Software Features

Quick Start

Sometimes you just want to open the client and get right to a table, no searching through the client looking for the game type, table type, stakes and then finding a table that isn't full. For these moments we have integrated a 'Quick Start' feature.

Simply make your selections from Game Type, Table Type, Stakes and Minimum Players at Table and the click on Play Now and you will be taken straight to a table that meets your needs. No extra clicks, no time wasted searching through game lists to find the right game, just tell us what you need and we will send you straight there.

You can come back to the screen with the Quick Start at any time in the client, just click on the News tab.

Rabbit

When you have one a hand, sometimes players are left wondering if they should have stayed in the hand against you. If your at your home game or in a card club sometimes a player will ask to see what cards would've come if they hadn't folded, this is called Rabbit Hunting.

While this is frowned upon in casino's and tournaments, we put this power in the hands of the winner. So if you win a hand unopposed, you can choose to rabbit and see what cards would have come.

This can be a great way to show your opponents your bluff, and to show them they really had you beat. Of course you might just end up showing your opponent that they made the right call with the lay down.

The only penalty is that you have to show the table what your hole cards were.

So next time you take down a hand unopposed click the rabbit hunt button and see if you can mess with your opponents heads.

Multiple Windows

By using multiple windows you can easily play all your favorite tournaments without ever having to miss the action at the tables.

Players can select from having a new window for every table or use a 2x2 Grid Mode.

Its the perfect aid for playing multiple ring games, a daily freeroll and a even a game of blackjack without having to switch between windows.

Expose 1 Card

Whether your laying down your hand to a big bet, or of no one called your bet, if you really want to keep your opponents on their toes, use Merge Gaming's 'expose one card' feature.

Some poker rooms allow you to show both your hole cards, but at Merge Gaming we go one step further and allow you to show either both your cards, or just one card.

Say you had top pair but a weak kicker and you couldn't call a big bet you might show your high card to prove you weren't on a complete bluff. Conversely you might show your low card, to appear as if you were on a complete bluff. Either way showing only 1 card generally leaves your opponent asking more questions for which you gave answers with the card that you did show.

Accolades

For every major event held at Merge Gaming we have an accolade that goes in your player box, so if you win a big tournament you get a customized trophy or ribbon to show off your achievements.

So for our regular tourneys we have trophies and ribbons, and for our special events, we have extra special accolades. From snowmen for our winter tourney to a turkey for our Thanksgiving tourney and even a boxing kangaroo for our Aussie Millions winners.

Just because you haven't won a big event it doesn't mean you shouldn't be rewarded. Also in our player boxes are stars, which are rewards for regular play. So the more you play, the more stars you get, so when you sit down at a table, everyone knows they need to show you some respect.

Emoticons

Lets face it table talk is a huge part of poker, and while you lose some of the animation of a live table talk when your just typing text in a box, at Merge Gaming we are making it our goal to put some of that animation back in.

When typing several words into chat, your works are magically transformed to animated smilies. Type fish and see a shark swim through and eat the fish or type donkey and see a donkey kicking up his heels.

There are heaps of well known smilies that you see regularly at the table, and our development team are always sneaking in new ones, some of which are yet to be found even.

So while your at the tables, be sure to have a play with some of your favorite poker terms and see if they come to life.

HD Graphics

We like to think that its the little things that can make a big difference, so when we made our re-sizable windows we made sure that no matter what size you make our window, the graphics remain clear, and don't go pixelated.

To achieve this all our table images are HD graphics. With all of our graphics we've used high resolution imagery to produce the ultimate scalable windows. Along with this feature, we've also allowed the player to customise their own poker table with custom colors and backgrounds.

For those of us who don't care for jargon, the only important thing we need to know, is that no matter what we do to our screen, the graphics are always crisp. Lets face it, if you are playing for hours on end the screen can get blurry enough as it is, you don't need pixelated graphics as well.

Bad Beat Jackpot

Bad Beats happen to every player, but at Merge Gaming Network we have a way to potentially win big after losing with a monster hand!

In any Texas Hold'em game, you will be looking to maximise your value when you pick up Quads. The chance to go all-in is automatic, but what happens if your opponent is holding higher Quads, or even a Straight Flush?

These are the worst of the Bad Beats, and usually result in thousands of chips being passed over the table. Our new Bad Beat Jackpot will ensure thousands of dollars in cash will be won, all for losing a hand.

On specially labelled ring game jackpot tables, we will collect 50 cents from every pot which contributes to the Bad Beat Jackpot. As soon as a player has a monster hand cracked, the jackpot will be won, with every active player at the table receiving a portion of the prize money! The player with the losing hand will pick up the biggest percentage, so if you have Quad sevens or better using both hole cards, you should definitely hope to get beaten!

