Pay Up and See Your Opponents' Cards! ClubWPT Gold's Controversial Feature Outrages Pros

The online poker scene faced a massive shock as ClubWPT Gold introduced a feature allowing players to reveal all opponents' cards after each game for a price of 3 big blinds. This move immediately divided the community — while some view it as an "idiot tax" exploiting recreational players, others see it as a tool for learning or exposing cheats. However, professionals like Matt Berkey and Brian Rast have heavily criticized it, calling it "one of the worst ideas in poker history".

As shown in a promo video, once a hand ends on any cash game table, you have the option with one click to reveal all your opponents' cards. The video featuring Garrett Adelstein presents the feature humorously, but it was not well-received by the community:

Pros and Cons
 

What began as a grand reveal on social media quickly grabbed the attention of the entire community, which didn’t hold back its criticism. Supporters and critics of the new feature have conflicting views. On one hand, developers emphasize that revealing cards can help players learn from their own and opponents' moves, better detect suspicious hands, and distinguish fraudulent behavior. In practice, repeated use might reduce the chance of team play or manipulation among players.

On the other hand, critics highlight the unfairness and economic impact: wealthier players could consistently buy this revelation, thus gaining an unfair advantage over recreational players. The question remains whether this feature truly improves the game or just drains money from recreational players. Many consider it an exploitation of the platform: a commercial solution conflicting with poker principles of fairness and strategic decision-making.

Community Reactions
 

Paying for valuable information about an opponent’s hand is uncommon — a stark departure from poker tradition. It was expected that the poker community wouldn’t stay silent and would voice strong objections. Common reactions included calling it an idiot tax, one of the worst ideas in poker, or an April Fools’ joke. Notable figures like Shaun Deeb, Martin Kabrhel, Brian Rast, Matt Berkey, and Daniel Negreanu also weighed in.

Matt Berkey argued that by charging this fee, the poker room is selling players' data for its own profit (which adds to the already high rake). According to Brian Rast, it’s one of the worst ideas he’s ever heard in poker. Rast noted that if the money for revealing hands went to the opponents themselves, it would be easier to "justify," but currently, the site profits at players’ expense. In contrast, site ambassador and representative Doug Polk has yet to comment on the matter. 

What are your thoughts? Does this feature enhance the game's quality, or is it just another way for the room to profit? Could you imagine opponents themselves receiving part of the fee for the reveal (making it slightly more ethical), or do you completely reject this feature? Share your opinions and insights — let’s get the conversation started!

Sources: PokerNews, X, Poker.org, Rakerace