Frequently Asked Questions

Updated 2024-02-29
  1. Does Poker Mavens require a dedicated server?
  2. Can I install the game server on a virtual private server (VPS) or cloud server?
  3. Can I install Poker Mavens on my web site?
  4. How do I customize the poker table graphics?
  5. How do I get the SMTP email functions to work with the Secure Connection option?
  6. Can I use Google's Gmail SMTP server for the email functions?
  7. How many simultaneous logins does Poker Mavens support?
  8. Is the system scalable?
  9. What programming language is Poker Mavens written in and is the source code available?
  10. I would like some custom features, can I get a custom version made?
  11. Where can I hire a programmer to customize my web site using the Poker Mavens API?
  12. Which web browsers work with Poker Mavens?
  13. How do I backup or move the player accounts and other site data?
  14. How do I remove the Briggs Softworks branding from the player client?
  15. Can I use Poker Mavens as a real-money gaming site with deposits and cashouts?
  16. How do I fix the "Could not bind socket..." error when trying to go online?
  17. How can I use the encrypted SSL option in Poker Mavens?
  18. Why do my Language tab changes not show up in the client?
  19. What is the difference between the PRake, ERake, and TFees values in the account settings?
  20. Is the software license a paid subscription or a one-time fee and how do I get updates?



  1. Does Poker Mavens require a dedicated server?

    The Poker Mavens server module is a conventional Windows application so it will run on a regular desktop computer (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10) as well as dedicated server or VPS running Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2019. On a residential cable modem or DSL Internet connection, the upstream bandwidth (or lack thereof) will be your bottleneck so the Lite version (with its single table limit) is probably more suited for that installation. You can test your downlink and uplink speeds at www.speedtest.net. Pro/Gold version users who expect more players (dozens to hundreds) may want to consider a VPS or dedicated option from a hosting service, as described in the next item.

  2. Can I install the game server on a virtual private server (VPS) or cloud server?

    Yes, any Windows VPS / Windows cloud server running Server 2003/2008/2012/2016/2019 will run Poker Mavens. The official Poker Mavens demo site is running on a low-cost Windows cloud hosting system provided by Atlantic.net. Use Remote Desktop Connection to connect to your remote server from your local PC to install and manage the poker server. The RDC program is included with all versions of Windows under Start | All Programs | Accessories | Communications. Enter your remote server's IP address (or domain name) to connect. You will be prompted for a user ID (Administrator) and the corresponding password. Once logged in, the interface will appear as a normal Windows desktop.

    In the Options section of RDC, check the Drives box under Local Resources so that the copy of Windows Explorer on the remote server can see the disk drives of your local PC. Then you can simply copy and paste files between the two computers. Or use a free cloud drive service like Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox, etc., to copy files between computers. Or via Resilio Sync, which performs a direct transfer without using a third-party cloud service.

    Important: Immediately after installing Poker Mavens on your remote server, you will need to add the PMServer.exe program to the Windows Firewall "Allow" list. Click the Windows Start button, Control Panel, System and Security, Allow a program/app through Windows Firewall (under the Windows Firewall header). Click the "Allow another program" button below the list. If it is disabled then first click the "Change settings" button that appears above the list. Then navigate your way to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Briggs Softworks\Poker Mavens 6\" and select the PMServer.exe program file. Also note that some of the larger hosting systems like Amazon Web Services (AWS) may have their own firewall that you will need to configure, in addition to the Windows firewall.

  3. Update: Version 7 has a built-in "Windows Firewall" button in the Service Manager. Just click that and then the "Add" button to prevent Windows from blocking incoming connections.

  4. Can I install Poker Mavens on my web site?

    Not directly if it's on a shared server. Most low cost web hosts are running hundreds of accounts on a single server and thus will not allow custom software to be installed that could potentially bring down their system. You can, however, install your poker server on an external system and then embed that link in a popup window on your existing web site. Or even inside an iframe like this (change the "src" value to your actual IP or domain):

        <!DOCTYPE html>
        <html>
        <head>
          <title>My Poker Site</title>
          <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
          <meta name="mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
          <style type="text/css">
            div { position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px; bottom: 0px; }
            iframe { width: 100%; height: 100%; border: none; }
            body, html { margin: 0; padding: 0; overflow: hidden; }
          </style>
        </head>
        <body>
          <div>
            <iframe src="http://127.0.0.1:8087"></iframe>
          </div>
        </body>
        </html>
      
  5. Warning: iOS Safari on iPhones does not play well with iframes. It will not scale correctly without some kludgey javascript tweeks to the iframe sizing. And it also does not support cross-domain local storage, which means the client will not remember the player's login settings (or any other local settings) between sessions. Android Chrome does not have these issues but you should provide your mobile device players with direct links to your poker server and only implement iframe links for desktop players.

