Mobile phones have largely taken over the gaming industry.
In fact, it has enjoyed a CAG of 11% over the last few years, and it is now the dominant force in the gaming market; it accounts for 50% of the whole industry; Very soon, we will be able to say that the majority of gaming activity takes place on smartphones.
We can also say that much of that activity revolves around poker. By no means is this the only busy category in mobile gaming, but it is an expansive one that’s enjoying resurgent popularity — in part thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. In March of last year, when the pandemic was only just beginning, it was reported that an online poker tournament had set a record for entries and generated an $18.6 million prize pool. And in the months that followed, we discovered that this wasn’t a fluke. The isolation we experienced throughout 2020 and into 2021 led to a lot more online gaming activity, and there were numerous indications that poker platforms enjoyed a sustained surge in activity.
All of this, combined with the fact that poker is only becoming gradually more accessible in the U.S. market, positions poker to be one of the most significant mobile gaming categories moving forward. So, because so many will be using their phones for this activity in the coming years, we decided to highlight a few ways to get the most out of the games.
1. Pick an App Through Trial & Error
As is to be expected of a popular gaming category, there are a lot of poker apps available, and it’s often difficult to spot which ones are best. You’ll find lots of positive reviews, and a lot of apps with massive user bases. So, while it may be a little bit tedious, the best way to find one you truly like is ultimately through trial and error. Download a handful of poker games (there are plenty of free ones), try them all out, and see which one suits your personal preferences. In a situation like this, as with a lot of crowded smartphone app categories, it’s best to rely on your own taste than an endless tangle of reviews and ratings.
2. Print Out Hand Rankings
A lot of poker players who aren’t particularly experienced will keep reference materials handy while playing online: hand rankings, probabilities, basic tips, and so on. This is harder to do with a mobile game, however, where you can’t simply flip between tabs or windows to check yourself. For this reason, it can be helpful to print out some basics so that you have reference materials handy. Lists of poker hand rankings and probabilities are easily accessible for this purpose, and you can always spend a bit of time compiling general tips you like and putting them in a document for yourself. Whatever you need though, a few printed materials make it easier to learn the ropes in a mobile poker game.
3. Use Physical Chips
Just as it can help to have physical reference material handy (at least while you’re still getting used to playing more poker), some players will benefit from having physical poker chips handy. The idea is simple: Grab a set of chips and make stacks of them that correlate to your chip count in the mobile game. Within a mobile game, it’s easy not to really notice how much you’re betting, winning, or losing at a given time — which, even with play money, can negatively affect your play. Using physical chips to mimic what’s going on in the mobile game, however, gives you a tangible feel for where you stand. Sure, it’s a bit more involved, and it won’t always be an option if you’re one to game on the go. But it can be helpful under the right circumstances, and some poker players simply find it pleasant to handle the chips as well.
4. Play with Headphones
It is also a good idea to invest in a gaming headset or headphones to use while playing a poker app. Typically this is a recommendation associated with bigger (and frankly louder) games, designed with dynamic soundtracks, intricate effects, and so on. Poker games are usually more subtle when it comes to audio. However, that’s actually all the more reason to opt for a good set of headphones. Picking up on the little sound effects (shuffling cards, clinking chips, etc.) with as much clarity as possible can help you to immerse yourself in an app just a little bit more. This is generally more fun, and it will also help you to concentrate on the game and improve your odds at coming out on top.
Poker is pretty easy to enjoy, all things considered, which is one reason it’s been so popular for so long. The game’s a little bit different on a smartphone however, and particularly for newcomers to the category tips like the ones provided above can be helpful. Keep them in mind and you’ll be well on your way to fully enjoying this resurgent smartphone entertainment category.
