Customer Reviews

Poker Academy Texas Hold 'Em Win/Mac

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As an advanced player, I can't suggest a better program for developing the fundamental skills required to be a winning Hold 'Em player.

The review below obviously doesn't understand what this software is designed to do. This isn't a poker "game," it's training software!

(...) But for those of us who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of the game, it's an absolute necessity. (If the reviewer had taken the time to input Q6 into the showdown calculator he would quickly see _exactly_ why the advisor told him to fold.)

The Heads-Up limit players are, hands down, the toughest available. I challenge anyone to play 20,000 hands against Vexbot and see how they fare. I can tell you this: they won't beat it, because the more you play, the better it plays against you, by exploiting your leaks and attacking your weaknesses. Unlike a human, Vexbot never goes on tilt, calculates perfect odds every time, and has a record of how you've played every single hand you've ever played against it. How's that for a tough opponent?

If you interested in learning sound, foundational, winning principles of Hold 'Em play, you should seriously consider adding Poker Academy to your curriculum.

I am very pleased with my purchase of "Poker Academy: Texas Hold 'Em". It offers several variants of play and several models of players to play against. Writing software that simulates a good poker player is non-trivial and my experience with other poker games and/or learning tools is that the authors usually choose a single model and vary it in one dimension (i.e. aggressiveness, etc.). However, "Poker Academy" actually has several different models based on real playing styles and is thus by my estimate a much more sophisticated learning tool and/or challenger to play against.

The extra "bells and whistles" mentioned by a previous reviewer are nice for beginners but they can be turned off completely so that game play decisions are totally up to the player.

I own 7 different Texas Hold 'Em games ranging from extremely simplistic (meaning once you "figure out" how the opponents work, you never lose) to others that are more sophisticated. It is my opinion that "Poker Academy: Texas Hold 'Em" is the best software I have of the 7 different variants I own. Thus, I highly recommend the software to others and suggest that reading the help section and possibly reading about some of the player styles modeled in the software is quite possibly the best combination of fun and training I have come across.

Keep up the good work!

With poker on fire these days, there is no shortage of Texas Hold'em tips you can read or study. But what you learn is only useful if incorporated into real games with real people. If you want to become a real player, at some point you're going to have to move beyond being a practice hero.

Fortunately there is a new software program on the market that will help you at every stage of your learning process and at every stage of play. It's called Poker Academy Texas Hold'em. Thomas "Thunder" Keller, 2004 WSOP $5,000 No-Limit Winner, says "Poker Academy is a revolutionary learning tool and a must-have for the beginner to the serious rounder."

Poker Academy offers limit and no-limit games, tournament and ring games. Pop-up advisors help you learn with every move that you make, and users can even check their player statistics, hand values, and pot odds at any point during or after a game. "Our Luckometer lets you have it straight," said Kurt Lange, president and CEO of Poker Academy, a leading software developer of poker products. "Are you playing well or just getting lucky?"

Poker Academy's artificial intelligence is robust and was developed over a decade. Its capabilities have been featured in The New York Times, New Scientist and on the Discovery Channel. Even pros have learned more about their own game by facing off against the adaptable AI opponents provided by Poker Academy. And Poker Academy was recently selected to be used in the WPT Boot Camps (a two-day seminar on how to play Texas Hold'em held at casinos and hotels around the country) as part of their course materials.

"Only a few games currently employ adaptive artificial intelligence, which is also called machine learning," said Hector Munoz-Avila, assistant professor of computer science and engineering of Lehigh University. "Most are `hard-coded' to operate at a fixed level or levels."

Lange elaborates, "This means that every action taken by a computer player is determined by a rule or algorithm. A savvy player will come to recognize this over time and their software will become useless as a learning tool and not much fun to play because you'll know exactly what the computer will do."

