Optimal linux setup for poker client

[SomeRandomGuy]

Hello,

I have recently switched to linux on my main rig and been trying to find the optimal setup to sratch my poker itch. I know Unibet has a fairly decent web client but it really is not the best for multitabling as you can only see action on one table at the same time. So I figured a windows virtual machine would be perfect for this. Problem is the performance of the client within the vm is subpar. I easily reach 100% cpu load, on a reasonably good processor Ryzen7 2700. just by running 4 tables on 4 cores vm. Granted, I do not run a distribution and kernel optimized for virtualization.

My question is does anyone have any success with running poker clients on vms? I am not sure whether I should rethink my setup or spend a lot of time tweaking this for possibly little improvement. I guess this also leads to another question, does running the client within the vm is fine or it can possibly be considered a suspicious behavior?

[Stubbe-Unibet]

@SomeRandomGuy you can tile tables on the web client as well 🙂 Click Settings icon in upper left corner and then "Split screen view". If you play 4 tables or less, that's how I'd recommend to play on Linux.

[SomeRandomGuy]

Oh that is really cool, I didn't know about this. I guess when it comes to Unibet I will stick to the web client then.

Still, if anyone can share thoughts regarding poker and linux I would be grateful. I am a big fan of vms so that was my first though but perhaps I should be looking more into winehq as well.

[Moofee]

I struggled to play on Linux. The app in the web browser is fantastic. I know it's compiled from the same codebase as the desktop and mobile apps. But it suffers from some significant limitations:
 

1. 4 tables is not enough. If you registered more than 4 tables, new tables simply don't appear until you close an existing table, or bust out of one after what could be 30 minutes
2. It isn't possible to focus and hide tables individually, resize or stack them, as they must run together in a single window
3. Trying to do anything in the Lobby is an exercise in patience and frustration due to forced resetting back to the table view (losing your place) for every decision, a nightmare when tiled

That said I think it is still a good working solution fundamentally and there are lots of things I like about it.

In particular that it runs at full frame rate with speed comparable to the desktop versions.

[Moofee]

I understand the technology at play and why it's difficult to enable multiple window support in the Emscripten build.

I could help port the functionality to web and build the client for Linux if it were possible to remain a playing member of the community.

[Stubbe-Unibet]

1 hour ago, Moofee said:

I struggled to play on Linux. The app in the web browser is fantastic. I know it's compiled from the same codebase as the desktop and mobile apps. But it suffers from some significant limitations:
 

1. 4 tables is not enough. If you registered more than 4 tables, new tables simply don't appear until you close an existing table, or bust out of one after what could be 30 minutes
2. It isn't possible to focus and hide tables individually, resize or stack them, as they must run together in a single window
3. Trying to do anything in the Lobby is an exercise in patience and frustration due to forced resetting back to the table view (losing your place) for every decision, a nightmare when tiled

That said I think it is still a good working solution fundamentally and there are lots of things I like about it.

In particular that it runs at full frame rate with speed comparable to the desktop versions.

Simply put, the web client isn't intended for more than 4 tables, and vast majority of players play just 1 or 2. I honestly don't see much value in multi window solution (as it's such a tiny share of users that'd benefit from it). I do think the lobby should be possible to have as one of the 4 tiles though, for a much better experience when playing 2 or 3 tables.

[Moofee]

Being able to move and size even two tables independently is important enough that I've stopped using the OS that I love and feel at home in for it..

The lobby would be difficult to read at a max of 1/4 screen size, and if using the table switcher would have the same focus-grab issue.

I think there is good appetite for a quality Linux poker room.

Unibet could be (one of) the first, and certainly the best.. the code you have at the minute being built on the world's best cross-platform technology for the forseeable future..

[ash123]

Hi, have you assigned some GPU resources to that VM? If not, maybe the processor is busy as it has to do all the rendering. Your case is very interesting. I never tried a Windows VM but used the Web Client on Linux and experienced a high CPU load, too (see here). But I did use my notebook which has a CPU with an integrated GPU (graphic processor). So my suspicion was that it had something to do with it. Maybe missing hardware acceleration...I don't know. I ended up using a separate windows installation.

Edited July 2, 2021 by ash123