Poker Software Issues, Advice, and Quick Fix Tutorials

General Computer Fixes

Most of the problems you'll encounter running pokre software are similar to those that affect other types of programs too. Thus, we've gathered together solutions that have a high chance of working regardless of the specific poker site you're having issues with.

My tables froze up during play - I was owning! What do I do?

Before we begin with tactics on how to fix the problem, you must understand that the problem may not be fixable! At least, not by you. While we do find that most problems with a poker room's software originate on the user's machine, there certainly are other issues. The poker client you are playing on could have a bug. The site itself could be suffering from a cyber attack such as a DDOS attack. If you've ever been kicked off a site and unable to log back in, then when you do there are few tables and the client is really slow, you have probably seen these Denial of Service attacks first hand!. There are a number of possibilities, we can only attempt to fix and influence those that are on our local machines. Let's get started shall we. 

The easiest and first fix attempt for this kind of issue is shutting down your poker client and re-starting it. But that's isn't always as easy as it seems - particularly with older operating systems. If simply "clicking the x" isn't closing your poker client windows, you may have to open your taskbar and manually end the program. Right-click your taskbar at the bottom of your screen and select "Task Manager". If a list of running programs (or applications) doesn't pop up directly, click "Applications" in your Task Manager. Select the poker client program that is frozen, and then scroll over to "End Task". If a new window pops up, click "End Task" again. Wait a moment, and your poker client should shut down. Simply re-start it again, and once the poker client resumes, your tables should automatically re-open. You may have to click "My Tables" or "My Tournaments", or the like, depending on the poker client.

If that doesn't do the trick and your tables still freeze up; or, if you open your client only to see a prompt such as "connection error", it could mean the poker client server is temporarily down. However, it could also be an issue with your flash or Java programs not being up to date. ProfRB recommends having these types of programs updated anyway, so let's walk you through that procedure just to be safe.

Please follow these steps. In order!

#1 -- Uninstall the troubled poker client from your computer. Select "Control Panel", "Uninstall a program", select the poker client, and click "uninstall". We highly recommend using a more powerful 3rd party uninstallation program such as Revo Uninstaller. Please note that this program works most efficiently when it is already installed before the poker client (or any other piece of software), however, it is still far superior to the built in Windows uninstall.

#2 -- Reboot your machine.

#3 -- Delete all temporary files, cookies, and history stored in your web browser. Usually this function is found under "Settings", or a similarly-termed tab, depending on your browser. Click the appropriate browser image below for help with clearing cookies.

#4 -- Run "Windows Update" and make sure all of your Microsoft Windows components are up to date. 

#5 -- Make sure your Java, Flash, and Apple Quicktime players are all up to date with the latest versions. Visit the sites below and download the latest versions of each program.

Quicktime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Flash: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
Visit http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ after downloading Flash to make sure the latest version was properly installed.

Java: http://www.java.com
Visit http://java.com/en/download/testjava.jsp after downloading Java to make sure the latest version was properly installed.

#6 -- Reboot your computer again.

#7 -- Re-install the previously affected poker client, say a quick prayer to the poker gods, and launch the poker software.

Sometimes, poker clients receive software updates from their servers which can intermittently affect gameplay. This is rare and usually occurs only during non-peak hours (usually around 2-6am EST in the US). If this is the case, re-starting your poker client should do the trick. If you are still having issues and you did all of the above, contact Professional Rakeback and we will do our best to help you get to the bottom of your issue!

If the above steps fail to fix your issue, try these additional steps:

#1 -- The hardware that controls the display on your computer may need updating. Try to download new video card drivers for your computer system. The most popular video card manufacturers make this process very easy by detecting your video card and providing you with the most up to date drivers automatically. The most popular video card manufacturers are: 

Nvidia: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/Scan.aspx?lang=en-us

ATI: http://support.amd.com/en-us/download

#2 -- Install new video drivers.

#3 -- Reboot your machine.

#4 -- If you are still having issues, you may want to turn off any tracking software and HUDs that you are using. If your problems abate, you will need to update your software.

Poker Tracker:  http://www.pokertracker.com/products/PT4/download.php

Holdem Indicator:  http://holdemindicator.com/download.php

Holdem Manager:  http://www.holdemmanager.com/store/downloads-manuals.php

Program or Tables Fail to Fully Load

Another tactic that one might try on a Windows PC is to adjust the priority of the poker client. Windows uses priority settings to determine which software gets access to resources and in what order. Ordinarily most programs default to a "normal" process priority setting and they work just fine. Sometimes however, problems with certain poker clients have been ameliorated by raising the priority of these settings. If you choose to attempt this fix, please be advised that you should never set a process to the highest setting, aka "real time" as it can interfere with Windows core functions.

