One of poker’s most pleasing qualities is its adaptability. This is how the game has managed to endure throughout generations to make it onto the online space. Still, with so many options of how and where to play online, how do you know you’ve made the best choice for you and your friends? Read on to find out! 


Choose Your Game and App

If you’re a poker newbie trying to build your skills, you should probably ease yourself in with a game like Texas hold ’em. Not only is it arguably the most popular game in poker, but it’s also the most widely available. As a bonus, Texas hold’em is also one of the easier games to get to grip with. What’s more, once you master Texas Hold’em, you’ll notice that other poker games are quite similar, just requiring a few tweaks. 


Naturally, given poker’s extreme adaptability, there are other fantastic options out there. Firstly, we’d be remiss not to mention some of the most popular variations of poker - Omaha, Set and Split Bet poker. Once you’re familiar with Texas Hold’em, you can then start thinking about trying some of these other variants. Omaha is considered by many to be a good second game to learn, but this is a matter of personal taste. From there, you can progress to Set and Split Bet poker or even something more unique like Pokerist’s Party modes. If you’re ready to improve, you can read more about the rules of Omaha, Split Bet and Set poker here. [hyperlink to the previous article where Omaha, Split Bet and Set are mentioned] In terms of real-money poker apps, PokerStars, 888poker, WSOP, ClubGG Poker, and partypoker host some of the most popular online poker rooms in the world. But before you hit that download button, make sure to look out for some key features we’ve outlined below.


Set up a Private Game 

One of the best features on poker betting sites is the ability to play against those you’re already friends with in the real world! You can imagine what a godsend this was for avid and regular poker players during the pandemic. With this built-in feature, they could still keep up their regular games with the same cast of players - albeit under different circumstances. Setting up poker games with friends on these sites is easy, fast and best of all, free. The process of setting up a table is fairly straightforward. Simply ensure you and your friends each hold an account on the poker site of your choice and the right codes to access your private games. After that, it’s time to play!


Play Public Games

There’s no mystery as to the allure of a private game. After all, you can stock it with players you know will play a straight game and at a level of your choosing. That said, poker has an innate ability to bond people. Thus, it’s a great opportunity to make new friends and connections. This social aspect of the game is part of the reason our Pokerist free-to-play game is so successful despite the lack of monetary gain involved. 


That brings us to public tables. Most apps will have tables that are open to all members. These range from very low to high stakes games where you’ll find players of all abilities, bank balances and skill levels. If you’re just starting out, this environment can be a great place to test your skills with new people and gain some confidence in your game. More than anything, however, it’s a great place to meet new friends online. If you do meet a new poker friend or more likely, friends plural, there’s nothing stopping you from moving to a private room for another game. 


Use All That’s Available

A lot of apps, like Pokerist, have a wealth of social features that allow for seamless communication during play. Among these include in-game chat, emojis, avatars and voice chat. Pokerist host’s all of these features with the added bonus of players being able to send gifts to fellow players. Players regularly give and receive gifts after impressive wins or bold hands with a great reception! The best way to play online with friends is to use all the social features that are available to you. Only then will you get the full poker experience.


Another resource for making new friends in online poker is to find the social channels of your favourite app. These Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages attract hundreds if not thousands of like-minded poker enthusiasts every day. Where could be better to find people who love the game just as much as you do? 


Use Free to Play Apps

Finally, if you love playing poker but are reluctant to lose money, free to play could be how you enjoy playing online with friends. These online apps have all the social features hosted in their real-money counterparts. That means you’ll be able to message and voice chat with both new and old friends throughout your game. What’s more, given the lack of financial incentive to play, these apps work twice as hard as real money poker to ensure players are entertained. This entertainment value comes in the form of unique tournaments, playing modes and card games that can be found nowhere else online. KamaGames’ Pokerist is perhaps the best example of this type of poker app, regularly launching new games, one-of-a-kind tournaments and bold new mechanics.Â