Why are Poker Apps so popular?

If you haven’t heard about Poker apps in 2020, chances are you are either a beginner or just old-fashioned. Jokes aside, it’s never too late to learn about something new and try it out. I could also totally understand if your not keen on playing under a so called “agent” that handles deposits and withdrawals for you and such things that involve trusting the individual. But that’s the way they operate, since there is no major network like Pokerstars involved. PS and other big sites have a mobile apps as well, but this article is about a very different system which mostly operate as a “play-money” app, turned into a real-money app by their users. Most of these are based in Asia, but generally it’s a world-wide network and they are played almost as a private home game would play, so to speak. Let’s start from the beginning to give you a better understanding of how this Poker app system works.

What do i need to know, before playing on apps such as UPoker, Pppoker or PokerBros?

What games are offered?

NLHE and PLO are offered in every club, but there is also plenty of action for 5-Card PLO, Open Face Chinese Poker (Pineapple) and only recently 6-Card PLO as well. Short Deck is also offered in some, but has yet to find its way into every club. At the bottom page we’ve added a link to a spreadsheet of the clubs that currently offer Short Deck games with traffic. We’ll have this sheet updated and will hopefully be able to offer you more options very soon.

How do I get money in and out?

There are no cashiers in the client itself, you are dealing with a group or person (agent) that is the middleman in getting your money in and out of the app. This means you are playing with virtual currency, coins/chips that have different value depending on the club you are joining. Make sure you can trust your agent and find out if they guarantee the money, assuming that club is ever going bankrupt. The chip value depends on the club you are playing in, for instance there are clubs based in Thailand that have 1 chip that equals 10 THB (Thai Baht). So if you join a 10/20 table, you are playing a $3/$6 game (NL600), because 200 THB is around $6. Other clubs have a 1:1 ratio in chip value and are played in USD. Either way, you will quickly get used to this system and before you get started, we will give you all the info needed.

How do I join a private club?

After you have opened an account on the app, you are not directly part of any game. You will need the club ID from your agent, which allows you to apply for this club and you will then be approved and can request chips from your agent to start playing. Sometimes you will come across a “Union” – A collaboration of a few clubs that merge their player-pool to gain more traffic. Basically, anyone is able to open a club, but it is very difficult to find the players that keep it running over a long time and build a network. Oftentimes, the action dies down once there are no more recreational players, which is the key to a long lasting club with good traffic.

Do I have to play on mobile?

Most apps are made for smartphones or tablets that run on android or iOS, but some have developed a windows based software which allows you to play on your computer as well. If the app of choice doesn’t support windows, you can use an emulator but it’s not the easiest thing to set up and might require a VPN as well, if you are looking to play on some Asian based apps/clubs. However, most apps won’t require you to use a VPN.

What are the risks?

Playing on apps is certainly not risk free. For one, the club you are playing on could “go broke” or the agent could make a run for it with the players’ money and this happens every now and then. That’s why it’s important to have a trustworthy agent. Another downside is the colluding, while many of the better clubs do everything they can to fight this issue, it’s still around in some clubs. But to be honest with you, most of those who collude are still players you will profit from in the long run, to say it nicely. 😉

Why should I give it a try?

Now, the above mentioned might not get you very excited to give one of these apps a try, but let me tell you the main reason you should. It’s a goldmine. Well, if you get the chance to play in the right club that is. It can be extremely soft and this is the case for most stakes. I’m not saying that any club will be like poker in 2010 all over again, but they do exist. Generally speaking, there are a lot less good regs compared to other major networks, especially for a game like Short Deck/6+ which is still very new to the majority of poker players. Say goodbye to bumhunting.

Rakeback PLS?

Is there any rakeback? Yes, most clubs do have rakeback for their players, but it’s very dependent on the club and how much the owner is giving away to the agent. Some clubs with very soft games don’t offer RB at all, but that’s not the norm. If a club offers less RB, it might be worth checking it out because you can expect less RB grinders and more recreational players (just my two cents).

app-tracker-h2n-shortdeck

Can I use a Poker tracker or HUD?

Some apps offer a simple HUD or a better version for paying customers. It’s also possible to have a 3rd party tracker such as Hand2Note, which is one of the better options. If you don’t have a subscription yet, you can use our promo code upon registering on Hand2Note. Promo code: H2N10JKPS gives 10% discount for the first subscription purchase with H2N.

How do these apps make money?

As mentioned before, most of these apps operate as play-money apps and that’s the reason you will find clubs on the same app played in different currencies, it’s ultimately the club owners’ decision. But how do these apps make money? They offer in-app purchases that will give you longer/more timebanks, a HUD or more detailed stats for example. If you want to run a club, you have to purchase the chips for your players. It’s a system that generates money for everyone involved. The app owner(s) are obviously making the most money here, second in the hierarchy are the club owner(s), then the agent with the best RB deal, then the sub-agent, and so on and so forth. You get the gist.

Conclusion

By now you should know the essentials of how this unique poker app system that has started a couple of years ago operates. Make sure you ask your agent of choice to explain all the details to you, since you might come across minor differences in terms and conditions of the app/club. 

If you want to give these games a try just contact us via our e-mail or in our discord channel. Below under ‘Poker App Deals’ we have listed all of the current clubs we have available, together with all the info needed such as RB, Stakes, Rake, Games offered, etc. We will keep that document updated. Rest assured, we only work with trustworthy agents that guarantee your funds so it’s basically a risk free grind. Deposits and Withdrawals can be made via all common payment options.

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