Getting Started

To get you playing online poker, the fi rst step is to establish an account on one or several
Web sites. This chapter will explain the process one goes through to set up an online account.
By the end of this chapter, you will know how to
✦ Go to a poker Web site and download and then install the client software to run
the program.
✦ Install the software and get it ready for use.
✦ Differentiate among the different sites as to the bonuses and other benefi ts they
offer their players.
✦ Access options one may use in transferring funds to play with in “real money” games.
✦ Request that your winnings be sent to you.
Once through the minor drudgery of establishing the account is complete, you’ll be able
to move on the main part of the book—actually playing poker!


Basic System Requirements
Poker sites operate under the same constraints as other software applications developers
in that they are motivated to provide the best, most functional, and most aesthetically
pleasing sites for their players within the bounds of what their typical customer will have
under their computer’s hood. Because of this, the newest computers will have horsepower
to spare, while the older ones will have the hamster or squirrel in the computer’s guts,
running fl at out to handle the software client’s demands. As of this book’s writing, here is
what UltimateBet.com recommended as its minimum hardware confi guration:
✦Operating System: Windows 95 or newer or Macintosh OS 9 with the Microsoft
Virtual PC Windows emulator
✦Processor Speed: Windows: Pentium 200MMX, Macintosh: 500MHz G3 or G4
✦Memory: Windows: 32MB, Macintosh: 192MB
✦Free Hard Drive Space: Windows: 20MB, Macintosh: 2GB (to accommodate the
Microsoft Virtual PC)
✦Modem: 28.8Kbps
As you can see, most computers are readily able to handle the software’s required workload.
If you don’t have a computer that meets these specifi cations, it may be best to buy
one fi rst. It used to be that $1,500 or so was the minimum price for a decent computer.
As of October 2004, computers for $500 and less are commonplace in the U.S.