Preview: Win At Texas Hold'Em Poker

I-play is set to release Win At Texas Hold'Em Poker later this year, complete with a professional poker endorsement in the form of Daniel Negreanu.

In a nutshell
It claims to be the most advanced mobile poker game yet, focusing on razor-sharp AI to put you through your paces, although it's also keen to teach poker newbies how to play like pros.

Key features
The endorsement of pro Daniel Negreanu is key to the game, and he should be familiar to anyone who follows poker on TV. He's not just slapped on the title screen, though: you're able to consult him for advice when playing, complete with stats showing you where he's coming from.

The Learn To Win mode aims to teach you all about Texas Hold 'em, from the basics of how to play, through intermediate tips such as who to bluff or drawing hands, through to ninja-level topics like semi-bluffing and position.

The game itself enables you to choose between Quick Play and Tournament modes, with a standard six-person table layout.

Look and feel
The poker itself feels very familiar if you've played games like World Poker Tour Texas Hold'Em 2. In other words, it's just like an online poker website, with a top-down table viewpoint and avatars sitting around it.

I-play's gone for a more photorealistic look for the characters, while the controls are as simple as you'd hope. Meanwhile, the tutorials are well presented, with clear text and uncluttered visuals.

First impressions
The preview version doesn't feel quite as slick as World Poker Tour 2 in terms of slamming through hands quickly. Rival players seem to think longer, which could be where that more advanced AI is coming in.

It all works well though, and we're definitely impressed by the tutorials. Of course, there isn't space to give a guide to all the ins and outs of poker, but they seem to do a good job of covering the key topics.

Meanwhile, being able to call on Daniel Negreanu for advice seems like a neat touch, with his explanations of why you should fold/call/raise being an education in their own right.

When's it out?
Expect to see the game on operator portals in early November.