  6. How do I customize the poker table graphics?

    This feature is only available in the Pro and Gold versions. See the table template page for instructions.

  7. How do I get the SMTP email functions to work with the Secure Connection option?

    The TLS encryption functions used in the secure connection option require an external library from by the OpenSSL Project, which provides a link to a Windows installation package. Alternatively you can download and unzip the raw 32-bit DLL or 64-bit DLL files and copy them to the Poker Mavens program folder where PMServer.exe is installed. Also, you may need to use port 465 or 587 instead of 25 for the secure connection, depending on the requirements of your Internet service provider.

  8. Can I use Google's Gmail SMTP server for the email functions?

    Yes. Google requires a secure connection so install the OpenSSL DLL's as described above. Then set the following parameters in the Poker Mavens SMTP Server group:

    • Host server: smtp.gmail.com
    • Host port: 465
    • Username: (your gmail address)
    • Password: (your gmail/app password)
    • From address: (your gmail address)
    • Secure connection: Yes

    Important: The SMTP component in Poker Mavens does not have OAuth support so you have to enable the less secure apps option in your Gmail account settings when using your gmail password. If you do that then create a separate Gmail account just for the poker server.

    The better option is to enable "2-Step Verification" in your Gmail security settings and then create a custom App Password just for this feature. Enter that password in your SMTP Server password field.

  9. How many simultaneous logins does Poker Mavens support?

    That depends on your Internet bandwidth (upstream and downstream) and system resources such as cpu speed and available ram. A fast system on a 100 Mbps connection should be able to support a few hundred players.

  10. Is the system scalable?
  11. Not very. However, you could purchase multiple licenses and run multiple servers. Then using a centralized web interface, account management and logins could be handled via the Poker Mavens API to connect players to the available poker servers.

  12. What programming language is Poker Mavens written in and is the source code available?

    The server is written in Delphi XE5. The player client is written in HTML5 and Javascript. The source code is not published or licensed for sale.

  13. I would like some custom features, can I get a custom version made?

    Sorry, no. The software is too complex to try and maintain parallel versions on the side. If you have a feature request with wide appeal, please post a message in the Wish List section of the support forums.

  14. Where can I hire a programmer to customize my web site using the Poker Mavens API?

    PHP and other web language programmers are plentiful and can be found at work-for-hire sites such as Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, Toptal. You can direct your prospective bidders to the trial version of the software and the API documentation and examples.

  15. Which web browsers work with Poker Mavens?

    Poker Mavens requires a web browser that supports the WebSockets feature of HTML5. These include: Internet Explorer 10+, FireFox 11+ (Windows/Android), Chrome 14+ (Windows/Android/iOS), Opera 12.1+, Safari 6+ (Mac/iOS).

  16. How do I backup or move the player accounts and other site data?

    Poker Mavens stores all settings and accounts in various files in a "data folder". To see the exact location of your data folder, click the Help button on the System toolbar and select "Locate data folder" (or click the "Data Folder" button in the version 7 Service Manager). On newer versions of Windows, the default location is here:

    C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Poker Mavens 6\

    For older versions of Windows (XP or earlier), the default location is here:

    C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Poker Mavens 6\

    Beginning with version 7, the location is here:

    C:\Users\Public\Documents\Briggs Softworks\Poker Mavens 7\

    Prior to version 7 the [username] will be your actual Windows user name (e.g., "Administrator", etc.). The top level "Poker Mavens X" folder will contain several files with .db and .xml extensions. Under this folder are subfolders HandHistory, Logs, and TourneyResults that contain various log files for your site. AppData may be a hidden folder on your system so you may need to turn on the display of hidden folders in Windows Explorer if you are navigating there manually. You can use an archiving tool like 7-Zip to make a backup copy of your data folder into a single zip file. Note that when moving your site to a new machine, you will have to manually enter your license key again as it is not saved with the other settings.

  17. How do I remove the Briggs Softworks branding from the player client?

    This option is only available in the Gold version of Poker Mavens. Branding is controlled by these three settings located in the Client Settings/Client Media groups on the System tab:

    • Remove About dialog - Select Yes to remove the Help|About dialog in the player client that displays the Poker Mavens copyright message.
    • Background logo - Enter the full path of a local image file (GIF, PNG, or JPG) to use as the background logo. Leave this value blank to use the default Poker Mavens logo or enter "none" for no graphic.
    • Background logo link - Enter an optional URL (beginning with http://) of a target web page to display in a popup window when a player clicks your background logo.

