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The young poker pro talks games and cards in his upcoming 'Stacked' for PS2, Xbox, PC, and PSP.

The poker phenomenon is in full-force. Just about everyone and their mother seems to be jumping on the poker bandwagon with hopes of making it to the big time. And the best part is, anyone can play! Online poker sites have made the once underground game of Texas Hold 'em accessible to anyone with a computer and Internet access. But Myelin Media and developer 5000ft are taking a new approach. Can console games provide a realistic poker experience and teach the player valuable poker skills at the same time? 2004 poker Player of the Year and youngest World Series of Poker champion Daniel Negreanu thinks so. We sit down and chat with "Kid Poker" about games, cards, and the present state of poker.


Games.net: Do you play video games? If so, would you consider yourself a gamer?

Daniel Negreanu: Absolutely. As a kid I always wanted to have actual arcade games in my house. So far I own a Golden Tee and an NBA Showtime/ NFL Blitz combo game to go along with my Xbox and PlayStation. I've been playing video games all my life.

G.net: Have you played any of the other console poker video games out there?

DN: I've looked at them, but honestly they just don't keep my attention for too long. I am having fun trying to get through Stacked though.

G.net: How did you become involved with Stacked? What kind of input did you have in the development of the game?

DN: I was approached by Myelin to have a look at the game and it blew me away. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, not only to play a poker game, but also to actually play against myself! As for my involvement, I helped the developers tweak the A.I. so that the pro characters in the game have realistic tendencies similar to the ones they actually have in real life.

G.net: Are there any benefits to playing Stacked as opposed to using PC poker software like Poker Room and Party Poker?

DN:Oh yeah. What can you learn by playing against bad players consistently? In Stacked, the AI adapts to your playing style, exploits your weaknesses, and gets tougher as you get further in the game. To get to the end of the game, you'll have to improve your game and plug the holes that the AI finds in your game.

G.net: How do you feel about the recent poker explosion into pop culture? Do you think it (including online poker) is good or bad for the sport?

DN: It's all good. I've known for a long time how great a game of poker is to play, and it's cool to see others getting a chance to see that and all of the attention it's getting. It seems like everyone is playing poker these days!

G.net: Do you think there will always be "poker pros", or will the game's new and easy level of accessibility even out the field?

DN: Of course there will. A lot of people play basketball too, but not many of them will be as good as Shaquille O'Neal. To be great at poker, it takes a special gift of card sense and overall intelligence. Not everyone will reach the higher levels.

G.net: How do you feel about playing up against online satellite tournament winners? Does the game change when your own money isn't at stake?

DN: I don't think it makes much difference really. The satellite winner IS putting up the money to play by virtue of sacrificing the chance to cash out on his satellite win. The only affect it has on the pros is that there are so many more of them today and it makes it difficult to win, not because they are hard to read, but by sheer numbers.

G.net: Do you think console poker video games like Stackedcan be successful and fun even though there is no real money at stake?

DN:There is already tons of proof that it can be fun. Bars all across North America host totally free poker tournaments for no money and they pack the house. People play for play money at all the various sites online. I don't even think it's debatable really, people just love to play the game whether it's for money or not.

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