The new and improved Betfair Poker Plus software with the changes you've been asking for has arrived. This section of betfairpoker.com will tell you all what you want to know about this release.

• What's new with Betfair Poker Plus?
• How do I download it?
• How do I stretch the windows?
• How do I play multiple windows?
• User key
• How many tables can I play or watch at the same time?
• Can you download Betfair Poker Plus on any computer?
• What can I do if I have problems with Betfair Poker Plus?
• The Betfair Poker Pledge
• Software launch promotion

What's new with Betfair Poker Plus?

Betfair Poker Plus is a new version of Betfair's poker software that allows you to generate multiple tables in separate windows and then stretch, shrink and arrange them around your screen to suit you.

This break from the rigid display options of earlier versions of our software will give you much more freedom over how you want to play your poker. If you like to focus on one table then you can choose to fill your screen by playing at 200% standard size, alternatively you could shrink down to the smallest 70% size and get on with other things on your PC at the same time.

And for those of you who like to multi-table, it's a real treat as you can now "comfortably" operate up to 15 windows at the same time with quick and easy layered table formatting.

On top of all these developments, there are also additional usability changes such as being able to scroll the lobby with your mouse "track wheel" which will make finding your desired game even easier.

How do I download it?

If you already have the previous software version on your desktop then from April 30th 2007 the first time that you load up Betfair Poker you'll be prompted to decide between downloading the new Betfair Poker Plus software or upgrading the "Standard" software that will have all of the new features except you will not be able to re-size the windows. The "Standard" option may be the preferred route of some players on lower spec computers or those who suffer from slow connection speeds. Click to download Betfair Poker Plus software.

If you have installed Betfair Poker Plus and then find that it isn't optimal with your computer even after checking DirectX and graphics driver issues you should close down and select Betfair Poker Standard instead.

If when loading Betfair Poker Plus you selected "Always launch this version" you have the following options:

• Uninstall and reinstall the client
• Delete the file called "runmode" (that will have been created in your installation directory) and then restart the client.

How do I stretch the windows in Betfair Poker Plus?

Just grab the window on any of the four sides or corners with your mouse and drag inwards or outwards, in exactly the same way that you'd re-size a Microsoft window.

Instant re-sizes - A button in the top right that allows you to instantly return to the standard 1:1 size or alternatively you can increase to the maximum size by double clicking on the top bar.

How do I play multiple windows?

Loading multiple windows is easy. We've given you complete control.

Firstly, if you register for a new tournament or cash game then it will automatically load up in the same window as you are currently in. There's no longer any need for the green button that tells you that your tournament is about to start, it just automatically arrives on your screen. If you register for multiple Sit and Gos or MTTs at the same time then it will automatically generate a new table when the tournament is ready to start. You won't need to close screens or navigate around, the poker comes to you.

If at any time you want to open a new view of the lobby to look at your tournament status, find your friends or register for a new game then you're just one click away. The button in the top right (closest to the table) will load a new window without interfering with what you were doing. For example, click this five times and you'll get five new windows, it's as simple as that!

You are able to open up to 15 tables at any one time. Clicking on the generate window button may stop you at nine windows but you will be able to generate further windows simply by entering tournaments that will auto-generate additional windows.

Check out the User Key below for the full guide to how the top right navigation works.

User key

So, what do the new navigation buttons mean? Here's your User Key:

		Generate a new window - Click this at any time and you will open a new window with a view of the poker lobby.
		New horizontally combined windows - creates other view(s) combined to the right of this window.
		New vertically combined windows - creates other view(s) combined below this window.
		Separate - If you have merged windows together but wish to split them, click on this button and they will automatically separate.
		Sort your windows - However many windows you have open, this button will tile them for you. This is handy if you have a number of windows open at different sizes and want to revert back to a more uniform view.
		Return to standard size - Click this to return to the original window size if you have previously stretched or shrunk it.

How many tables can I play or watch at the same time?

In the new software, you are able to open up to 15 tables. Clicking on the generate window button may stop you at nine windows but you will be able to generate further windows simply by entering tournaments that will auto-generate additional windows.

Can you download Betfair Poker Plus on any computer?

Running Betfair Poker Plus requires any given computer to have both an up to date version of DirectX and graphics drivers.

DirectX is simply a free core Windows® technology that drives high-speed multimedia and games on your PC. It is included as part of your standard Windows installation but upgrades are optional and not part of the standard Windows update service.

If your DirectX is not up to date, you will be prompted to upgrade when you first download Betfair Poker Plus and it should just feel like part of the overall upgrade process.

Running Betfair Poker Plus may also require some players to update their graphics drivers.

