Ultimate Texas Holdem Wikipedia
Cereus Poker Network was an online poker network comprising Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet. The site is now insolvent and not processing player withdrawals. Cereus is owned by a private company, Blanca Games. Blanca Games bought all Network assets in August 2010 from Tokwiro Enterprises.[1] The Cereus network was one of the world's ten largest online pokercardrooms prior to losing the majority of its player base in the wake of the April 15, 2011 online poker indictments.[citation needed]
Hold 'Em is a poker card game released on January 29, 2007 that is fundamentally similar to Texas hold 'em. Hold 'Em allows users to play against up to five computer players and up to three levels of difficulty, and also allows users to customize aspects of the game's appearance; the game relies on DirectX to produce hardware-accelerated 3D animations and effects. Ultimate Texas Holdem Wiki, can you smoke in atlantic city casinos 2020, casino holdem tips, casino corn scene.
Absolute Poker[edit]
Absolute Poker was established in 2003. It was licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.[citation needed]
2007 cheating incident[edit]
In September 2007, Absolute Poker began defending itself following accusations made by members of several Internet forums that the online poker room has a 'superuser' account which allows one player to read the hole cards of another during a game.[2] By October, widespread Internet allegations of cheating led to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission beginning an investigation.[3][4]
Although allegations had been made about several accounts, one of the most remarkable pieces of evidence was a complete history of a tournament which was won by a player called 'POTRIPPER'. This history was far more complete than normal; it included all hidden hole cards for all of the players at the table, and the IP addresses of players and third-party observers who were watching the game via the Internet. It was sent out, perhaps by accident, when a player complained about suspicious play. Reviewing the data, mathematician and gaming expert Michael Shackleford said:
Hand after hand POTRIPPER’s play is consistent with that of a player who had knowledge of every player’s hole cards. The majority of hands show POTRIPPER bluffing at just the right times when his opponents were weak. Yet, when he was hopelessly outmatched, even with good cards, he laid them down.[5]
Shackleford subsequently blacklisted Absolute Poker on his gaming-related website.[6]
On October 19, an unofficial source within Absolute Poker claimed that an employee had hacked the system to 'prove a point'.[7] On October 21, Absolute released an official statement:
...it appears that the integrity of our poker system was compromised by a high-ranking trusted consultant employed by AP whose position gave him extraordinary access to certain security systems. As has been speculated in several online forums, this consultant devised a sophisticated scheme to manipulate internal systems to access third-party computers and accounts to view hole cards of other customers during play without their knowledge. [...] We will pay for all losses suffered by the affected players as soon as our audit is finished and the amounts are determined.[8]
In November 2007, Absolute issued an interim statement claiming the employee cheating had taken place over a period of forty days and that the cardroom was refunding $1.6 million to affected players.[9] The Kahnawake Gaming Commission issued its report on the incident in January 2008. Among other consequences, Absolute Poker was fined $500,000.[10]
The Quebec provincial police opened an investigation into the ongoing matter.[11]
UltimateBet[edit]
Founded in 2001, UltimateBet was licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
UltimateBet offered Texas hold 'em, Omaha high and high low, seven card stud high and high low. Mixed game tables were also offered (HO, HOSE, HORSE). Like other online poker rooms, UltimateBet also offered a .net play-money-only cardroom.
UltimateBet hosted an annual live tournament, the Aruba Poker Classic, which was a World Poker Tour event for the first four seasons of the show. In 2005, Freddy Deeb won the event, claiming the $1,000,000 prize. Prior winners were Eric Brenes in 2004, Erick Lindgren in 2003, and Juha Helppi in 2002. The tournament in 2008 was a $5,000 buy-in event with a guaranteed $1 million top prize.
