ClubWPT Gold, the most recent and fastest-growing addition to the world of sweepstakes poker in the US, has revamped its business model, adding the element of poker training into the mix. Moving forward, players will have access to the Hand Analysis tool, allowing them to have any hand they played analyzed by a GTO solver.
The change comes as a result of a recent development, which saw ClubWPT Gold acquiring Upswing Poker, a leading poker training platform founded by Doug Polk.
Hand Analysis credits, which can be purchased by players for real money, come in as a substitute for Gold Coins, which no longer exist on the platform. Moving forward, players will be awarded ‘Chips’ (formerly Sweeps Coins) when purchasing Hand Analysis credits, and these Chips can be used to participate in tournament and ring games, as well as exchanged for real money prizes.
Ushering a New Era of Online Poker?
There is no doubt that the change in ClubWPT Gold’s business model comes as a response to the changing legal climate in the US regarding sweepstakes poker. Several states have already banned the traditional dual currency model, while California, with its population of 40 million, is on the verge of doing the same. This fresh approach may allow ClubWPT Gold to continue operating even in jurisdictions that don’t allow the traditional model.
Whatever the underlying reasoning may be, the new Hand Analysis feature represents an interesting and useful addition to the platform. In a world where poker solvers are becoming increasingly more important for those looking to succeed in the game, this seems like a perfect storm.
The way it works is that each hand where you voluntarily put money in the pot (VPIP) is analyzed by the solver (as long as you have Hand Analysis credits). It is then marked using the three-prong rating system, highlighting important actions as:
- Solid,
- Close, or
- Lacking
All analyzed hands are available in the ‘Training’ section of the software, and you can quickly scroll through the list. If there are any hands that you want to examine in more detail, you can simply click on it to open a new window where your actions are analyzed against the GTO strategy and rated street by street.
So, to summarize, right now, all hands you play are analyzed as you go, spending any available Hand Analysis credits. You don’t need to (or have an option to) pick individual hands that you want analyzed. It happens by default for every hand where you voluntarily put money into the pot.
It is worth noting that the analysis isn’t populated in real time. It can take a few minutes (or more) before the new hands appear in the list.
More Poker Training Integration to Come
According to ClubWPT Gold, this is just the first step in the process of turning the platform into a combined training and playing site. Players can look forward to more tools and useful resources to help them on their journey to becoming winners.
Having acquired Upswing Poker, the operator now has access to a vast library of existing content and tools, as well as a team of top-tier professionals who know how to create top-tier learning content for beginners and experienced grinders alike.
While this is not the first time a poker site has integrated a learning/training segment, ClubWPT Gold is taking this idea to a whole new level, demystifying solvers and seeking to build an extensive underlying knowledge base available to all players on the site.
At this moment in time, it’s hard to say what exactly the future holds and what ClubWPT Gold has planned moving forward. If implemented properly, their model could help many players learn and move up much quicker.
Is it a good thing for the poker economy overall? Only time will tell.