Bad Beat Jackpot requirements:

• The losing hand must be at least a Four of a Kind 7s, with a 2 kicker
• The winning hand must be at least a Four of a Kind 8s, with a 2 kicker
• Both the winning and losing hands must include both hole cards to make Four of a Kind
• AT least four players must be dealt in at the start of the hand
• The hand must have generated jackpot rake (ie. $0.50)
• Only two players can be active at the end of the hand, and it must go to showdown.

Shootout Tournaments

In a traditional poker tournament, tables will be balanced and remain full throughout the entire duration of the tournament. This means over time, players will be moved and tables split to ensure every table is as full as possible at all times. Play is continuous until the winner is determined!

Merge Gaming Network features Shootout tournaments, which differ greatly in structure and play style. Shootouts consist of several rounds of single-table tournaments, with winners from each individual table progressing on to the second round.

A simple example is a Shootout tournament with 100 entrants. Ten tables with ten players each will begin the tournament for round one. A certain number of players from each table will progress to round two, and this will change depending on the tournament - simply check the tournament details in the Merge Gaming Network software to see the winner and payout structure.

In our example, the top three players from each table will advance, meaning a total of 30 players remain. Round two will begin with three tables of ten, and again the top three players of each table will progress to the next round, with nine players battling it out at the final table!

Shootout tournaments are exciting events with a constant structure and several rounds. It takes skill to continue through each round successfully, and Merge Gaming Network offers the best online poker software to ensure players will always have the best tournament structures for novices and professionals alike.

Deal It Twice

If you are a poker pro with pot odds, variance and EV all figured out in your poker brain bank, we have added one of the most exciting new features to online poker, designed to give any player a chance to try a dealing option with increased popularity in live cash games.

Here at Merge Gaming Network we have implemented Deal It Twice. In short, Deal It Twice will give two all-in players the option to deal the turn and river community cards two times. Let's look at an example:

Player X is dealt Qh Jh, and Player Y is dealt Ks 10d. After the first betting round, the flop comes down Js Ad 10d. Both players shove all in, but are always aware of the possibility that the other player will have an Ace, or even pocket Kings.

Dealing the turn and river twice effectively gives a player more chances to hit more outs and improve their hand. Of course, the opponent may always hit their cards also - but this is always a natural possibility when playing online poker!

Deal It Twice will be entirely optional, and both players in a hand must agree to dealing it twice; if one player doesn't consent, then the turn and river will be dealt once as per normal. Players will also have the option to permanently disable Deal It Twice, so only those who opt to have Deal It Twice active need to make a decision after going all-in.

Deal It Twice Conditions:

• Deal It Twice is only available on real money No-Limit Hold'em ring games.
• Deal It Twice can only be chosen when exactly two players are all-in, with no other players active in the pot.
• It is only offered as an option after two players have pushed all-in pre-flop or post-flop. Even if the players are in pre-flop, only the turn and river cards are dealt twice.
• Deal It Twice will be available only on certain tables at specific stakes. Simply check your online poker client and browse our real money Texas Hold'em ring games to see which tables have Deal It Twice as an option.

Bounty Tournaments

The most satisfying feeling at the table of a poker tournament is eliminating another player. Not only do you win a huge pot, but you are also one step closer to the prize money! Now the prize money and eliminations are coming together at Merge Gaming Network's Bounty tournaments!

In a Bounty tournament, a percentage of the prize pool will be taken to put a bounty on the heads of players. The overall prize payout structure remains the same, but the extra value is found as you knock out other players and receive a cash prize for every elimination.

Regardless of your tournament placing, you can still make a profit on bounties. For example, in a $2 buy-in tournament, $1 will contribute to the prize pool, and $1 will be paid to the bounty field. Every player has a $1 price on their head, so simply eliminate two players and you have already made your buy-in back, with only profit to come!

Bounty tournaments will be available with many different prize structures. The bounty prize pool can be customized, anywhere from 10% of the buy-in to a full 100%! Simply check out our tournament listings in the Merge Gaming Network software to see the prize pool structure for any one of our upcoming tournaments.

Time Bank

The time bank is exactly as it sounds - a bank of time. It essentially allows you extra time when those hard decisions are forced upon you.

In tournament games, the time bank is set at a certain amount depending on the type of tournament, and when a player wishes to use the time in their time bank, they must activate it by clicking on the button located just above the bet slider bar. You are able to activate the time bank once you're usual allotted time is almost out, it then pops up next to your player box displaying how many seconds you have. Once you play your hand, any remaining time is saved for the next time you wish to use the feature.