The company sponsored the poker television series Poker2Nite, hosted by professional poker player Joe Sebok and radio host Scott Huff.[12]
Spokespeople for UltimateBet have included professional poker players Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke, as well as actress-turned-poker player Tiffany Michelle.[13]
Prior to the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, the software parent company of the cardroom, Excapsa Software was traded on the London Stock Exchange as XCP.L. In October 2006, the company announced it was selling its assets to a private company and moving to delist itself from the stock exchange.[14] The legality of the deal was immediately questioned because most of the payment would take place after the act became law.[15]
2005–2007 cheating scandal[edit]
UltimateBet had a cheating scandal similar in nature to that of Absolute Poker.[16] In May 2008, the company released a statement about the scandal, claiming that cheating had taken place from March 2006 to December 2007. However, in a later statement they confirmed that the cheating had begun at the start of 2005:
We have also confirmed that the cheating dates back further than we initially believed. We can now confirm that the cheating began in January 2005, long before Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG acquired UltimateBet from the previous ownership.[17]
The company claimed the cheating was perpetrated by employees of the former owners, Excapsa Software.[18] According to the company, the fraudulent activity was traced to unauthorized software code that transferred hole-card information of other players to the perpetrators during play. UltimateBet stated it had removed the cheating software as of February 2008 and began issuing refunds to affected players.[19]
On September 29, 2008, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission stated it had found clear and convincing evidence to support a conclusion that between the approximate dates of May 2004 to January 2008, Russ Hamilton was the main person responsible for, and benefiting from, multiple cheating incidents at Ultimate Bet.[20][21]
2011 indictments[edit]
On April 15, the Department of Justice seized the .com internet addresses of the three online gambling sites, PokerStars, Full Tilt, and Absolute Poker.[22] The Cereus Poker Network continued operating until May 12, 2012 when players reported being unable to connect to game servers using the poker client software. At the time of its closure, it owed players an estimated $50 million, mostly to residents of the United States.[23]
Absolute Poker Claims Process[edit]
On April 10, 2017, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York issued a press release explaining that former players at Absolute Poker would be eligible to file claims to regain the funds in their balances at the defunct poker site.[24] Money held in Ultimate Bet accounts is also eligible for reimbursement. The Garden City Group was retained as claims administrator. This is the same company that handled claims relating to Full Tilt Poker, which was also targeted in the 2011 indictments against online poker firms. After the Full Tilt Poker remissions process was completed, having returned more than $118 million to affected players, some of the money that had been set aside for it yet remained unclaimed. It is this leftover amount that will be distributed in compensation to the former customers of the Cereus Poker Network. The petition for remission deadline is set at Sept. 7, 2017 with payments to be processed shortly thereafter.[25]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^Elaine Chaivarlis. 'Cereus Poker Network Acquired by Blanca Games'. pokernews.com.
- ^'Absolute Poker in 'Superuser' Controversy'. bluffeurope.com.
- ^Associated Press: Kahnawake Gaming Commission Starts Probe into AbsolutePoker.comArchived October 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^eGaming Review: Absolute engulfed in cheating scandal
- ^'Absolute Poker Warning'. wizardofodds.com.
- ^'Online Casino Blacklist'. wizardofodds.com.
- ^''Geek' blamed for online poker cheating - Technology & science - Security - NBC News'. NBC News.
- ^Haley Hintze. 'Absolute Poker: Consultant Cited in Latest Statement'. pokernews.com.
- ^AllIn Magazine: Absolute Poker Issues Interim Statement On Security BreachArchived November 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^Kahnawake Gambling Commission: In the Matter of Absolute PokerArchived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine PDF file
- ^ABC News. 'Online Poker Players Expose Alleged Fraud'. ABC News.
- ^Gordon, Nicole; Friedman, Michael (2009-11-19). 'Does Poker2Nite Have What it Takes to Flourish?'. PokerNews. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
- ^Ultimatebet.com: UltimateBet's Star Players Team Turns to Hollywood for Newest RecruitArchived November 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^Bloomberg: Excapsa to Sell Assets, Scrap Listing on U.S. Gaming Crackdown
- ^'Business - The Times'. timesonline.co.uk.
- ^'Public Still Awaiting Answers in UltimateBet Cheating Scandal'. pokerworks.com.
- ^Status Update on NioNio InvestigationArchived November 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ULTIMATEBET ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING UNFAIR PLAYArchived August 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^Haley Hintze. 'Online Site UltimateBet Issues Statement Regarding Unfair Play'. pokernews.com.
- ^Haley Hintze. 'Kahnawake Gaming Commission Announces Sanctions on UltimateBet: Russ Hamilton Named'. pokernews.com.
- ^Kahnawake Gaming Commission: Kahnawake Gaming Commission Imposes Sanctions on Ultimate Bet with Regard to Cheating IncidentsArchived October 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^Richtel, Matt (2011-04-15). 'U.S. Cracks Down on Online Gambling'. The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
- ^'Can We Discuss Absolute Poker'. Two Plus Two Publishing.
