Microgaming Poker Network

Microgaming’s reputation in the online casino business is second to none, having led all comers since its foundation back in the early 1990s. The company’s poker software, on the other hand, has largely gone under the radar outside of Europe.

That is all set to change from 2015 onwards with the rebooted Microgaming Poker Network (MPN), which will bring the British firm’s signature blend of innovation, reliability and cross-platform gameplay quality to a worldwide audience.

What is Microgaming?

Based on the Isle of Man, Microgaming is the foremost developer of online gambling software for real money casino sites. It is one of the oldest companies of its kind, having created the first fully fledged Internet casino way back in 1994.

These days, there are thousands of real money gambling sites which use Microgaming software interfaces for desktop and mobile play. And, with a vast catalogue of video pokies, progressive jackpot slots, blackjack, roulette games and much more, MG is also a staple contributor to online casinos which stock titles from multiple software providers.

Microgaming sites are renowned for their fairness, reliability and high gameplay performance, and the brand’s online poker rooms are no different. For an idea of the kind of blue-ribbon quality to expect when the MPN becomes more widely available to online poker players, check out our list of trusted online gambling websites offering Microgaming software.

MPN software platforms

As with leading Microgaming casinos like Casino-Mate.com, the MPN gives players unprecedented flexibility and performance across all major online gaming platforms.

• Microsoft Windows client
  Downloadable PC software is still the most popular way to play real money poker online, and Microgaming’s complete suite is one of the vert best out there. You get the whole kit and caboodle with this thing: customisable skins and Fun View themes, 100+ player avatars to choose from, and the complete range of Microgaming poker rooms.
• Mac OS software
  Unlike most online poker networks, Microgaming caters for the burgeoning market of Apple users with a full-download software client for iMac and MacBook computers. Just like the Mac OS operating system itself, the suite is very sleek and incredibly easy to use. If you want all the functionality of instant play but with the easy desktop access of the Windows poker suite, this is the way to go.
• Instant play
  This platform is all but identical to the Mac poker client, except you can play it on any Flash-friendly operating system via your Web browser. This is great for people who don’t always play on the same device. You might not get quite as many extra features as the full Windows PC download, but the good stuff – a great range of online poker games in an attractive, user-friendly package – is all there.
• Mobile poker
  Microgaming’s mobile casino products are renowned for their intuitive gameplay on all major smartphone and tablet brands, and its poker equivalent is no different. The MPN mobile client works wonderfully well on Apple iOS and Google Android devices alike, with an intuitive touch-and-swipe gameplay interface which makes it almost ludicrously easy to play real cash poker anywhere you can get a solid data connection.

Online poker games

Texas hold’em, Omaha and Omaha hi/lo, seven card stud, five card stud, razz – whatever your fancy, the MPN has you covered. Microgaming runs thousands of real cash poker games to suit players of every calibre, from micro buy-ins of just a few cents to huge high-stakes poker tournaments with hundreds of thousands of dollars to be won. There are also several exciting gameplay formats to choose from:

• Blaze Poker
  This is Microgaming’s answer to fast-fold formats like Rush Poker (Full Tilt) and Zoom Poker (PokerStars). Instead of joining one game, you enter a large pool of players who move from table to table after each hand. As soon as you fold or win a pot, you are immediately dealt in at a new table. This is some of the fastest poker action on the Web, and the ability to enter the pool multiple times means you can feasibly play over 100 hands per hour – if you can handle the pace, that is.
• Sit n’ Go tournaments
  The ever-popular Sit & Go (SNG) format does away with scheduled starting times, with tournaments beginning as soon as all the seats are filled. Turbo and Super Turbo SNGs speed up the play even further with shorter blinds, while buy-in stakes ranging from pocket change to over $1000 cater for players of all levels. MPN Sit n’ Go tables can be played with a full ring (nine players), 6-max (six players), or Heads Up structure (two players).
• Cash games
  Online cash games (also called ring games) run all day, every day, so you can buy in and cash out whenever you like. All the major poker variants are covered, with no limit, pot limit and fixed limit betting all available. MPN cash games also feature ‘Anonymous Tables’, which hide your username and profile details for an added layer of extra protection against sharks and bots.

Multi-Table Tournaments

MTTs are the lifeblood of Internet poker. The MPN runs an enormous array of scheduled poker tournaments every day, ranging from traditional freeze-out events to quirky, original formats designed specifically for online play.

• Guaranteed tournaments
  Even if there aren’t enough entrants to meet the advertised prize pool, the network will make up the difference. So if it says $100,000 guaranteed, that’s exactly what it means.
• Satellite tournaments
  Instead of a straight-up cash prize, players compete for entry into a bigger, more lucrative tournament. This is a great way for skilled players to earn a seat at major live poker events – like the MPN Poker Tour – without having to fork over a week’s wages.
• Freeroll tournaments
  Play for real rewards with no buy-in or entry fee required. The MPN $500 New Player Freerolls are especially good value, as they offer budding poker enthusiasts the chance to build a bankroll without risking any hard cash.
• Rebuy tournaments
  When you bust out of a rebuy tourney, you have the option to purchase a new stack of chips and keep your spot at the table. Some events offer unlimited rebuys, while others – like MPN’s 1R1A tournaments (one rebuy, one add-on) – restrict the number of times you can reset your stack.
• Heads Up tournaments
  Two players enter, but only one survives. This one-on-one poker format is structured much like the elimination phase of a major sporting tournament, as entrants are grouped on either side of the draw and must progress through various brackets to reach the final table.
• Deep Stack tournaments
  The traditionalist love Deep Stack tournaments, as longer blind levels and larger starting stacks allow for a more languid, thoughtful rate of play than you get with other, more modern competitive poker setups.
• Turbo tournaments
  This is the opposite of Deep Stack poker, with shorter blinds and quicker eliminations. Super Turbo tournaments are even faster, with levels lasting as little as three minutes apiece.
• Big Ante tournaments
  With larger forced bets than standard (usually half the small blind), Big Ante tourneys put more dosh in the starting pot and thus encourage a looser, more adventurous style of play.
• Survivor tournaments
  Exclusive to the Microgaming Poker Network, the Survivor format axes the bottom 10% by number of chips at the end of each blind level. Those who make it all the way through share the prize pool evenly.
• Bounty tournaments
  Whenever you knock a player out of the tournament, you win a bounty bonus. Regular Bounty events split your buy-in between elimination incentives and the overall prize pool, while Super Bounty tournaments put it all towards knockout prizes – so the only way to cash up is to dump someone out.
• Flip tournaments
  Every player is all-in, all the time. There is no skill involved here, which is why MPN Flip events are usually free to enter.