|
|
|
Master Poker's FAQThere 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.
Q: How does the order process work, and do you accept credit cards?A: We accept all 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 (except China). 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 operated 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.
Q: How long has Master Poker been around?A: Version 1 was released in October of 2007. Version 2 was released to the general public in March of 2010. If you've never heard of it, it's likely because I don't normally do paid advertising or push reviews of the software. You almost have to stumble on us to find us. I originally wrote the program only for me, and only released it to the poker community when I realized I had created something special. I'm perfectly content with a small community of MP players who contribute word-of-mouth exposure and on whom I can give my full attention as far as tech support and guidance in learning to play the game well. That said, I would happily accept any challenge by any other software designer to pit the skill of their computer players against mine.
Q: Is Master Poker Vista compatible?A: Yes. Only Mac users need fear compatibility issues.
Q: Is Master Poker Windows-7 compatible?A: Yes. Master Poker is fully compatible with all versions of Windows, including Windows 7.
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.
Q: Can I install Master Poker on my Netbook PC?A: Very likely yes. First you will need to check to be sure that your Netbook can handle up to 800x600 minimum screen resolution (most today can). That is the minimum resolution possible in the game. Second, the program is delivered to you on a CD, so if your Netbook does not possess a CD/DVD player (most do not), it will need to have a USB port (most do). If purchasing the program for use on a Netbook you will need access to a home or work Desktop/Notebook computer that has both a CD drive and a USB port in order to transfer the program to your Netbook (using a thumbdrive). I play MP on my own Netbook when traveling.
Q: When I try to install the program it stops and asks me if I want to keep an existing file on the computer that is newer than a file that is being installed. What should I do?A: To make Master Poker compatible with all older versions of Windows the program uses some older versions of database support files. During installation, if Windows asks if you wish keep some of your newer existing Windows files, click YES to each one (you want to keep the files already on your computer). If your Windows system is up to date this could be as many as 8-10 files (with descriptions like ‘Jet’ and ‘DAO’). Once you've gone through this inconvenience the first time you won't be bothered with it again. Master Poker works equally well with either old or new file versions.
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.
Q: Is there an Instruction Manual for MP?A: Yes, a detailed one. In Version 1 it is called 'MP Readme'. In Version 2 it is called 'MP User's Guide'. In both versions it is located in the 'Master Poker' programs directory on your Windows Desktop. Click the 'Start' button, highlight 'All Programs', highlight the 'Master Poker' directory, then left-click the 'MP User's Guide' file. It is in HTML format so it can be read with any browser, and easily printed if desired. I have found that few buyers actually read the manual before diving right in to play. For this reason Version 2 of the program now contains an imbedded Quickstart tutorial to get you up and running. 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: Why do I always get the higher of my two cards first?A: When I was initially designing the program I found it easier to read my holecards if they were organized with the higher card first. That feature just kind of stayed in the program after it was released and I've never felt a need to change it. Behind the scenes, as the cards are dealt they are auto arranged to put them in order with the high card on the left and the low card on the right (this also includes the computer players). All hands are still dealt as random as possible (with a computer).
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: Never. And it still surprises me how many people ask this question. 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 before acting (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 could 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 'unlucky' 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 through your weak play. 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.
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 (14) 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:
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 1000 tables, the current maximum tournament size is 10,000 players (each with a unique screen name). At the time of this publication only the World Series Main Event has ever exceeded 5k players, but I wanted you to be able to simulate precisely that most important event.
Q: Does Master Poker allow me to see a computer player's hand 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/brown (v1/v2) 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:
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:
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 computer 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 (and serious) 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?
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.
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? (applies to Version 1 only)A: Yes. There are now four primary ways to enter your wagers in Master Poker. They are as follows: The Action Buttons:
The Keyboard Numpad: It's highly recommended that all buyers take a few moments to go over the Instruction Manual in your Windows Programs Menu (under Master Poker) for specific details on the full use of your keyboard and other hidden features (or hit the 'K' key between hands while at the table to view the keyboard 'Hotkeys' graphic). This is the only way to be sure you 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 thinks 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.
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 65% Dead Money players (meaning the other 35% 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 (unless your sole intention is to excel at your local bar league). 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 computer players 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 (or years) 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?
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 new session to new session (unless you saved the session itself for later play). There are many reasons for not relying on this tracking data for future session decisions:
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 I export my hand histories from Master Poker to other poker software like PokerTracker to help me analyze my play?A: Not currently, but a good idea to consider for a future version.
