Gamertell

Title: Poker for Dummies
Price: $19.99
System(s): PC
Release Date: October 14, 2008
Publisher (Developer): Electronic Arts (Electronic Arts)
ESRB Rating: “Teen” for simulated gambling
Pros: Informative, the odds calculator in the Practice section is handy and the quiz after each instruction section helps you remember information.
Cons: No multiplayer, only three kinds of poker (Texas Hold’em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud) and more informative than fun.
Overall Score: Two thumbs sideways, 73/100, C, ** out of 5

Poker for Dummies disappointed me. Not because of what it is, because it is an informative training tool which did teach me to play Texas Hold’em and Omaha. I’m disappointed with the game because of what it isn’t.

As it is, Poker for Dummies feels like half of a title. It has a respectable amount of games (Texas Hold’em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud) and does a wonderful job of providing detailed instructions and ample practice in actually playing the games. But, I found myself wanting more. I wanted to play against other, real players and I wanted perhaps a few other variations of poker to be included.

The buy-in.

Like all of EA’s For Dummies series, the game is divided into three sections - How To, Practice and Play. The How To section is divided into two sections, Poker Basics and Beyond the Basics. The Basics section is an over-simplified explanation of all aspects of a general poker game. Each section has a short quiz that can be taken after reading through, to help you remember what you’ve learned and make sure you were paying attention. Beyond the Basics focuses on the nuances of Texas Hold’em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud variations of poker, and also has a quiz after each section.

The other two sections, Practice and Play, both allow you to play the three different kinds of poker. In the Practice section, players can consult an odds calculator to see what their chances of getting certain hands or winning are. Players can also choose to see the cards of the other players in a Practice match. The Play mode has more official games, where you choose how many NPCs also play, see if you have enough money to buy-in to a more expensive and advanced table. The Play section also has a Player Stats section, so you can look back and see how you’ve done over time, and if you are improving.

Ride the river and hope for the best

As an informative tool, Poker for Dummies is a wonderful boon. I’d always wanted to learn how to play Texas Hold’em and Omaha, but didn’t want to slow down or trouble my friends by joining one of their games, since they all know what they’re doing. Poker for Dummies‘s How To and Practice sections provide a wonderful opportunity to read clear instructions and actually practice in a game where I can control the pace and don’t have to worry about troubling others.

Even the Play section is a great learning tool. I’d actually check how I was performing each day, after playing Texas Hold’em in the Play portion, to see how I was progressing as a player. It actually did help me see what I need to pay more attention to and work on.

However, Poker for Dummies feels a bit incomplete. I found myself wishing I could play against other beginners or players at my skill level for fun, through the game. Instead, I’d have to content myself by playing against multiple computer opponents. Over time, this starts to make the game less fun. Initially, it isn’t an issue - but a week or two later, you’ll start wishing for an online play option. Or, at the very least, a few more variations of poker to perhaps add more replay value.

Check out time.

Overall, Poker for Dummies is the middleman in EA’s For Dummies game series. It isn’t as fun and doesn’t have as much potential as the portable Travel Games for Dummies for the DS, but is still more entertaining and enjoyable than the other PC title Brain Training for Dummies.

What makes Poker for Dummies so disappointing is how it falls short. If it had included some sort of multiplayer mode, or perhaps more poker variations, then Poker for Dummies would have been a more solid game, and a force that could have competed with other PC poker titles on the market. As it, it is more of an educational tool to teach people to play a few select variations of poker.

Site [Poker for Dummies]