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Online Poker: Make the Most of Your Work Area

By billywestom | Published Aug 18 2008, 01:22 AM

Being an online poker player, professional, part-time or amateur, means having our concentration and focus solely on the action at the table, either past, present or future. We can’t have distractions taking away from our full potential. Comfort with our equipment is one of the most important contributors to that success. As online players, we need speed and we need space. I seem to be the one on the team that everyone goes to when they have a computer problem, so I have been delegated to write on the subject. Here we’re going to talk about the basics of equipment that will help us to be fully efficient while on the virtual felt.

 
Monitors: Big n’ Plenty
 
There aren’t many professional online players anymore who are only playing a single table at a time. During a busy day, such as Sunday, the average number of tables played by Final Table Team members is about eight. Craig likes to play about eight MTT’s, while also playing 4-6 sit-n-go’s to keep from being bored! A serious player should have at least a dual monitor setup to keep their tables organized and viewable. Most of us would agree that a standard monitor fits 4 tables very comfortably, with no overlapping. However, the more you have to overlap or shrink your tables, the less view you have of the action. Other problems can occur also, including the dreaded misclick when you go to hit “fold” on one table, but a new table pops up and you call off all your chips with 92 off-suit! Just about any computer you purchase nowadays will have a graphics card with multiple monitor inputs. Most laptops will even have an input to attach a monitor, which is how I have my work space set up.  Here’s a quick little video which gives an introduction to setting up multiple monitors: http://www.pcworld.com/video/id,367-page,1-bid,4/video.html.
 
When choosing which monitors to use for poker, resolution is the most important quality. The higher the resolution, the more space available for standard size poker tables to fit, and the less you will need to toy with your layout. The current resolution on my Dell Inspiron 1720 Notebook is 1920 x 1200 pixels on a widescreen 17” monitor, which is one of the highest available in a laptop computer. I also made sure to choose the “hi-definition glossy” option when I made the purchase. Obviously with multiple tables, I need the cards and my bet slider to be crisp and clear. It also just makes for a more enjoyable experience, with brighter, more vivid colors. Now that LCD monitors are so readily available, it’s easy to find great monitors for reasonable prices. All of us agree that Samsung makes the best picture and is the easiest to install and use, but are usually on the higher priced side of the scale. With any investment, try some out and see how they look to you, and keep in mind the resolution you need for your tasks. If you’re a serious online poker player, then the higher the resolution the better. Check out this “monitor buying guide” for more information: http://reviews.cnet.com/monitor-buying-guide/?tag=tnav#.
 

Internet: Speed, Security and Mobility
 
“Billywestom has been disconnected and has 30 seconds to return.” That’s a nightmare for an online poker player. Don’t let this be you! Anyone who wants to play online poker full time better have at least DSL connection, if not cable internet. As far as I’m concerned, dial up service doesn’t exist: it’s too slow and unpredictable. We all have Comcast service, usually as a package (television, internet, phone, etc.). I’ve had Comcast service since moving to my current house; about 7 months. I have only had one problem with disconnection, which actually happened while heads up at a final table! Apparently there was some sort of maintenance issue. The point is, you want a constant connection that isn’t wrapped up with other services (such as DSL going through your phone lines, etc.) and you want your information to be instant. None of us like it when PokerStars slow-rolls that river card!
 
Another issue with internet is wireless capability. We probably all have a laptop of some kind, and we don’t want to be limited to where we can take it if we want to relax a play a few tables of poker. You’re not going to find a laptop today without a built-in wireless network card, so it’s important to know at least some of the basics for optimizing your wireless experience. With my Inspiron, I chose the Wireless-N Card, which is a new technology that is faster than previous 802.11g types. Although, the other types are plenty fast for what we need for poker playing. The most important component is your choice of router.
 
My home is hooked up through the Linksys WRT150N Wireless-N Router. You can see it here: http://reviews.cnet.com/networking-and-wi-fi/linksys-wrt150n-wireless-n/4505-3243_7-32327689.html?tag=prod.txt.4. Jason also uses this router, and Craig uses a similar Linksys, although not with the N technology. I have found that the Linksys routers have the most straight-forward installation and setup. They also have the best range for the home. I have my main desk in the “dining room” area of the kitchen, where the internet and router are set up, and my laptop gets a full five bars of signal strength anywhere in the house. I also have my XBOX 360 set up wireless through the router, all the way in the living room, and I’ve never had a problem with an uninterrupted and fast connection. We did briefly have a problem with the home phone interfering with the router, as they both use a 2.4 GHz signal. If you have this same problem with products like this, you may need to choose a different signal or change channels on the device. Linksys also has great customer support. They have a 24 hour help line, which is completely free, and unlike most technical support, they actually speak great English!
 
Previously my roommate and I tried the Belkin Wireless-N router, and had constant problems while playing poker. Frequent quick disconnects plagued our fun. I didn’t delve too deep into the cause of the problem, as every forum that I consulted just said the best thing to do would be to get a Linksys router. Problem solved. For more in depth information on the subject, you can browse this “Wireless Networking Buying Guide:” http://reviews.cnet.com/wireless-network-buying-guide/.
 

