by Brandi Marcene
Have you ever thought of being a part of a virtual card room with friends? Well, if you have, you're definitely on the right track as there are many ways you can lay different card games virtually and create a virtual card room. In this time of social distancing, it's hard to catch up with all your card games with friends, especially poker. But with the help of different video chatting forums and other online game platforms, you can now play any card game virtually in an exact card room setting.
But how and where you can set up your virtual card room? Read further down, and find out everything you need to know about virtual card rooms.
Where to Set Up a Virtual Card Room
In order to set up a virtual cardroom, you first have to choose an excellent free video chatting application. You will come across many video chatting applications, but a few of the best ones that are very effective and perfect for a virtual card room are Zoom and Skype. With Zoom, you can add around 100 people; however, the session will only last for 45minutes, and you will have to start a new one, which could be a hassle. If you're playing with fewer people, you can use Skype, as the maximum number of participants allowed on Skype is 50.
If you're using Zoom, you will see an option on your screen that says 'share screen;' once you click on that, you will be able to share the card room with others wherever you've made it or the particular platform you've made it on. You can do the same thing on Skype as it gives you an option to share your screen if you're using the downloaded version.
You can also use other applications like Google Hangouts, Facebook messenger, or Slack. It's most unlikely that you will use slack as it only allows two people to talk at a time, whereas on messenger, you can add about 50 participants.
What Online Platform to Choose
Once you're sure about where you will be getting in touch with all your friends to play cards, you have to decide where you will create a card room. Many different online game platforms allow you to create a virtual card room. There are various platforms for different types of card games; some platforms include all the card games.
If you're interested in playing poker or cash card games, you can go to donkhouse and set up a virtual card game there. You can also go to this website called Kosmi; it includes different virtual card games like Texas Holdem Poker by providing you with a virtual card table. This platform also allows your friends to video chat, so you won't have to share your screen on a different video chatting app. However, you do have the option to do that.
Playing Poker in a Virtual Card Room
If you're a poker-obsessed person and are missing the times where you would gather a few friends around the table and play poker, well, don't worry as you can easily play poker virtually by following a few steps below.
- Choosing the Right Online Platform
The best online platform for poker is Donkhouse, and the best part about it is that it's free. It allows you to create your customized poker table, and each of the players will have to create a profile. It's a blind table of 10-cent/20-cent. Once you've created the table, all the participants can sit with as much money as they want.
For financial tracking, there is a software on the platform that will track all the finances and will mention all the losses/gains on an excel spreadsheet.
If you want to create a private tournament poker table, you can easily do that by going on Pokerstars. You will first have to download the application on your computer and create a poker club. There will be an invitation code that you can send to whoever you want to invite.
- Finances
It's no fun playing poker without money involved, and you're probably wondering how it's even possible to include money in a virtual poker game. Well, all you need is a money transfer app and the best app for that in Venmo. The buy-ins and payouts will get transferred to a Venmo account, and at the end of the game, everyone will get the amount they owe as the host will transfer all the money back to them through Venmo.
- Coordination
Coordinating through a live video chat can be a bit tricky, especially when it comes to playing poker. Make sure to choose a video chatting application that works properly on everyone's device, and that allows many players such as Zoom and Skype. The best way to avoid any possible confusion is by limiting the number of screens open in everyone's computer. You don't necessarily have to put the video chat on, as some people like to play without any distractions; however, it's more fun to play live hearing everyone's voices as it makes a virtual game more fun and real.
Conclusion
If you're a card gaming freak, you must give virtual card rooms a try and see how it goes the first time. This way, you can keep busy during your stay at home period, doing something you love. Make sure to enjoy while you're playing, and take care of all the technical matters before you start the game to prevent any disturbances.
If you feel like you need to go over the poker game rules, you can review all the rules here and experience a fun fledged poker game.
About the writer: Brandi Marcene has over a decade of experience in content. Having seen the constant evolution of the field, she undertakes efforts to keep pace with the continuous changes to offer first-rate, ready-to-publish copy. Her interests lie mainly in literature with the occasional Netflix series. She has extensive experience of writing about most topics under the sun, but has a particular passion for finance and fitness.