  18. Can I use Poker Mavens as a real-money gaming site with deposits and cashouts?

    Poker Mavens was designed as a play-money system, but more importantly, doing so would not be legal in most countries. Governments that did allow it would likely require you to have an expensive gaming license. In many states in the U.S., private home games are legal as long as there are no rake or entry fees collected by the host. Legal ways to operate a for-profit site generally involve using advertising and/or paid subscriptions. Payouts awarded under those types of sites usually fall under the local sweepstakes laws. There is no built-in deposit/withdrawal gateway but the Poker Mavens API includes commands for adding and subtracting chips to individual player accounts. So it can be used to design a custom made system.

  19. How do I fix the "Could not bind socket..." error when trying to go online?

    This can be caused by any of these situations:

    1. You are on a LAN and your Local IP address has changed. Double-click the "Local IP address" setting in the Poker Mavens Server Settings group (or Service Manager in version 7). This will scan your system and display the IPs that are currently available. In addition to the localhost address of 127.0.0.1, check the box next to your current LAN IP (in version 4.00 or later, just check the "All" box). Click this link for instructions on how to create a static LAN IP address.

    2. Another copy of Poker Mavens is already running on the same computer under a different Windows login. Right-click on the Windows taskbar and click Start Task Manager. On the Processes tab, enable the option at the bottom to "Show processes from all users". Then check the list to see if another PMServer.exe is running, which can be stopped with the End Process button.

    3. Another program is already using one of the ports that Poker Mavens is set to use. Download and run the free TCPView utility and see what other program is using the same File Port (default is 8087) or Packet Port (default is 8088) that you have set in the Site Information group. In version 7 the File Port is now called the HTTP Port (defaults to 80) and the Packet Port is now the WS Port (defaults to 8080).

  20. How can I use the encrypted SSL option in Poker Mavens?

    This feature is available in the Gold edition, beginning with version 4.00 and the Pro edition, beginning with version 6.16, and all editions beginning with version 7.00.

    You will need a domain name for your site (which you can get at a domain name registrar like GoDaddy) and preferably a static IP address for that domain name. Typically this rules out a home installation. See FAQ item #2 above for info on getting a remote Windows cloud server.

    Instructions for creating a Certificate Signing Request file are available on the Utilities page. You will also need to put the required OpenSSL 32-bit DLL or 64-bit DLL (for 64-bit Gold edition) files into the program folder where PMServer.exe is installed.

    You can get a free SSL cert by creating an account at CloudFlare and use them as a reverse proxy. This not only gives you DDOS protection against hackers, even their free option includes an SSL cert. See this forum thread for more information.

  21. Why do my Language tab changes not show up in the client?

    To activate any changes you make on the Language tab, set "Enable custom language x" to "Yes" in the Client Settings group on the System tab.

  22. What is the difference between the PRake, ERake, and TFees values in the account settings?

    The PRake and ERake values show the player's accumulated rake contributions in ring games (calculated two different ways, described below). The TFees value shows the player's entry/rebuy/add-on fee (not the buy-in) contributions in tournaments. Those apply to your primary currency tables. The equivalent PRake2, ERake2, and TFees2 values track your secondary currency. Typically a site administrator would use these values to implement a rakeback program or frequently player point system, etc. The PRake value is incremented using a proportional calculation based on the amount of chips the player puts in the pot whereas the ERake value is incremented with an equal share of the rake for everyone who was dealt in the hand. For example, in a 5% rake table Player A folds before the flop and puts nothing in the pot. Players B and C play the hand to the end, each putting in 900 chips for an 1800 chip pot that is raked 90 chips. All 3 players get 30 chips added to their ERake value. Player A's PRake value is not changed while Player B and C get 45 chips each added to their PRake values. So a rakeback or FPP system based on ERake benefits the more conservative players whereas a system based on PRake benefits the more aggresive players. For a tournament example, Player A registers for a 100+5 tournament so 5 chips would be added to his TFees value. If there are house fees charged for rebuys and add-ons, those will get added also as they occur.

  23. Is the software license a paid subscription or a one-time fee and how do I get updates?

    It is a one-time fee for the current major version with free minor version updates. So for example when you pay for a version 7.xx license, you will get a download link for the latest update of that version and can get subsequent updates using free patches, up to version 7.99. Whenever the next major version (i.e., 8.xx) is released, existing customers will have the option to upgrade at a discount (usually 50% off of full price). Customers can also upgrade their Lite version to Pro or their Pro version to Gold just by paying the difference in cost ($110 for Lite to Pro, $350 for Pro to Gold). Subscribe to the newsletter or follow @BriggsSoftworks on Twitter to receive update notices.