Pharaohs Poker Palace claimed this week that it is set to become
the first online poker room to offer live interactive poker play over
the Internet. Using proprietary software on a new dynamic poker platform,
the company is about to offer the webcam-based service as an optional,
complementary facility available to all players, in an effort to help
move poker to the next level of competition and social interaction.
In his concept "Super System 2", the legendary Doyle Brunson
suggested that “...just a couple of years down the road, you
may well be able to see real opponents on your screen. Poker will
be like a video conference, and you’ll be able to focus on the
players across the table from you and read them…tells will be
everywhere, and then full-scale psychological warfare will come to
the online poker battlefield - and nothing will be missing.”
Brunson's suggestion was prescient, suggesting the adoption of webcam
technology as standard future practice, and the opportunity to engage
in the type of interaction he describes will be available shortly,
says PPP.
Pharaoh’s Poker Palace intends to make the facility completely
optional at all tables, allowing players an opportunity to become
acquainted with the concept. After the introductory period, however,
a subset of tables will be designated as “webcam only”.
At these tables, all players will be required to have a webcam on
themselves to play, creating a level playing field for those wanting
to see and be seen.
The majority of Pharaoh’s tables will remain open to webcam
and non-webcam players, allowing the option of using either live video
or a static avatar. Pajamas are still a viable option for either set
of players, so long as they are not offensive.
Pharaoh’s Poker Palace opened its site to the public for beta
testing on June 15 this year, and plans to launch real-money tables
next month. Once they are live, the site will be offering real-money
depositors free webcams, to help ensure that hardware is not an impediment
to players being exposed to the next level of internet poker.