Computer Specs: The KISS Principle
 
In high school my calculus teacher introduced us to the KISS principle: keep it simple stupid! This is what I like to think about when looking at computer components. I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject, so I’m going to keep this section simple. Just remember this: no matter what company you decide to buy your computer from, the “guts” on the inside are all the same. They will probably have Intel processors and graphics cards, and similar choices for all the other components, including RAM, hard drive capacity and disc drives. What sets each company apart is what you want to focus on. What kind of customer support do they offer? How do the warranties work with this company? Are there deals for bundles and extra accessories? And obviously: how much is this going to cost me?
 
As an example, Craig and Jason each have a Dell XPS notebook computer. These are Dell’s “high performance” notebooks, but they are only as high performance as what’s inside them. My Inspiron 1720 computer is higher powered in almost every aspect, because of what I chose to have installed, but we paid about the same amount for them. That’s because of the “XPS” name associated with high end performance. They got the lowest end XPS while I got the highest end Inspiron, each approximately at the same cost. This isn’t to brag about getting a better deal, but to prove a point that a little bit of research goes a long way when you are choosing an expensive instrument.
 
Serious poker players are also great multi-taskers. While playing many tables of poker on multiple sites, we might be on messenger talking to buddies, browsing PocketFives.com looking up players at our table, listening to iTunes music and maybe even downloading some new albums (legally right?). Your processor speed and the amount of GB of RAM combined are what make for a smooth running computer when you are into doing many things at once. Even your mouse matters in this subject. I like the Logitech wireless laser mice. They are very precise, use very little battery power and are very swift when moving from table to table. You don’t want your pointer skipping around when you’re making quick decisions. Always talk to professionals and read up on what you will need for your tasks. Once again, thanks to http://www.cnet.com/ for their great guides. Here is a couple for computer buying basics: Desktop Buying Guide: http://reviews.cnet.com/desktop-computer-buying-guide/?tag=feat.1, Laptop Buying Guide: http://reviews.cnet.com/laptop-buying-guide/?tag=feat.1.
 

Overwhelmed yet? Me too. Let’s sum up the basics for being comfortable with your setup for playing online poker seriously. 1. If you need lots of desktop space for multiple tables, get another monitor. It’s much more comfortable to have all your tables in view at once and at least keep part of an eye on all the action. 2. Have a strong, constant internet connection (and if you’re wireless, get equipment that will do the job fast and at a distance). 3. Don’t spend money on the “name” of a computer; get what you need and what will do the job. There are other little things you can do, too, including having a comfortable chair for those long grind sessions, keeping your fridge stocked for the day with food and beverage, and I would recommend keeping other distractions out of your work area (television, etc.). If you can keep your worries on the hands you’re playing only, and not annoying nuances of your equipment, you will be much more productive.

 

Billy Westom, FinalTableTeam.com

 

* Billy Westom represents a group of six professional poker players called Final Table Team.  Their website, www.FinalTableTeam.com features player bios, blogs and updates on their progress in live and online poker tournaments.

Final Table Team Members

Craig MrCasino Gray
JasonGray
billywestom
Jordan Octavian_C Rich
Kyle thetruth503 Zartman
Eric jakzpoker101 Crain


Find more articles by online poker players around the world in our Poker Articles section.

Comments
 

I_Blade_U said:

good article billy......plz post more... and lemme get a monitor

August 18, 2008 11:29 AM
 

poncho veelo said:

Nice article Billy. U guys rock!

August 18, 2008 11:53 AM
 

TheMiltMan said:

Well written. Thanks. I would add one point about monitors. 1600 x 1200 monitors (I have multiple Samsung 214t's) allow 4 games to fit on the screen almost perfectly in a 2x2 arrangement. Wide screen monitors, which are definitely the trend now a days, give what for me is wasted space on the side of 4 games. In other words, to optimize the used area on a screen 1600 x 1200 is best. Now buy the biggest you can afford and avoid having to buy reading glasses at 35 like me. These resolution monitors are probably also the cheapest per square inch as this is no longer the sought after resolution in monitors but I don't know as I haven't bought monitors for a few years.

August 18, 2008 3:30 PM
 

mellyy85 said:

so what type of processor is required and how much RAM do you think would be legit?

August 18, 2008 6:00 PM
 

Mrrain said:

I have the Dell 1720 Inspiron too with the 1920 x 1200 resolution and it rocks.  I just got  it before the WSOP.  I got some extras including the best "intel" wirleess card and more RAM so you can run several programs at once without lag.  I have an apple airport router and and an alltel "wireless phone" card ($60 month) but worth every penny if you lose your connection.

Nice article and very informative.  Well done.

August 18, 2008 6:32 PM
 

mellyy85 said:

anyone know info about processors and Ram needed???

