NYX ONLINE POKER IN TRIMARK - ALPHABET DEAL

8 February 2008

New poker skill network planned


The Stockholm-listed online gambling softweare developer NYX Interactive (see previous InfoPowa ICE report) has partnered with Trimark Gaming and AlphaBet Poker to launch the online game to online players worldwide through a new network poker platform.

Branded the AlphaBet multi-player poker network, powered by NYX Interactive and operated by Trimark Gaming, the venture offers online gaming operators the opportunity to take part in a multi-faceted marketing strategy.

AlphaBet claims its offering is a game of skill and a new variation on poker played with words rather than traditional playing cards, appealing to both poker players and word-game enthusiasts. Players are dealt 3 hole-cards, each bearing a letter and a corresponding letter value. Four community cards are dealt in conjunction with rounds of betting. The object of the game is for players to compete for the best scoring word using any combination of their hold-cards and the community cards.

Traditional poker offers players only 10 possible scoring hands but AlphaBet challenges players to incorporate word skill and increases the number of possible scoring hands to over 74 000. This additional skill element makes AlphaBet engaging for poker players while expanding the appeal to a larger market of word-game and skill game players.

The concept, which is the subject of a pending patent, is the brainchild of Keith Duddy of AlphaBet and has potential across different media platforms.

Players will compete in a common network poker-room through registering at any one of a number of participating licensee websites. Both free-play and real-money play will be offered allowing players to practice the game for fun and compete for cash with online competitors.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa