Game

Each game window contains two info boxes, one located to the lower right area and one located in the lower left area. Don't be fooled by their simplicity...these Info Boxes are much more than chat windows or dealer text displays. Features available in the Info Boxes can be seen by clicking on any portion of the header or the menu button area. A pop-up of selectable features will appear....simply click on your choice and the Info Box will be updated with your selection. You can select the contents of each Info Box independently. And, if you choose, you can maximize the size of the Info Box by clicking the little blue-white minimize/maximize symbol that is located next to the blue menu button in the header. Try different combinations in each Info Box to determine what you like best!

• Local Options - This feature allows you to set up your preferred settings for the current game only, once you exit the current game these settings are discarded. This allows players who enjoy playing more than one game to easily distinguish between games by selecting different settings for different game windows. It also provides a quick change to help reduce eye stress. You can make changes to the following settings: color theme, avatar/disk, sounds, card deck, and card backs. Note that changes here will not be saved and will not affect the default settings you selected on the main Options tab.
• Game Chat - Our game chat feature is easy to use! Simply start typing! Your entry will appear in the chat entry line in the upper region of the Info Box. Push the Enter key or click on the enter symbol to the right of the chat entry line to send your message. To avoid conflicts where the player is required make keyboard entries for non-chat functions (such as buying into a game), once a player starts typing a chat message the cursor will remain in the chat entry line until the player clicks on the pending function. The scroll bar to the right of the Game Chat allows you to view any chat that has occured during your session. For those players that really enjoy chatting, we suggest that you maximize the size of the Info Box containing Player Chat. To keep the experience fun, we've added chat sounds for your amusement. And for those players who feel "silence is golden", visit the Local Options (in the Info Box at the game screen) or the Options tab (in the lobby) to customize your choice of sounds.
• Dealer Text - Dealer Text provides play-by-play announcement of game activity. Actions such as winning hand announcements and player bet actions are presented in Dealer Text as they occur.
• Table Stake - The Table Stake feature allows players to change the amount of their table stake without sitting out or leaving the game. Players can add money to their table stake or remove money only if the money has not entered into play. The player specifies how much he or she wants their new stake to be at the start of the next hand. When a player makes a request to change their table stake, the request will be held pending until the completion of the existing hand to ensure the change meets the following conditions:
  • the new stake is within the minimum and maximum buy in amounts allowed
  • the not-in-use balance contains sufficient funds to proceed with the request
  • money being removed from the table has never entered play.
  If the not-in-use balance does not contain adequate funds to meet the full change requested but contains enough funds to meet a partial request that respects the minimum and maximum buy in amounts, then the table stake will be adjusted as close as possible to meet the player's request.
• Wait List - The Wait List contains a list of players wait listed for the game, in the order in which they will be summoned as seats become available.
• Spectator List - The Spectator List contains a list of players viewing the game with the exception of those "guests" which have not signed into the site.
• Join WaitList - The button is displayed when spectating a full table. When clicked, you are added to the list of players awaiting a seat at the table and will be summoned to the table when a seat is available to you
• Bonus Hands - Click on the button to review which hands qualify for additional payouts to the player making the showdown. Note that bonus hands are only apply to ring games at the bet limits and hand combinations specified.
• More Tokens - Click on the button to review your purchase options available.
• Prev - The button is available to seated subscribing players and will open the hand history viewer pre-populated with the previous ten hands that you played to enable you to review the previous action.
• Chat Fact Icons - The three icons are available to seated subscribing players. Clicking on the card icon will display your previous hand hole cards to all players at the table through the chat window as a chat fact. Clicking on the $ icon will reveal your account balance to all players at the table through the chat window as a chat fact. Clicking on the calendar icon will reveal your account registration date to all players at the table through the chat window as a chat fact.
• Folded Cards Display - If you choose to fold during the course of the hand, your hole cards will be displayed only in your game client in abbreviated format to enable you to assess your decision as the remainder of the hand progresses.
• Pot Odds - For seated subscribing players, pot odds are displayed when you are prompted for action and there is an outstanding bet to call. Pot odds are useful in assessing your actions in concert with the odds of making your possible hand with subsequent cards.
• Tournament - The Tournament feature will be visible when participating in or viewing a tournament. The information displayed includes the time to next break, the time until bet level increase, the current blind level, and the next blind level. Also included in this feature is a More Details button which brings up the "Tournament Information" screen for that particuliar tournament.

Game Buttons

When you are seated at a table, each play option is identified on your screen as a button. Some buttons appear only when it is your turn. Listed here are the descriptions and usage of each of them.

Hand Number and Previous Hand Number - Every hand of poker dealt at Planet Poker is tagged with a unique game number and the hand history is available in the Planet Poker database. These game numbers appear in the upper left of the playing screen. You can always see the number of the current hand (Hand #) and the previous hand (Prev #). To display a hand history of the previous hand, simply click on the "Prev #" button and the hand history for that hand will open up in its own window.

Seating - When you first open a game window, empty seats at the table are indicated with a small Sit Down disc. After you are viewing for several minutes these discs will disappear so that your presentation doesn't appear too cluttered. Click your mouse once on the disc or seat to be seated in that position. If you wish to change positions after being seated at a table, you must leave the game and come back to choose a new seat. In doing so, you have to buy back into the game as a new player. You also risk losing a seat if one or more players jump into the available seats while you are in the process of returning to the lobby.