To attempt this fix:

#1 -- Open your poker client

#2 -- Visit WikiHow's Process Priority instructions (opens in another window).

#3 -- Using their instructions, locate your open poker client and adjust the process priority up to "above average".

#4 -- Try loading more tables / your poker client anew.

Users have reported this fix working most frequently on Pai Wang Luo clients Ignition, Bovada, and Bodog, as well as Horizon Poker clients Intertops and Juicy Stakes. Though this could potentially help with any client. Again though, please remember, do not over do it. Ramping up the process priority to extremely high levels could have a destabilizing effect on your Windows PC if abused.

Delete Application Data

Occasionally, your problem might be the result of incorrect application data being applied to the poker client. It may be possible to correct this issue by deleting the offending folder.

#1 --  Make sure you have Windows Explorer set to display hidden folders. In Windows 7 or 8, type "Folder Options" into the search bar, and click on it. Go over to the view tab, and make sure "Show hidden files, folders, and drives” is checked. In Windows 10, enter “folder” into the search in the taskbar, then choose “Show hidden files and folders.” Browse to the Advanced tab, and verify that “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” is checked.

#2 --  Locate the application data folder for the poker client. It will most likely be found in a location similar to:
c:\users\[Your Windows User Name]\AppData\Roaming\ignitioncasino-eu-poker

#3 --  It would be prudent at this time to make a backup of the folder before deleting it. Simply copy and paste it elsewhere, perhaps renaming it too.

#4 --  Delete the folder.

#5 --  Restart the poker client.

Removing the bad data may restore your poker client to full, normal operation. However, this step might do nothing and could even make things worse. Fortunately, you have a backup copy and can restore the folder if necessary.

The New Profile Trick

If all else fails, you can try something a bit more drastic. Because this will change the way you access Windows, we do not suggest attempting this unless as a final resort.

#1 -- Uninstall the poker program that is giving you problems.

#2 -- Navigate to your "Windows Explorer" or "Explorer" depending on your version of Windows.

#3 -- Find the main hard drive, often C:. Locate the poker room folder and delete it entirely. (Sites such as Ignition, Bovada, America's Cardroom, all WPN sites can be found here. Other sites may be found in Program Files and/or Program Files 86 folders.)

#4 -- Reboot your computer.

#5 -- Create a new profile for Windows. This is the most important part, do not skip this step!

#6 -- Reinstall the poker client.

Online Poker Software Problems - Internet Connection Issues

The Internet is a vast array of networked computers. When you connect to a website, or a poker site, you may think that your computer is directly connecting to their servers and the data is being sent to you. However, that is far from the truth. In reality, there are often times a dozen servers and sometimes up to 50 computers between you and your destination machine. These other servers are referred to as "hops" and each one passes your data packets along to the next hop until it reaches the destination and the opposite also takes place when the server sends data to you.

If any one of these computers, or hops, between you and the website you are attempting to communicate are having issues, this can affect your game play. Data packets can be lost which results in lag for you, possibly even disconnection from the gaming servers. Players often times assume that it is the poker site causing the problems because they can surf other websites, play other poker sites, etc. However, one must keep in mind that the route that data travels is vastly different for each different website or gambling site that you are attempting to communicate with.

There are a couple of things you can do to help mitigate these issues. Here are our suggestions:

Change Your DNS Servers

Your Internet Service Provider, or ISP, provides a service called Domain Name Servers, or DNS. DNS basically act like Internet phone books and help computers translate the URL that you type in, such as into an Internet Protocol, or IP address that your computer uses to locate the actual computer that hosts that website. This DNS directory operated by your ISP may not be the most swift thing in the world. It make take it 48 hours or more to update certain sections of its "phone book." The problem with this is that if one of those "hops" above is acting up, the DNS is responsible for providing your computer with the information necessary to reroute your traffic to a faster and more reliable path. Why ISPs are slow to update their DNS we have no idea, but it has been this way for decades now.

