What is the anme of the software Sklansky talked about

[SeanM]

In his book, Tournament for AP, Sklansky talked about software that allows you to enter any hand versus any hand and get percentages and other [censored].
What is the name of this software and where can it be bought?

[Ed Miller]

The website for the software is http://www.twodimes.net/poker/, though I wouldn't even bother going because it is prohibitively expensive.

[SeanM]

Thanks for the link. Do u know if they accept visa?
Also- why the random sampling of hands? Shouldn't mathmatics be able to give an exact percentage based on every posible out come?

[FastCards]

The Pokalyzer (www.pokalyzer.com) gives you exact percentages, not random samples, by simply dealing out every possible flop with the remaining cards. You can setup up to 10 hands preflop and optional flop cards. It also has a table of every starting hand against every other starting hand. The table was built by dealing over 700 billion hands and recording the results. You can download a trial version free, registration is $30.

I should point out that I am involved with the Pokalyzer but in the interest of fairness I would mention that Steve Brecher has also released a very good (and free) command-line based programme called Hold'ems Showdown. Can't remember the link, but you should be able to find it using Google or the like.

In terms of accuracy, simulation programs which deal, say, 1000 or 100,000 hands usually come pretty close. After all, if you are about 58% to win and find out that the actual chance of you winning is 57.33%, you'd still make the same decision.

[SeanM]

What I dont understand is why the random deals are needed. Shouldnt you be able to mathmatically give an exact, undebatable percentage of one hand against antoher? Is it just too complicated for a computer like dividing pie?

[FastCards]

Well, I may be completely wrong, but I think there are three ways to evaluate hands:

1. Run a random sample, e.g. 1000 hands
2. Run every possible hand combination
3. Use some mathematical method of determining how two hands do heads up.

Option 1 is quick and pretty accurate
Option 2 takes a few seconds but produces exact results
Option 3 is probably more complicated to achieve than 1 or 2. Also, if you have 3 or more players it could get messy. I'd be interested to hear any theories as to how it should work to get an exact undebatable result.

[Phat Mack]

There are a couple of free-ware programs available on the web. One is Hold 'em Showdown and another is Poker Calculator. Both can be googled, and both will run all possible hands (emulation) for an exact result. Poker Calculator offers games other than hold 'em, and will do simulations as well.

I think the program DS mentioned was Poker Probe, an older DOS simulator still available through Conjelco.

[clovenhoof]

The "mathematical" method is horrendously complicated. Comparing, for example, KJo vs. QTo, isn't just a matter of calculating the odds of hitting a Q or T, but identifying every flop resulting in a win or tie for QT and then calculating and adding the odds of each one. Some aren't so obvious, like KQT33 vs KQT32.... The reason we have computers is to avoid going through those tedious exercises and just count 'em all up, either through random sampling or brute force.

'hoof