Q: Is it possible to play with a second human player (ie. my wife on a LAN, or a friend in another city)? That is, can we both log-in to our respective MP program and then hookup on a LAN or the Internet to play at the same table (filling extra seats with computer players)?A: Not currently, but another good idea to consider for a future version.
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.
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:
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. TroubleshootingQ: When I try to install the program it stops and asks me if I want to keep an existing file on the computer that is newer than a file that is being installed. What should I do?A: To make Master Poker compatible with all older versions of Windows the program uses some older versions of database support files. During installation, if Windows asks if you wish keep some of your newer existing Windows files, click YES to each one (you want to keep the files already on your computer). If your Windows system is up to date this could be as many as 8-10 files (with descriptions like ‘Jet’ and ‘DAO’). Once you've gone through this inconvenience the first time you won't be bothered with it again. Master Poker works equally well with either old or new file versions.
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.
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.
Q: When playing Master Poker the Windows Taskbar at the bottom of my Windows Desktop is covering some text and graphics at the bottom of the Screen. Why is this happening?A: The Windows Taskbar should normally 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 Windows taskbar, 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. Another option, particularly with these newer very wide-screen monitors, and the one I personally prefer (to messing with my media player) is to unlock the taskbar (right-click it, clear the check from 'lock the taskbar), then use your mouse to drag your taskbar to the right side of your Windows Desktop (it will run up and down the right side of your view screen, out of the way if you have a rectangular monitor). That will allow you to play unobstructed poker. When finished, just drag it back down to the bottom of the screen. Presto.
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 (or Win7) 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/Win7 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). You can run a simple HELP search (or Google search of the Internet) using the term Vista Virtualization Settings to get the steps for giving the Master Poker .exe file (little red MP on it in your MP folder) the proper permissions to WRITE files to the hard drive.
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 ...
Q: Is there a patch available for the program?A: There is no need for a patch for Version 2 (the only version available for sale). I wasn't originally going to offer a patch for the Version 1 of the program (v1.01), but while making little fixes and upgrades for the subsequent 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 v1 you may download the free Patch/Upgrade here. It takes a keycode to unlock the patch/upgrade. If you were not sent a keycode you will need to contact me with your purchase info (name, place you bought it, order number, 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').
Q: The program plays fine for a while and then just suddenly crashes. I can't seem to get through an entire session without a problem.A: I occasionally get users who complain of consistent program
crashes. While this may sound like a response you would get from any software vendor, I can tell you with near certainty, something is going on with your computer's
Windows system, not likely Master Poker. The reason I can make this statement is because in four years of tech support perhaps 90% of the time in v1, and 100% of the time in v2, the
affected user and I found exactly that to be the case. Old drivers, bloatware, virus issues, a Windows tweak, etc.,
which eventually resulted in a happy poker player.
Even though these issues are not Master Poker related I'm happy to help any buyer of my software to get their machine in proper working order, and detailed step-by-step instructions for clearing any bloat or driver related issues can be found in the MP Instruction Manual that comes on your CD. If you follow all the steps in the manual and don't cure your machine of its woes, by all means contact me for assistance. I'm always happy to help.
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 ... (Version 1 Demo only)A: This issue occurs only in the Demo. The Demo is an aged program (from Version 1), around four years old now, just used to give prospective users a peek at what Master Poker is all about. When this issue arises the program will usually just hang up (showing an hourglass for a moment), but sometimes it will crash, depending on what other programs are running on your machine at the time (causing a background conflict). I call it 'Triggerfinger' and initially spent a great deal of time trying to identify the cause. Interestingly enough, it did not occur in the Full Version (v1) of the software at that time, so I eventually put it aside. I suspect it has something to do with the programming code used to put clamps on the Demo (restrict it's features), which would explain why it didn't appear in the Full Version. When I released v2 of the program, which is where we're at now, I redesigned the deal button construct just to be safe and have never seen this issue again. The quick fix for Demo users is to use the keyboard 'D' and 'Z' button to deal and zip your hands, avoiding the mouse-click process altogether (v2 also has a right-handed keyboard option). You will likely find this (keyboard buttons) a much better alternative in play anyway.
Known Issues/BugsMaster Poker is a very simple and stable program (programmatically speaking) and will give you many years of happy service. Unfortunately, few can say their software is completely bug free. In the time since the release of Version 2 the only reported issue has been a conflict resulting from previous use of the MP Demo or Full Version 1 (with the 1.31 Patch installed). See the description below for how to resolve that issue. Those bugs identified in Version 1 of the program (and fixed in the free upgrade), are listed further down the page to save you some time and frustration if you happen to encounter one.
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 user 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.
|
|
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.
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.
