Saitek Handheld No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker
Review by: Ji4m
Edited by: Steve
Provided by: Saitek USA
Price: $30 Canadian

Introduction:
For those who just can't get enough poker, or those who want to learn without the embarrassment of always getting beaten in front of people for the first little while, Saitek has built this handheld poker game for you! With four play modes and three different types of opponents everyone from the new players to the advanced poker players will find some competition.

In The Box:
(1) Handheld Poker Game
(1) Plastic snap-on cover
(1) Manual

     
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Specs:
Requires 3AAA batteries

Features:
Exert from Saitek website:
Saitek introduces handheld No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker. Texas Hold’em is the most popular form of poker, made even more popular by tournaments televised each week around the world. To take advantage of this craze, Saitek has developed No Limit Texas Hold'em in a handheld format.

No Limit Texas Hold’em is designed for both advanced poker players and beginners alike, offering the perfect balance of chance and strategy to attract aficionados of all levels. Players match skills with up to three computer players, each with their own skills and style of play.

* Clear and easy to play design
* Four play modes: Easy, Normal, Selective, Head to Head, to suit beginner to expert
* 3 kinds of opponent: conservative, aggressive and statistical
* Pocket sized ( 3.7” x 6.4”)
* Snap on cover displays poker hand ranking inside
* Uses 3 AAA batteries (not included)

The included manual goes into lots of detail on both the unit and the game of texas hold'em itself. It makes it very easy to figure out for those new to the game and you'll be on the road to being an addict in no time! There is also a hard plastic lid included which snaps on to the top of the game to protect the screen and buttons from any damage. On the inside of this lid there are all the poker hands listed as a handy reference guide.

     
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The game unit itself isn't exactly "pocket sized" but that doesn't really matter. This unit is a decent size so that there is plenty of room for buttons and a nice large screen to make game play more enjoyable than trying to follow what you're doing on a tiny 1" screen like some other manufacturer's handheld games.

Closer look:
The center of the unit has a large screen with a viewable area of 3 5/32 inch's wide by 1 9/16 inches high (or 8cm by 4cm). This large screen makes the games very easy to view and certainly adds to the enjoyment compared to playing on a small screen you can hardly see. The top of the screen has the two cards for each of the 3 opponents that you can play against, Player 1 - P1, Player 2 - P2, and Player 3 - P3. The center of the screen shows the 5 cards which will be the community cards as they are dealt. To the left of the community cards is a display of the current size of the pot which can be won. At the bottom center of the screen are the 2 cards which you are dealt. The bottom left of the screen shows what mode you are in, Demo, Easy, Normal, Custom, and Head to Head. The bottom right of the screen shows your current betting amount which is controlled by the Increase/Decrease Bet button, and a display of the current size of your pot amount. This also displays the same information for the other opponents as well.
The left side of the game has the buttons for New Game, Hint, Credit, and Options.
The right side of the game has the buttons for Go/Stop, Sound, and the Increase/Decrease Bet button.
The bottom of the game has the buttons for Fold, Check/Call, Open/Raise, and Enter/Deal. Pressing both the Open/Raise and the Enter/Deal button together activates the All In command.
The back of the unit has the battery cover where you install 3 AAA batteries (not included), and the game reset button (ACL).

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