hundreds of hands at a time.
Known Bugs in Master Poker
Master Poker is a very simple and stable program (programmatically speaking)
and will give you many years of happy service, but there are two things to keep
in mind when first using the software (including the Demo). The first is that
most computers these days are extremely complicated and run MANY applications
all at the same time (in the background). Since Master Poker is so resource
demanding (lots of calculations, etc.) it can sometimes bring to light
background conflicts in your Windows environment. The good news is that in all
cases reported to me by Users, with a little effort, we have been able to
identify and eliminate those conflicts, resulting in smooth and uninterrupted
play.
The other area where problems may occur is with software bugs, actual
problems in the application itself. Unfortunately, few can say their software is
completely bug free. Though we've only identified a
few bugs in the program worthy of mention, they are listed here to save you some time and
frustration when you happen to encounter one:
Important Update: With the exception of the International
bug regarding using commas in dollar amounts (outside the U.S.) the rest of
the bugs listed below have been repaired or eliminated in the v1.31 upgrade to
the Master Poker CD. This downloadable patch/upgrade is being offered free of
charge to my legal owners, both past and present. Click the 'Patch' tab at the
top of this screen for details.
- The 'X' bug - Program doesn't start. There
is only one reason why Master Poker will not start when you click to run the program. The program believes that another instance of Master Poker is already running. There are two possible culprits here:
1) Not Properly Quitting the Program. On some
versions of Windows quitting out of Master Poker by clicking the 'X' in the upper right corner of the Main Sign-up Screen will sometimes fail to properly close down the program, leaving it running in the background on your Windows Desktop.
Symptoms: You click to start the program and nothing happens (the program fails to start).
Confirming this issue: Hit Ctrl-Alt-Del to bring up your Windows Task Manager and look for 'Master Poker' under either the Applications tab, or the Processes tab. If you find it in either place highlight it and click the button to 'End Task'. You should then be able to start the program normally.
Affects: Both the Demo and Full Version of the software.
Long Term Solution:
When done playing poker close the program properly, using the 'Exit' button on the Main Sign-up Screen. Unfortunately, many people used to interacting with Windows are likewise used to closing an individual window using the familiar 'X' in the upper right corner of the window. In MP, try to resist clicking that X and use the 'Exit' button.
- The 'X' bug - Program crash. Some users have
experienced crashing due to closing out of the Table Screen (during a
hand, when your turn to act) by clicking the 'X' in the upper right corner of the screen (as opposed to
hitting the Escape Key and using the Options
Menu buttons to properly exit the Table).
Symptoms: This can cause occasional crashes in
secondary events during a single session. For example, you may start a tournament and
play a while with no problem, but then decide you would like to start over
using different blinds or stack sizes. When you leave the table before the tourney is over you click the
'X' in the upper right hand corner of the screen instead of hitting the 'Escape' Key and using the
'Options Menu'
buttons to leave the table.
You then start your new event in the same session and it
is during this subsequent event that you experience a crash.
Confirming this issue: It
does not affect all users, and in nearly all cases has been found to be
directly attributed to too many programs running in the background on the
User's computer (bloatware). To take a look at your running
applications list. In both Vista and XP hold down the Windows key and hit the
'R' key to bring up the 'Run' window. Type in 'msconfig' and hit Enter. Click
on the 'Startup' tab and look at the list of programs that have a check in
front of them. These are all the programs running in the background of your
computer (often without your knowledge). If you have more than 5-6 checked
programs in your list you're being bogged down.
Affects: Both the Demo and Full Version of the
software.
Long Term Solution: Always properly leave the
Table Screen by using the Options Menu buttons. You do this by hitting the ESCAPE Key
or clicking the gray Asterisk button (far left on button bar) at the
conclusion of any hand. To really fix the problem, take a look at your running
applications list. In both Vista and XP hold down the Windows key and hit the
'R' key to bring up the 'Run' window. Type in 'msconfig' and hit Enter. Click
on the 'Startup' tab and look at the list of programs that have a check in
front of them. Uncheck anything you don't
need (ie. auto update programs for stuff like Adobe/Office/etc). If you don't
recognize something Google it on the Internet then use your common sense. My
own computers have firewall, graphics, and virus software. The rest is garbage
(often auto-installed while surfing Net). Don't worry about unchecking
something critical (as long as it's not your Firewall or Virus defense). You
can always check it back on later. If you see more than say (10) programs on the checked list, make this
a priority. I've had many friends, family members, and
MP users with more than (50) items listed here. Not good.
- Sound card crash. Master Poker will occasionally crash
only when it is
the human player's turn to act in a hand, and just after you hear bird
sounds in the background.
Symptoms: This only occurs in cardrooms that
are outdoors such as 18th Hole, London Pub, Tahoe Home Game, etc ...
(outdoor venues). If it is your turn to act on a hand and you ponder long
enough (perhaps 20-30 seconds) to hear bird/nature sounds in the background the program will
sometimes crash. This is a soundcard driver or DirectX driver issue.
Confirming this issue: Remove the checkmarks
from all your sound options on the Main Sign-up Screen and play a session in
relative silence. If the crashing disappears your computer is in need of
updated Sound/DirectX drivers.
Affects: Both the Demo and Full Version of the
software.
Quick Fix: Clear the 'Background Ambience'
checkbox in the ' Sound Options' on the main Sign-up page. This will prevent
all nature sounds in outdoor cardrooms, and may fix your problem, while
letting you use the rest of the sounds in the game (ie. chips, cards, etc).
Long Term Solution: Update your DirectX and sound drivers. If you don't know how to do this
yourself send me an e-mail advising that you're having this problem and I will
be happy to send you instructions.
Affects: Both the Demo and Full Version of the
software.
Long Term Solution: To fix, follow the below
instructions. They are similar in both Windows XP and Windows Vista.
-Click the 'Start' button
-Click 'Control Panel'
-Double-click 'Regional Configuration'
-Click the 'customize' (or 'customize format') button and change the decimal
symbol from a comma to a point (a period). Once this is done the DM% slider
should work properly.
If you are experiencing crashing or any other type of issue you believe is a
software bug, whether playing the Demo or Full Version of the program, please
take a moment to send me a note describing the problem (and which Windows
version you are using). It's possible it is a known issue that I can help you
clean up quickly (from past experience). It's very important to me that my Users
have only a positive experience when using my software.
Click the button below to order your own copy of Master Poker and join the
ever growing community of those who've chosen to become part of the next
generation of poker software.
|
