GTO Wizard has unlocked the ability for players to break down preflop poker situations in just a few seconds with the launch of its Custom Multiway Preflop Solving tool on Tuesday.
The tool is the latest innovation to the advanced software tools that players now use to study up on the most optimal decisions. These tools, or solvers, simulate scenarios and spit out the best possible action based on the many variables involved, like stack size and position. GTO Wizard says the new tool moves beyond static charts that lack customization. You'll be able to input rake and game structure, along with exact stack sizes for every seat, to get results in seconds.
Solvers are intended for studying between poker sessions, and their use as real-time assistance has been prohibited by reputable poker platforms. The technology has inarguably pushed the game to new places, but not without controversy over the poker's integrity and the use of solvers as a cheating tool.
'How do we do FairPlay checks for this?'
Patrick 'Pads' Leonard, one of the game's most experienced online poker players, took to X to laud the tech and address the elephant in the room.
"Incredible!" Pads tweeted before qualifying his praise. "What is the delay time? / How do we do FairPlay checks for this?"
Delay time is integrated into the software during live events to discourage real-time use of the tool, and FairPlay checks include tools like the one that allows users to see if a specific poker hand was recently solved using the software.
The reaction from players on X was mixed, with everything from "Thanks for destroying poker" to end-time predictions for online play. The truth is probably somewhere in between, with the need to accept the inevitability of technology while adjusting for its impact on the game.
We caught up with, Terrance Reid, Faraz Jaka and Dara O'Kearney, two players who have been at the forefront of poker education as players and coaches. Jaka is the namesake of JAKACoaching and O'Kearney has authored a number of strategy books.
Reid says we're in a new era of solver study, and there's not much we can do to stop it.
"That cat is out of the bag; now it's in the next neighborhood," Reid told us. "This won't kill poker, but it's yet another resource available to those committed to dedicating the most time and effort to study. It's easy to shout 'boogeyman' when new advancements arrive."
We may as well embrace it, Jaka adds. "With poker study tools or new technology, I don’t really focus on if this is 'good or bad' for poker because once it exists, there is no stopping technology. It’s just a matter of asking how this will change the game and how to be ahead of that trend. Multiway are the most misplayed spots in poker and have been the hardest to study. Now that will change so I’d want to be jumping on before everyone else does to take advantage of the new information before others get around to it."
'Strategy content is good for the game'
Like Jaka and Reid, O'Kearney believes there is a mix of pros and cons to any new solver technology. For him, the tools open up the game to a new demographic that wants to do more than just gamble.
"In general, I believe good strategy content is good for the game," he says, "because it engages a demographic who are not just attracted by the gambling aspect or the 'get rich fast if you’re lucky' one, but also as a puzzle or strategy game."
If used correctly, O'Kearney says the tools are invaluable. "That said, there are some specific concerns over the speed. These same concerns were raised when GTOWizard introduced custom post-flop solving, and there were calls for introducing artificial delays on solves. But the reality is very few people are capable of sufficiently fast data input to run something like GTOWizard as RTA, and the reputable sites are good at catching people who are and decide to cheat in this way."
GTO Wizard responds
GTO Wizard, for its part, has taken steps over the years to address the problems that the technology creates and to work with poker operators to prevent real-time use of the tool.
"Game integrity has always been one of our top priorities at GTO Wizard, as our success depends on the longevity of the game," the company said through its X account. "With the new release of custom multiway preflop solving, we share your concerns about online poker security, which is why we have reached out to every poker network to assist them in securing the ecosystem.
Direct collaboration is the best solution, the company says. "Which is why we have cooperated directly with operators over the years to develop custom solutions to detect and prevent RTA. As our technology continues to evolve, so do our game integrity solutions. We remain committed to working with sites to ensure online poker remains trustworthy."
The study tool industry continues to operate in a disruptive grey area, but the ability of operators to police real-time assistance has improved alongside the technology. Whether or not they maintain a consistent commitment to the cause will be the key to accepting new technology without eroding the integrity of the game.