What Poker Academy's computer opponents do is basically adapt to those playing the game, requiring human opponents to adjust their play to win. As the player gets better, the game gets better and more challenging. Poker Academy's AI also shows hand strength, potential and pot odds on the screen as you play. So you shouldn't spend hours trying to memorize percentages and obscure odds. "The good news is Poker Academy software shows you the percentages you need to know at every stage so that over time these numbers will become more familiar to you without requiring you to bury your nose in a book and memorize them all precisely," said Lange.

If you can win money playing a Poker Academy game, your chances to win money in a real-life casino, tournament or online game are that much greater, for you don't want to venture into a casino or a tournament armed only with your instincts and the fact that you've been winning $10 or $20 from your buddies at a weekly game. The game played by professionals is much more complex and nuanced than the game played by most of the recent fans of the game or people who never intend to venture more than a few dollars for fun. "Poker Academy can teach you how to play Texas Hold'em poker like a professional, no matter what your current level of skill and knowledge may be," said Lange.

Poker Academy (MSRP $29) is both PC and MAC compatible. The game runs on Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP, as well as Mac OS X 10.2 or higher.

Do you want to improve your play, dominate the competition and annihilate other opponents? If you answered YES, then this software is for you. You could buy a book on poker, however you would still be missing out on a fundamental prerequisite for improved play, actual experience playing hands. Poker is huge, playing well commands great respect and can make you a lot of money. Buying this software won't guarantee a win at the WSOP, but it will improve your skills to get you to the final table more often.

Poker Academy software is manufactured by Biotools Inc on the web at http://www.poker-academy.com they are serious about making you a great player. The company motto is "Learn to Win at ANY Level" and they mean it. They offer free limited feature trial copies of the programs to download. Poker Academy uses mathematical probability, coupled with advanced computer modeling and sophisticated Artificial Intelligence programming, to provide a challenging poker simulation. So what makes Poker Academy worth the price?

It's not just another poker game. If you are a novice player, it will help you learn the important concepts of knowing when to hold em and more importantly, when to fold em. A common habit of new and second-rate players is playing too many poor hands, and playing them too long. Think of Poker Academy as your personal poker trainer, it will make you perspire, so be prepared to work your brain. Get lazy and your pixilated opponents will make you suffer. It's frustrating to get punished for playing defectively and you'll never get the computer to go on tilt, although it might put you there, but learning to deal effectively with frustration is also part of becoming a great player.

Start by creating your profile to track your personal session and overall statistics. Session statistics are always displayed and updated to instantly check your progress. Session statistics include number of hands played, Win/Loss percentages, and Win rate calculated as the percentage of small blinds per hand and percentage of flops seen. You're overall statistics tracked include a bar graph showing your bankroll as small bets won vs. number of hands played. Also tracked are the percentages and totals (number of hands played, wins and win rate), folding (pre-flop, flop, turn, river or no fold) and action percentages for (folding, calling, checking, betting, and raising).

Do you usually fold, while only playing strong opening hands? Do you check more often than raising? Poker Academy will tell you. The advisor feature makes recommendations for suggested play, allowing you to check your decisions and reinforcing strong playing behaviors. Additionally, the hand evaluator shows detailed information about the hand you're currently playing, including the ever-important pot odds, and the crucial percentage of your chance to win, tie or loose the hand. If all of this sounds too complicated and technical, don't worry the computer does the math leaving you free to learn to play a stronger game. The PRO version has even stronger algorithms, provides more information, and more features. So how else does it help strengthen your play?

It allows you to create and edit your opponent profiles. Imagine being able re-create a table of opponents that play like your poker buddies/nemesis? All competitors know that to improve you must practice and continually push your limits. Constantly practicing against stronger opponents will definitely improve your play and make you a winner. Want a real challenge build a table of opponents who play a tight/aggressive style in a limit hold-em game and see how long you can keep your money. As for how it can help even a professional play better, the PRO version has an enhanced AI and some very challenging computer opponents that learn your preferred style of play and reacts to exploit any weaknesses. The more hands you play, the better it gets a read on you, forcing you to continually adapt and change gears which is what the great players do. Most players develop habits and detectable habits are costly at a poker table, being able to quickly change styles of play without being thrown off your game is highly advantageous. If you happen to have programming skills there is a plug-in API allowing you to build your own completely specialized computer opponents. The web site has the details, anybody want to try and program a Gus Hansen bot?

