Playing online poker on your Mac is a little different than what your competitors playing on their Windows computers are doing. If you don’t have a program like Boot Camp or Parallels that allows you to run Windows programs on your Mac, your options of what sites you can play on are narrowed. However, you’ll be pleased to know that some of the best online poker sites out there offer ways for Mac poker players to take advantage of what they have to offer. Some even offer fully-downloadable programs. With that in mind, let’s review a few tips for playing poker on your Mac:
1. Start with the downloadable sites: Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars currently offer a fully downloadable program for your Mac. Each takes a matter of five minutes to install and then you’ll be hitting the tables. The beauty of a downloadable client is that you can take full advantage of all of the helpful features that make these poker rooms so popular in the first place. Plus, you’ll have access to the full spectrum of ring games, tournaments, and sit and gos that everyone else does.
2. Keep your software updated: Most of the web-based Mac clients will require that your Flash, Java, and web browsers are updated to the current versions. As I found out, there are also some kinks when you use Safari instead of Firefox, so be wary of that if the room you’re playing on seems lagging or not working properly. You can set these programs to auto-update so you don’t have to remember every time. Just make sure that you have the latest versions of these plug-ins on your Mac.
3. Limited features: Not all of the online poker rooms have their full sets of features available if you use the online client. For example, the play money option may be missing or the option to play on multiple tables or use a mini view is not available. These features are either in development or just not feasible for playing poker in your internet browser. If there’s a certain feature you find extremely helpful, make sure it’s available in the web-based client. If not, perhaps you’ll want to head to a different poker room.
4. Not all software add-ons are available in Mac form. Programs like Poker Tracker, Poker Office, and Sixth Sense may not have Mac versions, so check the website of the program you’re comfortable using for more information. You can also e-mail the developers of these add-on programs and encourage them to build a Mac-compatible client. Not everyone has jumped onboard the Mac bandwagon… yet!
5. Keep an eye out for new poker rooms rolling out downloadable and web-based clients. Poker rooms recognize that the trend in the computing industry is moving towards more widespread use of Macs and developing software accordingly. If a site you absolutely love to play on doesn’t offer a way for you to play on your Mac, e-mail them and tell them you want them to develop one. You’d be surprised how responsive many online poker rooms are to their clientele. Be vocal and check the site often for updates.