Texas Hold'em Heads Up Video Poker
Your poker opponent pauses to think, stalls, then raises. You aren’t sure if it’s a bluff. Good luck charms sit on the table.
It sounds like virtually any poker game, and it is. Except for the fact that your opponent is a computer, and you’re playing on a slot machine.
International Game Technology on Saturday will debut Texas Hold’em Heads Up Poker, an interactive slot machine poker game that is touted by its developers as having the ability to simulate a human brain. The game’s launch coincides with the final leg of the World Series of Poker, which runs Sunday through Tuesday at the Rio.
Heads Up Poker uses neural net technology, a mathematical model that re-creates behavioral nuances such as bluffing and thinking, according to IGT. Developers hope it will be less intimidating than a live table and invite a wider customer base.
“This is a game that players of every level can test,” IGT Executive Vice President Eric Tom said.
Players can customize game and screen options or double the action with a Multi-Hit Stud Bonus game. At the end of a game, players can peek at their opponent’s cards, even if no showdown took place, to gain tactical insights.
The machine will be on display Saturday and Sunday at the World Series of Poker. Free play coupons will be offered to visitors both days.