This is a blog about the game of poker, especially online poker. This Web based game has changed the way people think about games. Modern technology allows such real time multi-player games to be conducted within online poker rooms that can host thousands of tables at the same time.

As online poker involves real money (we are not interested in so-called play money poker games involving no money at all), this new online poker industry that has emerged in the past decade has to rely on a robust infrastructure.

The software, servers and IT teams must be able to handle the large simultaneous connections from thousands of poker clients all over the world. This activity is “seasonal”, with burst of bandwidth consumption when a large tournament or a special promotion takes place. The front-end has zero tolerance for failure because for example if the system were to crash in the middle of the day when numerous games are taking place, it would be a nightmare to calculate the amounts of money due and a catastrophic public relation event.

Similarly the entire infrastructure must be safe from thieves and cheaters.

As online poker players leave part of their bankroll in the hand of the online poker room for total balances in the hundreds of millions of dollars for the largest rooms, their money must be as safe as humanly possible. In addition poker cheaters must be detected and banned as soon as possible. Attracted by easy gains, all sorts of cheaters are trying to get a share of the poker pie and any reputable poker room must create and implement a policy to make sure that Internet crooks stay outside their confines.

This is a bit of a boring introduction to online poker and you do not really have to worry about this if you only play at the top established poker rooms. Poker and especially online poker is a great game with strategy and action, combining math and psychology. You, my poker friend, will have a great time with it.

May the God of Luck be with you.