If your jurisdiction legally permits it, and you are looking to play Online Poker for real money over the Internet (or even for fun), then it is necessary that you have a suitable computer and internet configuration to support this passion. Poker is difficult enough to learn and play, and no one needs the added headache of having to worry about their computer configuration not being "powerful" enough to play. You need to spend your time on Poker game itself, and not distracting yourself with computer issues at large. Given this premise, here is a suitably recommended configuration for all of you passionate online poker players:

• Given the commoditized (i.e., low) cost of today's computer desktops and laptops, you should aim to have a computer that runs at a clock speed of at least 2.0 Ghz (that's Gigahertz folks, not Megahertz).

• Your computer should have a minimum of 1 GB (megabytes) of memory (traditionally known as Random Access Memory or RAM), but ideally should have 2 GB (gigabytes) of memory. If you can afford the small incremental cost, xxtra memory, without question, is the single biggest factor when it comes to applications running fast on your computer, and the more you have of it, the better.

• Your computer should have a minimum of 100 GB (gigabytes) of disk space (hard drive space). Hard disk drives are the media that allow you to save programs and data on your computer, from one power-up invocation to the next. Having 100 GB should be sufficient to privde storage for your Operating System files (Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, for example), a good number of Poker applications, and all other data that you typcially record on your computer system.

• We recommend dual (2) monitors for your computer, although you can surely get away with one as well. Most of today's computers, and the video cards that come with these computers, support 2 or more monitors. Using 2 monitors will provide you with the necessary screen realestate to display many poker windows at once (e.g., lobby rooms, cashier window, hand history, and multiple playing windows), and will avoid you having to need to manually toggle between all of these windows in a 1-monitor environment. Additionally, in a dual monitor scenario, you will have more screen coverage for other windows that support Poker help-tools, such as Poker Calculators or spreadsheets.

• Although some Poker vendors still support Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 2000, we recommend that you minimally have the Windows XP Professional Operating System loaded on your computer, and may want to consider the newest Windows Vista operating system.

• Internet connection-wise, we are recommending a bit more than most will recommend. We suggest that you have dual-internet connections, which means that you utilize 2 different ISP's (Internet Service Providers). They do not, however, need to both be active at the same time, when you are physically playing poker. The rationale for dual internet connections is simple - if you are playing in a Poker game and you have money at risk, and your 1 and only ISP goes down (and believe me, this will happen at some point !), you will be liable for any money that is at risk in your current game, if you cannot re-connect back into the game. In this situation, if you did have a second ISP that you could quickly connect to the Internet with, you would be able to re-establish your existing session with your Poker vendor, and continue forward with your current Poker game. Usually, most reputable Poker rooms allow for a 60-second grace period to reconnect to your session, if you are disconnected. For the recommended 2 Internet connections, we suggest that your primary ISP be a fast, broadband-based (i.e., DSL, cable modem, dedicated T1 line, for example). These types of connections are pretty cheap these days, and permit fast and superior connectivity when it comes to receiving and sending data from your Poker room (they are significantly faster than the older modem-based dial-up line solutions). For your second ISP connection, we suggest an inexpensive dial-up service (56K service service will do, if it is supported by your local telephone company in your area). A broadband Internet connection will require a dedicated modem, usually provided by your ISP. A dial-up Internet connection requires either an internal or external modem which hooks up to your telephone line.

• Make sure your computer has a mouse, to be able to point and click within your Poker application.

• Make sure your computer has speakers, so that you can hear the vendor-provided audible signals during gameplay. Audible signals are just as important as visual ones.

• Make sure your computer is equipped with a printer, so that you can print out hand history or Poker game statistics as necessary.

• An optional, but highly recommended component is a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) that sits between your electrical outlet and your computer. A UPS is also known as a Battery Backup System, and typically provides you with 30-60 minutes of power, should the electric in your home fail. Building on the concept mentioned above, a UPS can save you from aborting from an active Poker game that you are playing in. A functioning UPS will allow you to continue to play in your current game, as long as your ISP is not effected by the power outage (cable modem broadband providers, for example, typically don't connect directly into a homes' electrical system).

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