Comparing Poker Room Software and Gameplay
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011Online poker bonuses should play a factor in deciding, which poker room to play at, but that shouldn’t be the only factor. If you aren’t comfortable with the online poker software and gameplay then you will likely just end up losing all of your money and you won’t even be able to clear the desired bonus. There is a very simple and easy way to test out the software, gameplay and features of any online poker room that you are considering depositing at. Simply go to the poker rooms website and click the download poker or play now button that is usually prominently displayed. By downloading the online poker software you can test out and become accustomed to the room by playing for fun, using play money with other players who are not yet ready to make their first deposit.
Many online poker rooms have very different software that you must learn in order to feel comfortable with real money at the tables. For example, some rooms have an all-in button that is directly beside a raise button. For someone who is not familiar with the software, this button can cause problems with all-in plays occurring when they are not your intention. Simple things like this can drastically affect your profitability at the online poker room. Another example would be the emotions a player can display at the table. At PKR for example, players can make their players do a variety of things at the table. For a seasoned PKR players how other players use these emotions can become tells that these veterans will pick up on. If you download PKR you will see what I mean right when you sit down at a play money table with your character.
Downloading smaller online poker rooms is also a great way to test the waters and see just how legit the room is before taking advantage of their huge online poker bonus designed to lure new players to their room. Just make sure all of the features work correctly and their are no bugs. It’s always good to see for yourself and make a judgement call as to whether the online poker room will be around long enough for you to play through your bonus requirements and make your withdrawal from the site. Riva Poker for example is a relatively new site, but they actually give all new players a free $10 to try out their room at the real money tables prior to depositing. Now that’s a poker room that is confident in their product. Download Riva Poker and see just how far your free $10 will take you.
To summarize, the online poker software and gameplay are also very important in determining which online poker bonuses you should attempt to clear. Download the poker rooms in order to become comfortable with the software so you don’t blow you deposit prior to clearing the bonus!