August 18, 2008 8:14 PM
 

sotti said:

a 2ghz core 2 duo is WAY WAY fast for poker

Vista isn't really happy without 2GB or ram though.

a 1.6ghz pentium dual core E5xx0 (the new ones) would be plenty sufficient. As low as a single core 2ghz Athlon  or 1.5ghz core solo chip would be fine.

24" monitor should all be easy to install and work well I have no idea what that crap about samsung being good is (BTW their image quality is very mediocre for the price).

BTW I'm the IT manager of a mid-sized web based company feel free to PM me with any technical question, computer geekery is my first love.

August 18, 2008 8:44 PM
 

lukaluka05 said:

don't forget a mouse with a cord...you don't want these wireless ones dying on u in a bad spot (i know this from experience....even the kind that goes into a charger)

August 19, 2008 3:49 PM
 

MrCasino said:

well done bill, i promise ill have my article up soon! = slacker!

August 22, 2008 5:47 PM
 

twalsh3 said:

Well if you are looking for a laptop, they are going to come with Windows Vista and you'll want atleast 2-3gb of memory and the better processors are Intel's Core 2 Duo series.  AMD's Turion X2 is also acceptable.  A dedicated graphics card such as an Nvidia 8 or 9 series card will work or the ATI 3000 series (3450-3650) will work great.  Also get the N wireless card because its not only a speed difference, but better range because of a technology called "MIMO".  And if your doing a desktop, get a video card with 2 video outputs, but try and get one with 2 DVI outputs which are both digital and give you a little bit better picture quality to your monitors.

Hope this helps.

August 26, 2008 1:42 AM
 

BerZerKer said:

Had bought this brilliant piece of hardware (work space) a couple of weeks, ago switching over from a powerful desktop pc with a 24" Dell widescreen 1920*1080 ... 10/10 from my point of view as it features everything you need to play properly even multiple tables...

Every new product needs an angle and the more superfluous, the greater the alarm bells. Happily, for Acer at least, its range of "Gemstone Blue" laptops has a very simple selling point, they're the only 16:9 screen ratio laptops currently available. Why is this important? Because DVD and Blu-ray movies are mastered to anamophically fit a 16:9 aspect ratio screen, rather than the 16:10 ratio that most notebooks and PC desktop monitors favour.

Available in both 16in and 18.4in varieties, we're taking a look at the 18.4 version, the 8920G, today and it's no shrinking violet. Measuring 441mm across, 300mm deep and 44.2mm thick it weighs 4.1 kilos and strikes an imposing figure on any desktop. Portable it certainly isn't and it's unlikely to move from one spot in the house, making it a genuine desktop replacement.

It has all the features for this role, too. We've got the top of range model for review and it's available for between £1,300 and £1,400 depending on where you shop. Not a small amount no doubt, but you do get a lot for that money and there are other no less capable options coming in at the £1,000 mark and some even less.

At the heart of things is an Intel Core 2 Duo T9300. It has two cores running at a brisk 2.5GHz with an 800MHz Front Side Bus and 6MB L2 Cache, the latter of which is particularly advantageous when processing a large number of images. You'll also benefit from an ample 4GB of RAM, though with 32-bit Windows Vista Ultimate OS installed, not all of this will be used.

Headline features don't end there. For storage you get two 320GB hard drives, 640GB total, graphics are powered by a 512MB nVidia 9650M GS, there's Wireless-N Wi-Fi for seamless high definition content streaming, an HDMI output and let us not forget about the Blu-ray reader and DVD writer drive nestled in there.

This works in tandem with the 18.4in screen which, as previously noted, has a film friendly 16:9 aspect ratio and an even more film friendly 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD resolution. To round off the full multimedia experience the latest Dolby Home Theatre technology is included, adding a new and very pleasant Natural Bass mode and new sound expander. In addition there's support for a multitude of surround sound modes, including perennial favourite Dolby Headphone - its superb virtual surround headphone technology.

Read more... www.trustedreviews.com/.../p1

August 26, 2008 6:09 AM
 

billywestom said:

Thanks for the replies guys. You definitely helped the content of the article!

August 27, 2008 4:24 PM
 

orloff said:

at 1920x1200 resolution on pokerstars, does anyone know how many windows i can have open at one time without any overlap when the windows are at their min size using the tile table option?

on my 19" widescreen running at 1440x900 im able to have 9 windows open at once with just a little overlap. if i could do 12 windows at 1920x1200 with little or no overlap then i would like to upgrade to a 24" wide monitor.

can anyone running at 1920x1200 please help out and check for me? u just have to open 12 windows (no need to sit in at the table, just open it), real money or play money, and once 12 windows are open then click on the tile table option.

thanks.

October 8, 2008 4:19 PM

About billywestom

My name is Billy Westom and I am from Longview, WA. I have been a member of Final Table Team (www.FinalTableTeam.com) for about 4 years now with my good friends Jason Gray (JasonGray on P5's), Craig Gray (MrCasino on P5's), Kyle Zartman (thetruth503 on P5's) and John Clancy (johnboiprodigy on P5's). I used to play live mostly but now am getting back into online MTT's.


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