How to Play Hold Em Poker by Microgaming
As one of the top gambling software providers in the industry today, Microgaming has always led the way in innovating new games. One of their latest offerings Hold'Em Poker is no different, as it promises to potentially be a game-changer due to its attractive graphics, simple game format, and adrenalin-fuelling playing structure. The game has similarities to the erstwhile (and enormously successful) Fish Party game by MPN (Microgaming Poker Network) but improves upon it with some impressive features. This game combines the rush of possibly winning a huge jackpot multiplier with the fun element of Texas Hold Em Poker and players will undoubtedly have hours of fun on this potential wheel of fortune. Microgaming is slated to launch a slew of poker-based games in the near future with this game being the first (another upcoming game called Lucky Showdown is also set for release in 2021).
The Rules of Hold Em Poker
First of all, this game is a lottery-based poker game, based on the hugely popular "Spin N Go" format that has now become a staple of all top poker providers the world over. Here are the steps to play the game:
- Choose a bet amount: At the moment this is set at $5 and cannot be changed - however, some casinos may offer different buy-in amounts catering to the bankroll of their various clients.
- Spin the wheel: A wheel is spun to determine your prize - this may be anything from a 2x to a 5000x multiplier (or even much higher depending on the progressive jackpot amount at the time). Each jackpot starts with a seed amount of $25000 and it only goes up from there.
- Play the poker hand: You are randomly dealt 2 hole cards will then be pitted against 2 other random players who themselves have been dealt 2 random hole cards, in a regular poker hand (ie five community cards will be dealt and the best hand wins) - if you win the hand, you take home the prize. The poker hand is played in a super-fast (or super hyper turbo speed as poker enthusiasts refer to it) format so each game will hardly take much time to complete. Winning hands are determined by the traditional hand rankings of poker, i.e. Royal Flush beats a Straight Flush, which in turn is better than a Four-of-a-kind, which is better than a full-house, followed by a flush, straight, three of a kind, two pairs, single pair, and finally just a high card.
Gameplay and Graphics
The graphics of the game are simple yet supremely attractive. The animations are intuitive and there aren't too many frills to distract you from the main game. It's a simple, no-fuss spin and play sequence and each game takes very little time to complete. The game has both a desktop and browser-based version, and can also be played on a mobile app, with the visuals available in both landscape and portrait mode.
The spin which determines the multiplier prize is modeled on a roulette wheel and has eight pies with each slice containing a different win amount. For example, with a bet amount of $5, the 8 slices may contain prize amounts of $10, $20, $30, $50, $125, $250, $500 and of the course the big one of $25000+ (denoted by a little trophy on the wheel). Once the wheel stops on a certain amount, that is the prize amount you are playing for. The prize is completely random and based on a tamper-proof random number generating engine. Each game is played 3-handed and follows a winner-takes-all format (unless the winning hand is tied in which case the prize is split). The only exception to this is you hit the big multiplier as the prize, in which case all three players get a share of the spoils (for instance, if the prize pool is $25000, the winner may get approximately $13000, the second-place finisher $7000, and the third-place finisher $5000).
The difference between this Hold Em Poker format of Microgaming and the regular "Sit/Spin N Go" format that traditional poker players may be familiar with is the top progressive jackpot prize - while this is set amount on dedicated poker sites (i.e. the jackpot amount will remain at $25000 for a $5 buy-in for eternity), the jackpot amount here is progressive, meaning that it will continuously increase till the jackpot is finally won. After the jackpot is won, the top prize is reset to its seed value of $25000.
Where to Play Hold Em Poker by Microgaming
Any online casino worth its salt will have partnered with Microgaming to have the latter's software and games on their site. Since this latest poker variant has only just been launched (in December 2020), it may not be available at all sites yet, but the number of online casinos offering this variant is increasing all the time. This game will be under the "Poker" section in most online casinos where you can access and play this game.
Microgaming has surely brought another hit to the table with this latest game offering. The game will appeal to both poker and casino fans and combines the popular Sit and Go format of poker with the progressive jackpot betting of casinos and brings the best of both worlds together - a sure-fire winner.