Hypothetical scenario: One day you find a pack of cards on a footpath, no one is around, so you pick them up and in doing so, rub your finger along the box. A large blue genie erupts out of the packet, floating in front of you with his arms crossed.
You ask him if you get 3 wishes, and he says: "No. You get your choice of 8! 8 powers, wonderous, powerful powers, all related to the amazing game of poker. I present to you your choices, and only one, may you decide upon. It will last your entire lifetime and will never fade away."
The genie then presents to you the 8 poker powers, which one would you pick? And remember, in reality you would need to be able to get away with using these, some are quite powerful, and may make you a target, or may make it seem like you are cheating or playing unethically. (Kicker: These abilities apply only to Hold 'em.)
Now choose...
1) You have the ability to see one of every opponent's hole cards each round in your mind. Example: In a 10-handed game, you instantly know 1 (randomly selected) card, both suit and value, of each of the 10 opponents in the hand as soon as dealing is complete.
2) You have the ability to see 2 of the flop cards (randomly selected, and in your mind) before the flop is dealt, but after you have looked at your hole cards.
3) You, through some divine universal magic, will always play on the button, never again sitting in the blinds, always on the button. For the nerds; Imagine that the dealer always passes you the button if you accidentally move it, and insists you were the small blind last turn (or the CO, whichever direction...) and all the players/floor managers/security/cameramen will always agree with you about your position.
4) You can see the suit of every card in your opponents hands (all players involved in a hand) as well as the suit of the flop, turn and river cards, before they come.
5) Once a week, you have the ability to grant each player in a particular hand, any cards you wish, and to then control the flop, turn and river cards. For example, On Tuesday 11am, at the local casino I could decide the next hand I'm in, I'm going to get 22 UTG, limp in, then one guy will get AsKs, another will get KK, and another AA. The flop will come 2sAK, the turn will come
and the river will be a 2. This can only be used once per week. You can choose all of the cards involved, but obviously not doubling up on any individual card (Can't have 2 aces of spades).
6) Once per hour, you can read the mind of everyone at the table. Even if they are not explicitly thinking "I have 2 aces" you will know what they know, so if they've seen their cards, you know what they are. If they are old and forgetful, you'd just wait until they looked again and get the values then. You could read their mind for tells/bluffs/strength etc. You would know what they are planning.
7) You can entice someone (1 person) to shove or fold once an hour. Ie: if you have the nuts, you can make someone call you, regardless of what they have. To them it would just feel like a hero call and they wouldn't question it. Or you can make someone fold when you are bluffing, even if it would cost them $1 to call.
8 ) You have the concentration of a God, and you never have to eat or sleep, you never get tired, you NEVER TILT, EVER. You can sit down at a table for 6 months and never leave, it wouldn't make any difference. You always play your A game.
Author