Fortunately there are a few alternatives. The one we recommend the most is provided by CloudFlare, an industry leader in cloud computing, routing, and DNS authority. The other two alternatives are provided by OpenDNS and the big Google itself. These free to use DNS servers can help improve your browsing and subsequently your poker play, as they are updated far more rapidly than most ISP operated DNS servers.  Here is how you can go about reconfiguring your Internet connection to use them instead of the clunky DNS servers provided by your ISP.

If you know how to change your DNS servers, simply input one of these three sets in place of your network assigned DNS:

Cloudflare DNS

Preferred: 1.1.1.1
Alternate: 1.0.0.1

Google DNS

Preferred: 8.8.8.8
Alternate: 8.8.4.4

OpenDNS

Preferred: 208.67.222.222
Alternate: 208.67.220.220

If you need assistance in updating your DNS, the guys over at HowToGeek have a wonderful step by step walk-through with pictures for you to use.

Reset Your Winsock Adapter (For Windows PCs)

Also, resetting your Winsock adapter fixes a number of network related issues. A reset of your Winsock adapter basically resets your network adapter’s software to default. If you want to know more about the technical nature of what you're doing with a Winsock reset, you can search for phrases such as "winsock reset", or "comms reinstall". Otherwise, this process is very simple and you can do it yourself in under a minute using the following instructions

#1 -- Run command prompt as administrator.

#2 -- Type "netsh winsock reset" in the window.

#3 -- Reboot your computer.

If you are having difficulty or want a step-by-step guide with pictures you can check out this guide.

Quick Fixes for Mac-Related Poker Problems

You paid a pretty penny for your Mac. Odds are you did so because Macs tend to run so much more smoothly and are more user-friendly than your average Windows PC.  Unfortunately, even the exalted Mac has issues with poker sites sometimes. Below you will find ideas on how to fix any stubborn problems you may be having so that you can get back to grinding ASAP!

Far and away the easiest solution is to delete the offending poker client and start anew. Here's how:

1. Locate and delete the program from "Applications"
2. Open Chrome and then open the following panels > Preferences > Settings > Show advanced settings > Privacy > Content settings > All cookies and site data > Search for the offending poker room (typically in lower case) > Remove all shown entries
3. Restart OS X
4. Download the newest version of the poker client using Chrome browser
5. Say a quick prayer to the poker gods (perhaps the most important step)
6. Install as the newest version of the poker client as you normally would
7. Enjoy a smoother experience on the tables

Delete Application Data

Sometimes, the application data for poker clients becomes corrupted. You might be able to correct this by deleting the proper folder.

#1 --  Open the Finder, and then click "Go"and then "Go to Folder."

#2 --  Type in "~/Library/Application Support". Then press "Go."

#3 --  Find the folder that corresponds to the poker site you're having trouble with, e.g., ignitioncasino-eu-poker.

#4 --  Delete the folder although you may wish to copy it elsewhere first as a backup.

#5 --  Restart the poker client.

In case this folder was the culprit, deleting it might restore your poker client to full functionality. However, if this wasn't in fact the problem, then the deletion of the folder may not accomplish anything and might even make things worse. That's why you ideally made a backup first before deleting, and you can restore it if this procedure did not solve the predicament.

Adding Read and Execute Permissions

It is possible that when attempting to install a new poker site on your Mac, you may run into the error "this application XXXX can't be opened".

This can be very frustrating because uninstalling and reinstalling does not often work. We still haven't figured out why this error happens, though it could be related to improperly set up user groups. Regardless of the original of the problem, we can offer a potential solution. Change your read and execute permissions for the program. In this instance we are going to use Bovada as an example, though you can modify this procedure for any poker app that you're having difficulty installing. Here are the steps to follow: 

1. Go to "applications" or /Applications/Utilities depending on your operating system
2. Double click on "terminal"
3. Copy this line: cd /Applications/BovadaPoker.app/Contents
4. Paste the line from step 3 into the terminal and press enter
5. Copy this line: sudo chmod g+rx BovadaPoker
   (you may receive a warning about using "sudo" to enable superuser mode, as long as you are copy/pasting only this line, you will be fine to ignore that warning and proceed)
6. Paste the line from step 5 into the terminal and press enter
7. When prompted for a password, enter the password for your Mac (not the poker client!
8. Test your poker client to see if the ability to open the app has been restored.

Site-Specific Fixes

There are some glitches and errors that tend to crop up only on some sites and not others. We've highlighted below some of the site-specific snafus that you might encounter along with info on how to correct them.

