CELL PHONE POKER
Cell Phone Poker Screenshot (3D view)
PokerRoom has recently launched a version of its software that allows you to play Texas HoldEm on your cell phone. You can currently play for play money against real people online, or against computer-generated opponents off-line. A version that allows you to play for real money is being tested by PokerRoom as we speak, and is expected to be launched "any moment now". So in advance of the Next Big Thing to hit the world of poker, we've put together an article on how to download the game to your phone, and what key differences you'll find between cell phone poker and its Desktop PC brother...
Cell Phone Poker Basics
Firstly, you'll need a java-enabled WAP / GPRS phone. The PokerRoom website has details of all the supported phones, and this list is being expanded all the time. At the time of writing, the following phones (as well as any model compatible with these phones) are supported : LG 8110, 8120, 8130, Motorola E1000, V600, Nokia 6170, 6230, 6230i, 6600, 6630, Samsung D500, Siemens S65, Sony Ericsson K300i, K500i, K700i, S700i. As the software is rolled out, most new phones will be able to cope with Java-based games played via WAP / GPRS. If your phone is not supported at the moment, stay tuned. If you are looking to replace your phone and you are a keen poker player, buy one that is already supported. PokerRoom has detailed instructions on how to get install the software on all of the above phones. You need to register with PokerRoom to obtain a "mobile poker" account. To do this just visit the PokerRoom site and click "Poker" and then "Mobile Games". You'll be send two text messages, one of which contains a PIN number, the other containing a WAP / GPRS link to follow. When you click the WAP / GPRS link you'll be able to download the software to your phone. Once that's done you are more or less ready to go. PokerRoom doesn't charge anything to play the game, so the cost is whatever your network charges for connecting via WAP / GPRS to the poker room (if you play the online version). Some network operators charge for downloading the game, and some may charge for the data transfer between your phone and the poker room servers. Check with your operator if you aren't sure. As a guide to how much it will cost you to play if you're being charged for the data transfer, the client uses around 350-900 kb per hour of game play.
Cell Phone Texas Hold Em
Texas Hold Em is currently the only game offered by PokerRoom on the mobile platform. You can choose to play limit or no-limit, and to sit at a table with 2, 5 or 10 players. There are two types of game on offer : offline or online. If you play online then you are playing at the same tables as you would be playing at if you logged on to PokerRoom from your desktop PC. If you want to play offline then you play against computer-generated players, just for fun. You don't need a WAP connection to play offline, but you cannot chat to other players, and your computer opponents are always the same. If you're playing online then table selection is much the same as it is from a desktop - you type in what limits you want to play and how many opponents you want to play against and a lobby screen shows you which tables are available. Select a table and find a vacant seat. You choose your seat by pressing the seat number (0 - 9) on your phone's keypad. Once you've sat down you choose whether to FOLD, CALL or RAISE by pressing 1, 2 or 3 on your keypad when it is your turn to act. If your screen is pretty small, you can choose a "symbol view", which renders the table in 2D rather than 3D, or even a "text view", where the game is relayed in lines of text. You can also choose whether to turn on/off sound effects, four color deck, chat etc... If you've played online before, it will all seem reassuringly familiar, if a little cramped on some screens.
Cell Phone Poker Versus Online Poker
Overall the mobile poker software works well, and it is straight forward to download it onto your phone. However, there are several pitfalls to playing poker via a mobile phone. The first one is network connection : if the signal gets dropped, then you are disconnected from the game. You are given thirty seconds in addition to the normal amount of time you would have to re-connect, so if the dropped signal is the result of you passing through a train tunnel or similar you should be okay. Our advice is to play in an area where the signal to your phone is strong and reliable. Ideally that means playing when stationary, which might sound odd given we're talking about mobile poker here! Cafes, airport departure lounges, park benches and beaches are all fine - but if you're on the move you're sure to find a few dropped connections. Secondly, there's the problem of what happens when you receive a call during a game. This essentially counts as a dropped connection, so you are better off playing at times when you are unlikely to be disturbed, such as late evening. Finally you might have to alter the amount of time before your phone's backlight automatically switches off. Most phone's switch the screen light off after 15-30 seconds to preserve battery life, which means the table goes dark until you press a key... it's not a major problem but it does get annoying if you're in the middle of an important hand. If you can live with these downsides then the PokerRoom mobile client is a great way to get to the tables when you can't get to your PC. Just be sure to choose an operator who doesn't make you pay through the nose for accessing the site via WAP / GPRS, and don't play if you're surrounded by tunnels! Click here to visit PokerRoom and download the cell phone software.
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