If you are prompted to do this you will need to identify your current graphics driver. To do this right-click on the desktop and choose 'Properties', then 'Settings', then 'Advanced', then 'Adapter' and Adapter Type will be shown. It should say something like X800, or Intel 829345G or FX5200 etc. Now go to the relevant site and get your driver (e.g. www.ati.com, www.nvidia.com, www.intel.com, www.dell.com) and find the correct driver for the machine/operating system. Install it and reboot.

If this does not work, your system might not meet the minimal specification to run in this version. Not to worry though, you can still enjoy Betfair Poker by choosing to play in the Standard version of the software. This boasts all of the new features except the ability to re-size your windows.

If you are operating on Windows Vista and experience any problems when attempting to run the poker client please read the instructions within our Help section under Installation.

The new software is unfortunately still not compatible with Apple Mac computers.

What can I do if I have problems with Betfair Poker Plus?

If you have read through this page and are still having problems downloading the Betfair Poker Plus software then you can contact our 24hr helpdesk team on:

Email: pokerinfo@betfair.com
UK: 0870 9080 120
Outside UK: +44 207 074 7272

They will endeavour to resolve your issues there and then or alternatively seek advice from the development team and then contact you back as soon as possible. Please bear in mind that some computers will fall under the minimum spec and will therefore be limited to the Standard version of the software.

Betfair Poker Pledge.

Betfair Poker is dedicated to producing a stable and fun platform with which to play poker.

Betfair Poker is committed to developing a product that will become the ultimate platform for poker players to enjoy their favourite game. With this overall objective, Betfair Poker will continue to improve their platform week by week, month by month, year by year.

Software Launch Promotion

Click here to check out our $50,000 promotion to support the launch of Betfair Poker Plus.

How strong is your starting Texas Hold'em hand?

Find out now with our handy Hold'em or Fold'em starting cards evaluator.

If you're new to the game and find yourself calling a few too many hands in the hope of catching cards then use the Hold'em or Fold'em tool to see whether or not you should actually be playing those particular cards.

These are the standard hand rankings used in the game of Poker. The player holding five cards of the highest value wins the pot.

Royal Flush:

An Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten in the same suit.
If two or more players have a Royal Flush, the pot will be equally split between them.

Straight Flush:

Five cards of the same suit in sequence.
If two or more players have a Straight Flush: Highest value card at the top of the sequence wins the pot. If two or more players have the same straight flush then the pot is shared.

Four of a Kind:

Four cards of the same value, plus a side card.
In the event when there is more than one player with a Four of a Kind; the player with the highest Four of a Kind wins the pot. In Hold'em games, where players have the same four of a kind, the highest fifth side card ("kicker") wins.

Full House:

A combination of Three of a Kind and a Pair.
Three of a kind decides the strength of the hand. In "flop" games when players have the same three cards, higher pair wins the pot.

Flush:

Five suited cards.
When two or more players have a Flush, the player holding the highest value card wins. If necessary, the second-highest, third-highest, etc. can be used to find the winner.

Straight:

Any five cards in sequence.
The player holding the highest-ranking card at the top of the sequence wins in case of a tie.

Three of a Kind:

Three cards of the same value and two side cards.

Two Pair:

Two separate pairs plus a side card.
If two players have the same highest pair, the value of the second pair determines who wins the pot. If two players have the same Two Pairs, the player holding the highest fifth card "kicker" wins the pot.

One Pair:

Two cards of the same rank and three side cards.
If two players have the same pair, the next highest card wins, and if necessary, the second-highest and third-highest side card determines who wins the pot.

High Card:

The player with the highest card wins the pot.

Poker Buddy - Betfair's latest development

Poker Buddy is a completely free tool to help tune your game and make browsing Hand Histories and tracking results easier than ever before. Simply download and install the free software.

Poker Buddy can store a database of all your hand histories on Betfair Poker in one place, including Cash Games and Tournaments across both Hold'em and Omaha. This makes it easier than ever to track your results and improve your play over time. View hands from Cash Games and Tournaments. View hands from NL/PL Hold'em, Fixed Limit Holdem and PL Omaha. Search for hands against specific opponents. View Profit & Loss from all cash sessions. View all your sessions within a specified period of time.

Poker Buddy makes it easy to review your Betfair Poker hand histories at a glance, grouping your hands into sessions for easy browsing. You can keep track of your profit and loss for different games to see what works for you. You can even search for hands you've played against specific opponents to see if you come out on top. We'll be adding even more features to Poker Buddy over the coming months, so watch this space for updates on what else is new from Betfair Poker!

Got a question about Poker Buddy? Just click here for our FAQ section.