I know that it works. A little over two weeks ago while competing in a local tournament I made the final table for the first time and actually won the whole thing. I was very excited; especially when I learned my opponent has a number finishes and more experience than I do. Heads-up play lasted over an hour. My opponent was just about to go on tilt when I won the final hand. Additionally, my 13 year-old son started playing poker about 5 weeks ago; he played for a couple of hours every other day with the software. Last Friday at his first tournament, he didn't win but he made the final table. What I find so amazing is that in just a few short weeks, he had the confidence to expect to win the tournament. Was it luck? I don't think so. You can treat this software as just another poker game but it would be your loss.

First, I am using the Pro version and I also own Wilson's Turbo Texas Holdem. Second, interfaces mean very little to me. I want a deep opponent, plain and simple. Third, I have to finish this review because I can hear the Bots of PA calling me! The bottom line? Wilson has a pattern that admittedly takes some time to get and here it is: It's afraid more than not of excessive raising. All you have to do is win though tight check raising to be up $1000 and it will believe you capable of anyting as it folds to excessive raising. Now keep in mind Wilson's Turbo will every now and then pull a nasty little surprise on you by bluffing while holding nothing all the way past through the river but RARELY. PA PRO though? Geez, I already have a joyous dislike/admiration for what the bots can do. And the bluffing they can pull! Think you gonna ALL IN them into death? Or check raise them to death? Heh, see you in the bread line. I caught myself swearing like a sailor at some of the moves by this program! Did I say I didn't care for interfaces? Sheesh, if the AI wasn't so damn good(I kinda get the creeps when I see it load EVERY hand I have ever played against it)then the graphics and ergonomics would have begrudgingly gotten a nod. But due to its intelligent and imposing opponents the rest of the game is a sight to behold. Kinda like the graphics at Paradise Poker. I love the Blue table option. This software is INVOVLING. Just get it and enjoy. (I intend to follow up with several records of various hands played by both titles PA vs. TTH It'll be funnnnnn....

If you only play No Limit, I would not recommend this software. If you're also a Limit player, this software can only help your game.

The best and most sophisticated AI bot is strictly a limit player. The best no limit bots are rocks that can be easily pushed around with aggressive betting and raising. Then, all of the sudden, they'll raise and re-raise until they're all in on the flop with as little as 2 overcards when their opponent has been raising and re-raising the entire time (???). They never try to steal blinds and stealing their blinds is like taking candy from a baby. The same script repeats almost every time I'm in the BB at the No Limit tables: everyone will fold to the SB, they'll complete the bet, I raise, they fold. The SB will very rarely re-raise (and only when they have good cards) and never folds their blind (expecting a raise, like they should.) They just complete the bet, then fold, making no adjustment whatsoever to my hyperaggressive strategy. You can steal the pot pre-flop with any two cards, from any position, simply by making a ridiculously huge raise. Even if there has already been a raise and a re-raise, a huge re-raise with anything will usually steal the pot. If you were playing real humans, they would adjust, fire back at you, and make you adjust your own play, knowing that you don't have a good starting hand every time you're raising. These AI bots will not. Needless to say, both pre and postflop play for the No Limit bots are suspect at best, weak-tight at worst.

Now on to the good part. The best Limit bot (Pokibot) is amazing. It reviews your hand history (not the just the hands you've played against it, but EVERY hand you've played) and will adapt and change based on your style of play. It's also fully customizable, everything from how loose and tight it plays to playing purely mathematically or playing purely the players based on hand histories. There's even a meter with "Honest" on one end and "Tricky" on the other that you can adjust. You can make it a crafty, loose, aggressive monster, an honest, tight rock, or anywhere in between. That being said, it is Limit. Every player has limited flexibility across the board when the betting amounts are fixed. Still, the sliders do create a noticeable difference in its play.