Americas Cardroom

I tried to install America's Cardroom's Mac client and the app simply will not open. What do I do? - Your first step is to locate the folder on your computer called "Applications". Once you have located this folder, you must right click on "AmericasCardroomPoker". Within you will find "show package contents". You must then click on "Content" and again on "MacOS". Now that you have dug deep into the directory structure, you should see an executable file. You must double click on this file. When you do this, another file will be created. They will be similar, but the second file will have a "32" attached to its tail end. This is the file you need. You may now double click it in order to run the America's Cardroom Mac poker client.

After logging into the Americas Cardroom Windows client, I cannot interact with the program in any way. - Some Windows 10 users have reported that after entering in their login credentials, they're unable to click on any game, column, or button in the lobby. This also happens sometimes with BlackChip Poker and other Winning Poker Network sites. It may be possible to remedy this problem by running the poker client as Administrator. To do so, right click on the icon and navigate to “More.” Then choose “Run as administrator” from the menu that appears. If this doesn't yield the results you want, you might want to try adding the poker client executable to your anti-virus software's list of exceptions.

Ignition/Bovada

My table freezes sometimes after a hand, and then I have to exit and click Take My Seat to rejoin. Is there a way to avoid this? - The Ignition software, shared with Bodog and Bovada on the PaiWangLuo Network, is by no means among the slickest and smoothest on the internet – even the most diehard fans of the site must admit this. As such, it's susceptible to all manner of slowdowns and semi-random freezes. However, you can reduce the likelihood of suffering from these hassles by disabling animations. Click on the settings icon in the lobby (it looks like a couple of gears). Then make sure “Show Gameplay Animation” and “Show Winning Hands Animations” are unchecked.

The Ignition hand history viewer doesn't work; how can I fix this? - The majority of users who encounter a broken Ignition hand history viewer are using Windows 7. Some of the Windows Basic themes don't play nicely with this piece of software. The solution is simple. Switch your Windows theme from a Basic theme to one of the default Aero themes.

Every time I try to log into my account on the website, I get a message saying my password/email are incorrect, but I am certain I've typed them correctly. What's going on? - This is a problem that tends to affect mobile users, but we've heard stories from time to time of individuals on desktops also encountering this issue. The best way to proceed is by clearing the cache and history in your web browser and disabling any ad blocking software that you're using. This successfully resolves the vast majority of these kinds of incidents.

When I go to the Ignition website, I get an error message saying “NOT AVAILABLE/Sorry, Ignition hasn't come to your region yet.” How do I solve this? - Ignition and its partner brands – Bovada, Bodog.eu, Bodog.com, Bodog88, Bodog India – have very strict geographic restrictions on their user bases. Assuming this is not the issue, and you are within the designated service area of the site whose website you're visiting, this may be a problem with your router especially if you're using WiFi. A simple router reboot resolves this problem in the majority of cases. Your router's RAM, cache, and other resources may be all filled up particularly if you have left it running for a long time. By rebooting, you clear all the junk out of it, which can lead to better performance.

When trying to play at Bovada/Ignition on my iPhone, my screen keeps blinking and flashing to the point that the game is almost unplayable. Is there a fix? - Some have reported experiencing this problem and have successfully resolved it by swiping and dragging the screen as far as possible in every direction. If this doesn't work, you can try updating your phone and clearing your browser cache.

When I open the Ignition Poker client, it comes up as just a black screen with an options menu in the top-right. Is there a quick fix for this issue? - Many users have reported this occurrence particularly those living in Australia. A lot of players have resolved it by changing the language in the options menu and then restarting the client.

Chico

When I try to open up the BetOnline/Sportsbetting/TigerGaming software, I get a message saying that the game client is “taking too long to start” and will close. How can I log on and play poker?

Sportsbetting.ag Poker Sometimes Shows This Error When Trying to Open It

The dialog box that appears when players encounter this error suggests that the problem might be related to outdated video drivers, antivirus settings, or Windows security settings. However, in our experience, the best way to circumvent this warning message is by running the poker client as Administrator. Right click the icon for the poker room, and choose “Run as administrator.” You may have to click OK on a separate pop-up that may appear. If you're like most users who have encountered this snafu, the program should now work perfectly once you run it as administrator.

Other Resources

Two Plus Two - Technical Help Forum
Poker Tracker - Support Forum
Holdem Manager - Support Forum

User Input

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