Market leader online poker room PokerStars introduced an unusual novelty to its client with the latest software update. Players using a mobile device, like a smart phone or a tablet, are indicated with a small icon next to their avatars at the tables.
Regulars consider this a gift, as most of all recreational players use these devices to play, which makes it a simple tool to filter weak opponents. As smart phones are hardly capable of handling multi-tabling, or running utility software, regular players rarely use them or not at all. The update is released as part of the Daily Challenge promotion of the room, running this month, in which certain events only affect mobile players.
Under the Table Display Options tab in the Option menu, two new icons have appeared: players can set it up here if they want to see the notification of mobile players by their avatars (Show Mobile Device Icons of Other Players) and if they want it to be display by their own (Show My Molbile Device Icon To Other Players).
Whether recreational players realize that the notification icon can be disabled remains to be seen; for now, the majority of mobile players have it turned on, exposing themselves as priority targets of winning regulars. As a forum member fittingly put it, “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t 3betting a lot lighter all day at the zoom tables thanks to this change.”
Regulars consider this a gift, as most of all recreational players use these devices to play, which makes it a simple tool to filter weak opponents. As smart phones are hardly capable of handling multi-tabling, or running utility software, regular players rarely use them or not at all. The update is released as part of the Daily Challenge promotion of the room, running this month, in which certain events only affect mobile players.
Under the Table Display Options tab in the Option menu, two new icons have appeared: players can set it up here if they want to see the notification of mobile players by their avatars (Show Mobile Device Icons of Other Players) and if they want it to be display by their own (Show My Molbile Device Icon To Other Players).
Whether recreational players realize that the notification icon can be disabled remains to be seen; for now, the majority of mobile players have it turned on, exposing themselves as priority targets of winning regulars. As a forum member fittingly put it, “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t 3betting a lot lighter all day at the zoom tables thanks to this change.”
