Online casino software providers sometimes create new games by hybridizing two categories. This innovativeness creates greater interest in the new game. The leading software provider Microgaming has created a sub category of games called Reel Play Poker. This is a combination of video poker and slot machine. Reel Play Poker can be accessed by selecting Video Poker in the Games Menu at Microgaming online casinos. One of the sub categories in the Video Poker menu is Reel Play Poker. The only title currently being offered under this sub category is Jacks or Better. This is the most popular video poker variant. Reel Play Poker Jacks or Better is live at all Microgaming online casinos like Vegas Palms, Golden Riviera and All Jackpots.
After the game loads the player has to first select the betting parameters. These are similar to online slots. Reel Play Poker offers up to 20 paylines and the player is advised to wager with all paylines enabled just as in online slot games. The player can wager up to 20 coins per payline and the coin dimension can be set to given values in the range from 0.01 to 0.25 credits. After selecting the betting parameters, the player clicks the Deal button. A demonstration reel is displayed below the main reels. Five cards are dealt in this demonstration reel from a single deck. As in video poker games, the player has to mark the cards that he wants to hold. This is done in the usual way by clicking on the cards. The Microgaming software marks the cards that are already in winning combinations as per the payout table. This is a convenience offered to ensure that the player does not miss out on a winning combination by oversight. Once the demonstration reel is taken care of the player clicks the Spin button to proceed with the game.
Microgaming Reel Play Poker then moves on to the main reels. These are arranged like a five reel video slot with three rows across the reels. The reels that correspond to the held cards are filled with those cards in each row. These reels then remain fixed. The remaining reels spin and when they come to rest they display the cards. These reels will have different cards in each row. In multi hand video poker games each horizontal row is an independent hand. In Reel Play Poker the hands are formed on the 20 defined paylines. A card can be a part of more than one hand. The winning combinations in any of the paylines are independently paid out according to the payout table just like in online slots. Reel Play Poker offers an advantage over video slots. In video slots like symbols have to appear on consecutive reels usually starting from the left most reel. In Reel Play Poker the cards can appear anywhere on the enabled payline. The Microgaming Reel Play Poker payout table is automatically adjusted for the number of coins wagered. Therefore the payouts are absolute values and not ratios. The regular Jacks or Better payout table is used in this Reel Play Poker variant. With 1 coin wagered the payouts begin with 1 coin for a pair of jacks and go up to 800 coins for a royal flush. With more coins wagered the payouts are in exact multiples.
