What Accessories Do You Need For Online Poker?

Indications from the last few years have pointed to record activity in the world of online poker. Several major platforms (like PokerStars and 888poker) reported increases in players during the pandemic. Additionally, survey data from Global Poker showed that the early months of Covid lockdowns had brought about an increase in first-time online poker players of greater than 250%. Without a doubt, online poker is trendy again.

For this reason, we thought we’d provide some tips for those who might be new to the online poker scene. Rather than focusing on things like which site to play on or actual poker tips though, we want to focus on your gaming experience. Specifically: What accessories should you have on hand as you get into online poker?

For the most part, high-end gaming headphones are meant for bigger and bolder video games –– adventures, shooters and the like that are filled with complex sound effects and exciting background music. Most online poker games don’t involve these elements. However, immersion is still a significant part of the experience, and the right headphones will help you to feel more attached to the game. Little sound effects like the shuffling of cards or clinking of chips can have a major effect when you hear them crisply and clearly, with external noise shut out. As of this writing, we’d point you toward SteelSeries models. The Arctis 7X is a reliable wireless set, and the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is particularly effective with noise cancellation.

We’ve discussed the value of prescription gaming glasses before, and the simple fact is that they’re great for any online gaming experience. These glasses can be prescribed by your eye doctor, and combine prescription viewing with blue light filtration –– helping you to see your screens clearly without straining your eyes. Particularly if you enjoy longer gaming sessions (such as tournament play), you’ll be more comfortable wearing a pair of these glasses.

Poker chips aren’t essential. However, particularly when you’re new to online poker it can be helpful to keep some handy so that you have a tangible representation of your in-game chips (which you can otherwise take for granted). This is actually pretty easy to manage as well, because poker chip values are often denoted simply by colors. Color coding value makes it easy for casinos (both online and in person) to establish consistency –– and also enable you to pair your own chips with those in an online game according to color. So for instance if you have five $10 chips that are red in the game, and five $5 chips that are blue, you can pull out five red and five blue chips at your desk to represent your stash. Some will find that this makes the value of their chip stacks more apparent… plus it adds an appealing physical touch to the game.

For the same reasons it can be handy to have some physical chips on hand, a nice deck of cards can’t hurt either. Now, online games tend to move pretty quickly, which means you’re unlikely to have time to deal out cards as they’ve been dealt to each player on your screen. But you can pull your own cards, and give yourself a “real” hand to play virtual poker with. As with chips, it’s not a necessary practice, but it can make the game feel more realistic, and it may make you pause and consider your moves just a little more closely. Not to mention having a deck to shuffle and fidget with between hands can be satisfying.

Finally, if you want to establish a great gaming atmosphere, consider your lighting. While they can really serve any decorative purpose, smart lights are recommended for gamers specifically because they can contribute to setting up a style. And while this tip is primarily for those gamers who want to stream their activity (as more and more do these days), there’s something to be said for building up your own poker den atmosphere as well. There are plenty of specific smart lights to consider, but we’d suggest you look to Nanoleaf for its versatility. This brand sells smart lights in strips and panels you can arrange as you like to light your room exactly the way you want –– whatever makes you feel like you’re in a cool poker room.

Online poker can be a blast even if you simply play with your thumb on a mobile app. But with these accessories on hand, you’ll up the ante and enjoy a more immersive and satisfying gaming experience.