Ever since poker moved online a little bit over 20 years ago, industry operators have been trying to build their software in a way that provides a great poker experience for players. You could say that the 2010s saw poker transform from a sport into more of a technical or even chess-like game, which is not necessarily a good development. At its core, poker has always been a social game, and that's why most poker enthusiasts fell in love with the game in the first place.
Although we've seen the game become more technical, there's some light at the end of the tunnel. Playing online poker with your mobile started to appeal to masses of players after social features were introduced. Being able to throw different items at the table, use all kinds of emojis, and chat with fellow players is essential to making poker an engaging social experience.
What changes have contributed to making online poker more of a social game? In this article, we look at four trends that are driving online poker development. Let's get started.
Mimicking Live Play With The Help of Technology
There's no other place to get the same feeling that you do when launching a big river bluff at a live poker table and waiting while your opponent ponders over their decision. Thanks to the recent development of technology, social poker features have allowed players to mimic these situations that are characteristic to live play.
Replicating live poker play is not an easy task in an online setting. It requires careful planning and skillful implementation with a polished fine-tuning of the animations. Here at Natural8, bringing the excitement of real poker games online with exclusive table features is a priority.
Becoming an Interactive Form of Entertainment for Both Players & Spectators
Have you seen some of the clips from the very first televised poker tournaments? Back in those days, poker broadcasting was only available through big TV channels like CBS and ESPN. Then, Henry Orenstein patented hole card cameras, first used in the British poker show called Late Night Poker. After viewers were able to see each player’s cards, televised poker started to pick traction rapidly.
Fast forward to today, you have Twitch and YouTube poker ambassadors and hosts streaming big final tables from both live and online play with real-time commentary and analysis of the events at the table. This trend of poker turning into an interactive form of entertainment is not likely to stop anytime soon. With the final table features of online poker, anyone can follow how their favorite poker celebrities play during the tournament's final stages and place a bet on who will win the trophy.
Formation of Player Communities on Social Media
Social media has multiplied the availability of games played on mobile devices. Social poker's growth comes down to three key ingredients: Interaction, competing with others, and having the means to express yourself through playing. It comes as no surprise that you can find many dedicated poker communities on Facebook, where members share their hands, tournament wins, bad beats, and other game details with like-minded players. Sharing our love for the game has never been easier!
Advanced Security Measures: Play With Humans, Not Bots
While everyone wants to win at poker, it's in the poker community's best interest to protect the integrity of the game the best way we can. The role of online poker rooms is crucial here: they should commit to keeping the games healthy by putting a security agreement in place.
Advanced security measurements like automatically detecting bots and real-time assistance are most welcomed in the poker community. Poker is more fun when you know everyone is playing with the same rules, using only their wits to battle at the tables. After all, it's the security that allows players to enjoy the game to the fullest in an enjoyable poker environment.
Social Poker Game FAQs
Q: Where can you play poker online with friends?
A: A great place to try out online poker with friends is here at Natural8. You can get started by downloading our poker client on your desktop or mobile, inviting your friends, and jumping into the action.
Q: What is the easiest poker game to play?
A: No-Limit Texas Hold'em is the easiest game to learn and also an entertaining one. When you play Texas Hold’em, you're dealt just two cards face down that are only yours to see. Then, you use the community cards that will be dealt on the flop, the turn, and the river to form the best possible 5-card poker hand.
Q: How long should a poker game last?
A: If we're talking about a cash game, the average game lasts 1-3 hours. For tournaments, the number is anywhere from 3 hours up to 10 hours, or even several days.
Q: Is poker just a game of luck?
A: Absolutely not! Poker is a skill game in the long run, although it might appear like a game of luck for an untrained eye. The element of luck plays a large role in the short term. In the long term, skill is king.