- ^'US Attorney Announces Compensation Program for Absolute Poker Victims'. US Department of Justice.
- ^'Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet Claims Administration'. Garden City Group LLC.[permanent dead link]
| Type | Community card poker |
|---|---|
| Players | 2+, usually 2–9 |
| Skills required | Probability, psychology, game theory, strategy |
| Cards | 52 |
| Deck | French |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Card rank (highest first) | A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 |
| Random chance | Medium |
Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em (also known as Ultimate Texas holdem and Ultimate Texas Hold'em) is registered trademark of Bally Gaming, Inc. and refers to a reinvented variant of the classic poker game Texas hold 'em. In this variation, the player does not compete against other players. Instead, they play only against the dealer. At any point during the course of the hand, the player is free to make one raise. In this poker-based game (community cards), the earlier the raise is made, the higher its value is.
The game begins with the player making a blind bet and an ante. They are also provided with an optional Trips side which allows them to acquire a payout whether their hand loses or wins. Ultimate Texas Hold 'em is different from other poker-based games in the sense that the ante still remains in play even after the players made a raise and even if the dealer does not open.[1]
Objective[edit]
The format of Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em is similar to other variants of poker available in most casinos and online poker sites. The player and the dealer will both get two cards. The player will then be allowed to look at his cards and decide if he wishes to check or raise four times the ante. Another option available to the player is raising three times. If the player decides to raise at any point during the hand, the action will end from his end.
After deciding to raise, the player will be shown three cards which are referred to as the “flop”. The other players who did not raise before the flop will be given the choice to raise twice the ante. Another option available for the player would be checking.After the table has resolved the post-flop betting, the last two cards will be revealed. By this time, the players will be required to either match their ante or fold. After this, the dealer will reveal his two cards and grade the hand. In order for the dealer to qualify, he must possess at least a paired board. The ante pushes if the dealer fails to qualify. The same is true even in a scenario where the player possesses a hand that loses to the dealer. On the other hand, if the dealer qualifies, the one who wins the ante bet will be the player with the best hand.
Despite the dealer’s disqualification, the raises and the blind will still remain in play. Meanwhile, if the dealer beats the player, the blind bet and the raise will both lose. On the other hand, if the player beats the dealer, their raise will be matched. Ties push both the raise and the blind bet.
History[edit]
Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em was developed by Roger Snow of Bally Gaming, Inc. (formerly Shuffle Master).[2][3] It is one of the newest variations of the poker game and is currently widely popular among US casinos. It is one of the most in-demand niche table games in casinos in Las Vegas and many other states.[4]
Initially, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em was only available on multi-player electronic machines. However, through the years, its popularity increased and some casinos decided to pick it up and expand it, turning it into a table game.[5][6]
Rules[edit]
Like the common poker game formats, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em is played with a single, regular 52-card deck. Towards the end of the game, the dealer and the players left use any combination from their own two cards and the five community cards in order to come up with the best possible hand for themselves. The dealer will only be able to open if they possess at least a paired board. The play, ante, and blind bets are graded, depending on who wins, and whether the dealer will open. The table below illustrates the scoring guidelines.
| Winner | Dealer Opens | Play | Ante | Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Yes | Win | Win | Win |
| Player | No | Win | Push | Win |
| Dealer | Yes | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| Dealer | No | Lose | Push | Lose |
| Tie | Yes or No | Push | Push | Push |
Winning play and ante bets are rewarded 1 to 1. Look at the table below to learn how winning blind bets are paid out.
| Player hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 500 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 10 to 1 |
| Full House | 3 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 2 |
| Straight | 1 to 1 |
| All other | Push |
Ultimate Texas Holdem Wikipedia Play
On the other hand, the payout for trips bets depends on the value of the player’s hand – regardless of the value of the hand possessed by the dealer.
Ultimate Texas Holdem Wikipedia Codes
References[edit]
- ^'Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em® - Wizard of Odds'. wizardofodds.com. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^Justia
- ^'Ultimate Texas Holdem Online – The Strategy Guide to an Exclusive Poker Game'. Casino Wizard.
- ^'Ultimate Texas Hold'em: Advanced Guide, Statistics & Odds'. Hityah.com. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^'Ultimate Texas Hold'em'(PDF). oag.ca.gov. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
- ^Sortal, Nick (March 14, 2016). 'Gambling Dead at Florida Legislature but Will Be Stronger Next Year'. New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Retrieved March 17, 2016.