Sit Down - Players are seated on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a table is selected, if at least one seat is open, you can select Sit Down at any time to be seated. (Note that the Sit Down disks disappear after 5 minutes and players can click on empty seats to join a game.) If more than one seat is open, click the one you want to be seated at. After you have been seated, the Sit Down label disappears from any empty seats. Until Sit Down is selected, players are listed on the Spectator List. If no seats are open and you want to be put on the waiting list for the table you have selected, click Join Wait List. The Wait List and Spectator List can be displayed in the Info Boxes if players have an interest in monitoring these lists. Another option is to hold the cursor over the Waiting text or the game screen. Players have the option of selecting the Auto Ante button in the lower center area of the screen so that they automatically ante for each hand without having to wait for the dialogue box to appear. It is highly recommended that players use the Auto Ante feature as it speeds game play and eliminates the possibility of a time out in posting the ante.

Also see "Automatic Betting Buttons" above.

If at any point you elect to sit out, when you click the Sit In button in the lower left, the dialog box again appears offering the four choices to be dealt into the game.

Once you have participated in a game and you Sit In after Sitting Out, you will be required to pay an amount equivalent to the sum of any blinds that you missed while Sitting Out. For example, if you missed paying both the Big Blind and Small Blind while your were Sitting Out, on returning to the game you will be required to post an amount equivalent to the sum of the Big Blind and Small Blind. In this case, the Small Blind amount becomes a "dead bet" and other players in the hand will be required to match only the amount of the Big Blind to Call your hand and join the round.

Control Buttons

Sit Out/Sit In - This button changes between Sit Out and Sit In, depending on the circumstance.

• Sit Out - When you are playing, click this button to sit out—without losing your seat—starting the next hand and until you click the button again. You are allowed to sit out for up to 10 minutes at a time. To return, click the Sit In button.
• Sit In - When you are sitting out, click this button to get back into the game. In a blind game, you will be requested to select a deal in option of your choice. You will be required to pay any missed blinds on the first hand you sit back in. In Seven Card Stud, you are always dealt in the next hand.

Lobby - Click this button to view the Lobby, where you can see what other games are playing, and put yourself on a waiting list for another game, or choose any of the other Lobby options.

Leave - Click this button to leave the table immediately. If you click this button while in the middle of a hand, your hand is check/folded and you forfeit any money you have in the current pot.

Move Seat - Once seated at a table, a player can rotate the table perspective to a seat of their choice by right clicking a seat position (occupied or vacant) and selecting Move Here from the pull down menu option. All other players at the table maintain their relative position.

Chat Block - A seated player has the option to block the chat from another seated player at the table. Simply right click over top of the player and select Block Chat from the pull down menu. To re-enable the player's chat, simply reverse the process. A player's chat is only blocked for the game table where it was invoked. Spectator chat can also be blocked by selecting Spectator List from the Menu Options and checking the desired spectating player's name.

General Features

Railbirds - You can view a game in progress from the rail (that is, without actually joining the game) while waiting to join a game, or when the table is already full. When you are viewing a game, your name appears on the spectators list. You can see the spectators list for a particular table by selecting Spectator List at an Info Box at that game. You may place yourself on the wait list for any game if the game is full or if you want to join the game after more players arrive. You can also see the waiting list for a game by selecting Waiting List at an Info Box in the lobby or at the game. At the game you can also view the Wait List and Spectator List by holding your cursor over Waiting or Spectating that appears on the game surface.

Waiting List - Starting games is easier than ever! Planet Poker offers a wait list feature that lets you choose how many players you would like to join at a table before being summoned. This feature also allows players to start an "interest list" for a table, where they can add their name to the wait list even if there is no game in progress, and then get summoned once the specified number of players have joined the list or are playing at the table. To use the wait list (or interest list), in the Lobby, simply click the black checkbox to the left of the table name or select the Wait List button from the lobby or game screen for full games.

Heads Up Tables - Planet Poker can designate the maximum number of players that may be seated at a particular table. We currently offer heads up tables for the use of those preferring to play one on one! While any number of players can view from the rail, only two are actually allowed to join the game. In heads up games, only 2 seats will appear at the game table.

Planet Poker Deck - The deck is a standard 52-card deck. The deck is shuffled after each hand using our sophisticated random number and shuffling algorithms. You have the choice to use our exclusive Mike Caro four-color deck, a standard deck (with red hearts and diamonds and black spades and clubs), or another four-color deck. Choose your favorite by clicking the Options feature in an Info Box at the game screen or through the Look & Feel tab at the Options tab in the lobby. (Hint: if you make your selection at the game screen the selection will be applied only to that game. If you make your selection at the Options tab in the lobby the selection will be applied across all your games and will become your "preference" for future visits.)

Hand Histories - When you are at a table, you can view the details of the previous hand by clicking on "Prev" hand number button located in the upper left corner of the game screen. The previous hand details will display in a new window. If you want to view multiple hands, or to view a game that you previously played, visit the Hand History tab under Tools tab in the lobby. The Hand History tab provides several methods of finding hands. You can select hands by time & date, by your last 10 showdowns or by entering a specific hand number. All hands matching your selection will be presented. You can view details of these hands in a standalone window and request an email for future reference.

Sit Out Feature - You can opt to sit out without losing your seat at the table. Please limit your sit-outs to a maximum of 10 minutes per one hour playing session. If you are going to be away longer than that, please leave the table and allow another player the opportunity to get in the game. Players sitting out for longer than 10 minutes are automatically removed from the game. When you sit back in the game, you will automatically be prompted to select the Deal In option of your choice. All players will be required to pay any missed blinds before being dealt cards after a sit out period.

Just For Fun - You can use the chat feature to add sound to your conversations. We've included chat sounds for your amusement. To use them just type the indicated abbreviation and all players with sound enabled will hear what you have to say.

Chips - The small round tokens you see on the table are your chips; they represent your bets, buy-in, and so on. The following are the colors of specific denominations:

Suggestions

If you have any suggestions or comments about our games, please feel free to email us.