Maria Ho has been a fixture at the World Series of Poker for the last sixteen years. Besides being a very competitive and accomplished cash game and tournament professional, she’s also one of the most respected commentators in the game.
With that said, when Maria reaches out to PokerOrg with an innovative and fun way to learn deeper concepts about poker strategy, we listen.
To that end, Maria has co-created a new game you can play within your regular home game that will benefit all players, no matter their experience or skill level. It’s called Pokerriculum.
“Pokerriculum is a way to supercharge your home game,” Maria says. “It does that by adding incentives to complete tasks and implement strategies that will take you skill set to the next level.”
Watch the video above now for a quick unboxing guide to Pokerriculum with co-creator Kim Caramele, and read on for Maria's own take on how the game came to be and how it can help hone your game.
'An expansion pack for your home game'
How did the concept of this fun game come about?
I have two good friends, Kim and Vinny Caramele, who are recreational poker players who simply love the game of poker. They created this game and approached me about working with them.
Small, informal home games are where so many players first learn the game.
Yes, think of Pokerriculum as an expansion pack for your home game. Craig, you've played a home game with me before with all of our friends. A home game is so much more of a relaxed environment outside of the casino.
When you're playing in those games, sometimes it's all about bragging rights. It's all about messing with each other and having fun. But sometimes people aren't taking the poker element that seriously in home games, right?
What this does is create a side game within the game you're playing.
You are given several tasks at the start, face down, and those tasks are only known to you. These tasks essentially have a strategic element that helps you incorporate something new into your poker game.
If you are the first person to complete them all, you win the ‘side pot’ (created from all the antes every hand).
Can you give an example?
You are dealt several tasks to complete before the hand begins. Let’s say one of them is very simple, such as: you need to 3-bet light out of the blinds, which sometimes, if you're more of a tight player, you might not have experimented with doing that as much.
So you can complete this task, it is only known to you, and before the hand is mucked you can turn it over and share your completed task. You'll get a point, and when you get to the goal you'll collect the side pot.
I can see how the tasks would increase a player’s engagement in the game.
Exactly. It allows you to start incorporating different strategy concepts into your game. Because sometimes when you're playing in a home game, you might be autopiloting, or you’re just drinking and having fun.
Pokerriculum’s tasks teach people to play around with various strategies that you can take when you go to play a tournament in the casino.
Where can players purchase or pick up the game?
It's on sale right now at the World Series of Poker. You can find it at the PokerGo Octopi booth on the Horseshoe side, it's for sale for $25. We will be introducing online ordering very soon.
Visit our website to learn when online ordering will be available.
I saw some collectible editions at the Horseshoe booth. Could you tell me a bit more about that?
We've had several of our friends stop by the booth to sign copies. Erik Seidel signed a few copies, Phil Hellmuth, Stephen Chidwick, and Josh Arieh.
You might want to get over there and grab one before they run out.
Stay tuned for an in-depth PokerOrg interview with Maria Ho exploring why she’s been absent this year from this year’s World Series of Poker.
You can follow Maria Ho on X.
