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Introducing the PokerView Web Cam

Card Player Now Offering $600 Deposit Bonus at PokerView

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When you play Web Cam Poker on Pokerview, you play with real poker players. No bots. No fakes. No alternates. You’re able to stare down those who put you all-in. And watch the reactions of those you raise. Whatever the stakes, whatever your nationality or residence, you’ll be playing cut-throat poker in a thumbs up social and friendly environment. Seize the opportunity to size up your game, face-to-face, on Pokerview.com.

One player shares his thoughts on the innovation below. Be sure to join him by taking advantage of the Pokerview $600 deposit bonus, exclusive to Card Player readers.

It’s amazing how much you can figure out about a guy just by looking at him. I mean, it’s not like I can study people’s jugulars like you can in live game sometimes. And I definitely can’t discern anything from the distress level in players’ voice since audio is not captured. But as I sit and stare at the web cam footage of the seven combatants at my cash game poker table, I realize I know them quite well already.

They guy on the left smiles carefully and waves apologetically every time he ships a pot. Not enough hunger. Not enough greed there. The guy on right is playing while lying sideways on a couch. Clearly not a five-tabling grinder. Guy in mid position wears sunglasses and a hoodie.

I’ve yet to figure out from his play if he’s seen too many World Poker Tour episodes or is simply not keen on giving away any information for free. The Kiss poster in the background offers no clue.

Another guy runs off-camera every so often once he folds pre-flop. So he’s not paying attention. I think he’s married or something. A girl fetched him a beer two orbits ago.

Admittedly, since this is a $0.25/$0.50 game, there may not be much to pay attention to. But I can’t help it. It’s in my DNA to work every angle I can find when I play poker. And it is a relief to not just be looking at some HUD data and memorizing click speeds. The introduction of Web Cam Poker is not something that’s going to turn the poker industry upside down. But I have to admit, once I got over the awkwardness of knowing other people will be watching me as I go through my manic chip shuffling routines while playing, it does bring something new to the table.

Kiss poster guy raises my J-J from mid position. I re-raise to get a feel for the guy. He shoves on me. I fold and Lick it Up. I can’t help but to wonder what’s behind those glasses.

The reason I am writing this is because I was told about a new site that was about to launch worldwide. It is called Pokerview.com and apparently takes pride in being the first site to fully dedicate itself to the concept of Web Cam Poker – that is, instead of a picture of a made up avatar of some sort, players are represented by streaming content from web cams. It’s one of those ideas that have been around for ages but nobody seems to have had the guts to run with. Until now.

Some argue that Web Cam Poker is a just a half-assed attempt to mimic live play online that is destined to be slow, weird and end up as chat roulette. But others also recognize the advantages of knowing it’s an actual human being they are playing. And that it is the same human being it is supposed to be. With web cam poker I doubt you’ll have the honor of thinking you’re playing against some pro while in fact the pro in question, at the very same time, is teaching poker aboard a Caribbean cruise liner. Strange that.

But most telling, and what might end up being the make or break point for Web Cam Poker, is the additional social experience of seeing who you’re playing. I’m simply finding it impossible to remain unaffected by it. It’s really hard to yell and insult someone when you’re looking right at them. And it’s really hard to remain a stone face when someone else’s splits into a wide contagious grin.

Pokerview is a new kid on the block. It launched for real money on May 3. The site’s small crowd of early adapting followers, who’ve been playing for fun and prizes up until now, have established a friendly and forgiving atmosphere. If this atmosphere lingers, as hordes of new eager players eager for a taste, invade, then playing online poker on Pokerview WILL be a different, kinder experience than playing anywhere else.

My lap-top features a built-in web camera so I had no need to take Pokerview up on their offer of supplying me with a free one when I made a deposit. But the fact that they do so is a nice sign they really believe in Web Cam Poker. The site is connected to a poker network so you can play normal avatar games as well. But the entire Pokerview site is built up around their unique web cam tables. These tables are monitored to make sure players don’t breach rules that state that players have to stay visible at all times during play or something like that. I never really figured it out nor did I have to. The closest thing my table came to a rule breach in that regard was horizontal couch guy nodding off once in a while.

Will this catch on? Will it crash and burn? Dunno. While I may not love it out loud, I do know it’s different. And for the thousands of players who are more casual in their approach to the game than I am, it certainly adds value. Once you get used to the thought of people seeing your every action it feels perfectly natural. And it is I guess. Play is a little slower, but the various peoples’ web cam streams suffered from surprisingly little lag. I even dared to embark on a multi-table assault which met with little resistance.

Am I winning? I’m break even so far in terms of money but feel enriched by the revelation that I really got to cheer up a bit when I play. I’m pretty sure Kiss Guy and Apologetic Winner both have me down as Grumpy Old Man.

I really should have shaved. And called that all-in. I wonder if my regret shows….

When you sign-up and make your first deposit you get a free web cam along with one of the most attractive bonuses for US as well as international players on the market. Keen on getting back in the game? Bring your poker face and show us what you got!