They have developed a similar Pokibot-type AI for the No Limit games (which would make the adjustable sliders even more useful), but alas, you can only get it by upgrading to the "Pro Version", which will cost you over $100. Considering the type of action one can find in online poker rooms nowadays, it seems like a bit much to pay for simply an AI program. This is especially true when you consider the same bot is supposedly being used in the new Daniel Negraneu software, Stacked, which should be coming out soon at a much lower price tag than $100.

There are also other bots that you can use, some of which are also customizable. Some you can only adjust the range of hands they play, you don't get the sliders that are there for Pokibot. The tables are also fully customizable, although more options in terms of chip amounts and blinds would have been nice. The stat tracking is pretty bare bones, only giving you things like win rate (in small bets per hand), % of hands played, % of hands won, basic stuff like that. It doesn't break anything down, like position or stack size, which is disappointing. It does save all of the hands you play so you can go back and view them later, which is nice. It would just be better if you could look at things like all the hands you've played on the button or all the hands you've played when you were short stacked, things like that. Maybe the Pro version does this. This version does have an accurate odds calculator, which is nice considering how many inaccurate ones there are out there.

Overall, this is a great little piece of software for $20, but I would only recommend it to Limit players. Again, if you're looking to help your game at No Limit, either pony up the dough for the Pro version or save your $20. Unless you find it fun to play against weak tight computer opponents for fake money and run all over them. If that's your idea of a good time, knock yourself out.

If you are serious about learning Texas Holdem from the ground up, or advancing your skills then this is a very good program to buy.
For those new to the game there is a basic tutorial to get you started. For intermediate and more advanced players, it is very good practice to play against the customizeable opponents. The artificial intelligence engine used in this program is among the best, and therefore gameplay is very realistic. The advisor function is helpful for those borderline hands, and probably is a lot more enjoyable for newcomers to the game than simply memorizing starting hand charts.

Another nice feature is the showdown calculator which allows you to set up possible hand situations and have the computer execute them thousands of times to show you the probably outcomes. A good player statistics section is also included to help you hone your game.

If you play in b/m games occasionally, the program should be very helpful, as it plays a very realistic game of low limit such as 2/4 or 3/6, often played in casinos. The program may actually be better practice than playing online for free money, as the opponents are programmed to play "as if" they were playing for real.

Another nice thing is that Poker Academy comes with pre-programmed simulations for SNG's at most of the main online sites...again probably better practice than playing online for play money.

All in all this is probably the best all around poker simulation that I have seen, especially for 20 bucks! If you are a serious poker student, you might want to consider the Pro version of th software...it has several more features, but is also about $100 more. The basic version has most of the features that would prove very helpful to the beginning and intermediate student of the game, as well as someone just looking for a fun poker game.

I own four different computer poker games, and have been playing with human opponents for serious cash on a regular basis for several years now. In terms of difficulty and realism, Poker Academy is the best that I have come across. It is not very good at 'training' you (hence, four stars), since it does not provide any useful insight or advice, and people expecting as much will be disappointed. However, if all you're interested in is realistic game play, with top-notch opponents, then this is definitely the game to go with.

I've been playing poker since I was a kid. Over the years I have bought just about every piece of poker software that came along. Many of them were good, but they always seemed to be lacking something and/or they were too easy to beat.

Then I found Poker-Academy and that changed everything. This software has tough artificial intelligence and adapts to your play. While you're trying to figure out how it plays, IT tries to figure out how YOU play!

If you are a serious student of Texas Hold'em, get this software.

I have owned this software since July 31, 2005. My game has improved beyond my hopes. I had never played before and only watched on TV. Now I play tournament online at Poker Academy and I am rated in the top 10% of players. Of the 3 levels of ring games, I am rated in the top level, Level 3. Without this software I couldn't have competed in Level 1, the lowest level. And, I have started playing online money and am consistantly winning. If you are serious about hold'em, buy the best, Poker Academy. AWESOME.