In a world in which there seem to be an almost endless choice of online poker sites to choose from, it can be hard to decide exactly where to play. One of the best ways may be to look at the operators who have been in action for the longest period of time. After all, this means that they must be doing something right, as well as having had the time to refine and improve their offering.
Step forward, 888poker. The online poker site has been in operation in some form or another ever since 2002. So with almost two decades of experience behind them, they certainly know what they’re doing. The poker playing community certainly also seem to agree if their 10 million members worldwide are anything to go by. They’ve also received official recognition having been named the EGR Best Poker Operator three years running.
With credentials like these, you’d expect that they’d also be keeping up with the latest player trends, a key one of which is the switch to mobile play.
This is where the 888poker app comes in and the way in which it’s helping to enhance thousands and thousands players’ experience of playing poker online.
Downloading the app and starting to play
As you’d imagine, the app is quick and easy to download from any of the major app stores. To register, you then simply have to provide a few personal details. You will then be sent a registration code to confirm your identity and you’ll be ready to play.
Because every kind of online poker is slightly different you may need a little time to get used to the quirks of 888poker, so the free play feature is invaluable. Then, when you’ve found your feet, you’ll be able to start trying to win some cash.
The games you can play
888poker might not offer you the widest selection of poker variants, but there are more than enough to suit most tastes. These consist of Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Stud, although it must be said that the majority of the action is in the Hold’em games.
Within all three, there’s a wide range of cash games and tournaments to choose from with a range of buy-ins to suit every player.
In terms of the cash games, it’s just a question of choosing a table size that you’re comfortable along with the stakes that you want to play for and away you go. Obviously, playing at one of the busiest times of the day is going to mean that you’re going to have a wider range of options, so it’s just a case of making sure you hit the app during this period.
Good news for tournament fans
For those looking for tournament play, the first very good piece of news is that 888poker is the only non-US site that offers WSOP satellites, so doing well one in these could see you heading off for Vegas and some mega prize wins if you do well.
Generally, there are around 15 to 20 scheduled tournaments in action every hour attracting up to 500 players. Sunday nights also see their regular Mega Series events in which there are five different levels to choose from starting with the Micro with a $5 buy-in up and a $4,000 prize pool up to the Mega Deep with a $215 buy in and a $100,000 prize pool.
Fast fold Snap and Blast games
Playing on your mobile is often all about keeping the game fast and the action flowing. So, there are two games you’ll find at 888poker that will be bound to appeal to many players.
The first is the fast fold Snap game. One of the features of the online game is that it can take quite some time to play out a hand. So folding means that you’ll be sitting around for a few minutes while it plays out. But with Snap as soon as you fold, you’ll find yourself in a new game with five other players who have also just folded in their respective hands. Although it’s only available for No Limit Hold’em, there are always plenty of players taking part.
For those who like to both play against the clock and include a little uncertainty into a game, then Blast comes highly recommended. At the start of the game the prize pool is randomly selected and can range from double to up to 10,000 times the stakes. After a few hands a countdown timer kicks in and when the clock reaches zero the winner takes all. It’s exhilarating stuff.
Loyalty rewarded
Loyalty programmes are commonplace in the online poker and casino world and 888poker is no exception in offering one. Theirs is called the 888poker Club and has various levels rising up to Platinum. The more points you earn, the higher you can climb. But, unlike some schemes that rely just on the volume of play to move players up through the levels, this is more of a task-based system. Challenges include playing a certain number of tournaments in a specified period or simply playing cash games three days running. The seemingly random nature of this may put some players off. On the other hand, it does make things interesting.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a poker app that has a great heritage and offers a good range of games, then 888poker has plenty to recommend it. It might not be for the highest rollers in the world but for many people that’s going to be a good, not a bad, thing overall.
