Texas Hold 'Em is the grip you'll have on your PSP by the time you've lost all your coin. by Glenn McLean

May 25, 2006 - There's no need for me to comment on how popular poker is right now. Where else can an average Joe, with a little bit of skill and a little bit of luck, have a real shot at winning millions of dollars? I'm surprised it took as long as it did to become mainstream.

Due to the popularity of poker, there are numerous games available for virtually every gaming system including free online poker sites where you can play against other online gamers without using real money. The game of poker can be so stimulating that you can play it for years without resorting to using real money, but the professionals know that once you cultivate and hone your skills to a certain degree, the only true motivator is money. As a casual gambler, I would highly recommend that you learn how to play poker without using real money before you decide to head to Vegas. This brings me to the glut of internet poker sites where you can play for free and also receive instruction and tips from professionals, not to mention all of the tips you can pick up from watching the numerous tournaments played on TV. So how can one justify spending good money on a handheld poker game? For one thing, you can't drag your PC everywhere and the fact that this version includes online play gives you the best of all worlds.

Before you begin, you have to choose a character. There is plenty of customizing options available such as facial features, body types, hair and outfits. Although you may wind up with tons of virtual cash, you can't just go out and purchase new clothes. You have to earn them through challenges such as getting a really great hand or making a successful bluff. You'll earn special chips by pulling these challenges off which only really serves to maintain your connection with the fact that you're playing a videogame.

I've watched a lot of hours of poker in the last few years and I don't recognize any of these licensed players with the exception of the man they call the Unabomber. Where is Daniel Negranu? Moneymaker? Helmuth? Annie Duke? Or what's-his-name, the fat nerd with the 3D glasses? It's not that you get to see a lot of these pros in the game but if you progress through to the final tables in the tournament mode that's where you'll encounter some of these mysterious card sharps.

I call them mysterious because the pros are the only ones that don't have a tell feature ascribed to them. Other players have a stat system that gives you vital information about their methods of play. Too vital, in fact, it's almost a dead giveaway. A person suffering from Turrets wouldn't give away more tells about the cards they are holding. This feature is exclusive to the PSP and it's not a great selling point by any stretch. Even beginners should steer clear of relying on this feature. It's akin to having psychic powers.

What really matters most is the gameplay. I'm not saying this is the best virtual poker game I've played but it's certainly one of the better ones. In the Career mode, the AI does a great job of replicating the conservative atmosphere where bluffs are rare and there's more checking than raising in the first part of the tournament. The only thing missing is the overly aggressive 22-year old, internet poker player that goes "all in" every time he gets a pair or two face cards.

The AI will stun, shock, surprise, anger and disgust you. While it's easy to spot the conservative pattern at the beginning of the game, things become a lot more randomized during the second half. The AI will have a great hand and continue to check making you believe he's got nothing. I encountered some great bluffs, especially when they raised their bets after the turn where I could sense they were going for a flush or a straight. It's times like this where I truly am my own worst enemy often convincing myself of the inadequacies of my own hand.

In Career mode you will begin at one of several tables and rise through the ranks to hopefully take your place with the cream of the crop at the final table. I'm not so convinced that the AI is any more intelligent or aggressive at this level but it just seems less predictable than usual and that makes for a good game.

Oddly enough the game doesn't have an ad hock mode. I guess all you need is deck of cards for that. The online mode has a few bugs in terms of getting connected and temporarily freezes up when players enter or leave a game. Everything else is smooth going and it's every bit as fun as any poker game I've played online, except that there's not much competition from these PSP greenhorns. If only we were playing for real money…

As with most poker games World Poker Tour isn't much to look at but it does look a sight better than the PS2 version. There is more attention to detail with good representations of real-world casinos. The animation is terrible and the commentary is repetitive, but what else is new? It does look and sound like a budget title but it's not budget-priced. There are a number of other poker variations included and while they might be a nice diversion, aren't we all here for the Texas Hold 'Em?

Features:

• Exclusive World Poker Tour Presentation - Including real WPT venues such as Commerce Casino and the Aviation Club, broadcast style overlays and commentary featuring Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten
  
• Elite Professional Players - Compete against the virtual equivalents of Antonio "the Magician" Esfandiari, Erick Lindgren, Evelyn Ng, Lyle Berman, Michael "the Grinder" Mizrachi, and Phil "Unabomber" Laak, that play each situation just like their real-life counterparts.
  
• Unmatched Online Action - Go "all in" against players across the country with WPT's robust online functionality. Compete in tournaments, set up poker nights with your friends, manage buddy lists, and chat.
  
• Master the Cards - Improve your poker playing skills by utilizing in-game tutorials and an in-depth stat tracking system that outlines your playing tendencies in numerous situations.
  
• Make Your Mark - Create a player, launch a career, and strive to become a WPT World Champion as you build your character's experience and boost your career earnings by competing in multiple game modes including Quick Play, Satellite Tour Play and WPT Season Play. Flaunt your success by using your earnings to deck out your player with hundreds of accessories.
  
• Learning AI System - Hone your game and play against AI that will learn how you play poker at the table and adjust to your unique style of play just like real players. Learn to play and bluff your way through huge tournaments just like the pros on the World Poker Tour.
  
• Limitless Poker Variations - Create custom poker games by setting rules and limits with the poker game editor, or choose from 14 different community poker games including Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Pineapple, Double Flop Hold'em, Super Hold'em, Billabong, Tahoe and Shanghai.

By Glenn McLean
CCC Freelance Writer