DeucesCracked Review
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Online poker training sites started off by simply offering a unique view into the thought processes of successful players. As the segment evolved, site began competing for users by signing big-name pros, upping the quality and quantity of videos and expanding the strategic focus of their coverage, but the basic model - one shot videos where a pro offered play-by-play of a brief session - stayed the same. By breaking away from that model, DeucesCracked represents a small, but important, step in the evolution of online poker training sites (more on that in the pros).
Visit DeucesCracked.
Summary
Cost: $23-$30 a month (no sign up fee)
New Videos: Every weekday +
Hand Replayer: No
Core Focus: Cash games
Notable Pros: whitelime, pr1nnyraid
Video Quality: High
Download / Streaming: Both available
Archive Size: 100+ videos
Overall Ranking
DeucesCracked gets an overall score of 8/10 from the PTP Staff
Sit and Go Coverage
The site focuses primarily on cash and has little in the way of tournament resources.
MTT Coverage
See above
Cash coverage
This is where DC excels. The overwhelming majority of videos on the site deal with no limit and limit hold em cash games.
Non-holdem game coverage
Developing solid coverage for stud, razz and omaha.
Pros
DeucesCracked would be a worthwhile site even if their instructors chose to stick to the popular online training script. The good news for users is that DeucesCracked takes the script a step further. The site has obviously put a good deal of thought into developing a more robust framework for their videos, and the result is more effective instruction. Most videos on the site work as a part of a larger series (or channel), which adds a level of context and depth that not all other training sites can match. It also makes the material more engaging and gives the site more of an identity than some other services.
The extra effort also shows in the production values of the videos. While there’s obviously a limit to what can be done with the source material, DC does a good job of actually putting a video together, as opposed to just firing up camtasia, turning on the mic and posting whatever comes out of the next 45 minutes.
The instructors are pretty stellar as players and as teachers, although the relative newness of the site does mean that a few are still developing their sense of self-edit. Staff highlights include pr1nnyraid, the largest winner in NL high stakes cash games on Full Tilt in 2007, along with a host of names that will be familiar to regular users over at 2+2.
DC also offers articles (decently sized archive, sortable by tags) and a forum (active, dedicated threads for each video).
Bonus: several videos are available in iPod-compatible format.
Cons
My main complaint is with the navigation. It seems to take an excessive amount of clicks (and backtracking) to get from one video to the next - a lack that’s really apparent when you’re done watching one video and you’d like to see the next in the series.
The lack of tournament coverage is a bit of an issue, but it’s hard to argue with specialization when you have the roster DC has. However, for generalist users that can only afford one site, this will be a drawback.
DC seems to lack some of the promotional heft larger sites offer (freerolls, etc).
Overall
The lack of a sign up fee is a definite asset, and the video quality is excellent. If you’re a cash game player who enjoys online poker video training, this site should be pretty hard to pass up.
