Assigning a secure room to a player in online poker game
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for selecting game servers and assigning seats to players in poker tables. One method includes an operation for receiving table parameters from a user in a poker game. The table parameters identify the characteristics of a desired table for playing poker by the user. A distance from the desired table to the available poker tables is calculated, where the distance based on the similarity between the desired table and each of the available poker tables. Each of the available poker tables is served by one of a plurality of servers. Additionally, the method includes operations for selecting candidate tables from the available poker tables based on the calculated distances, and for selecting a playing table from the candidate tables at random. The user is then connected to a server that serves the selected playing table.
1. A method comprising:
receiving table parameters from a client device of a user in an online poker game, the table parameters identifying characteristics of a desired table for playing poker by the user;
calculating a plurality of distances from the desired table to each of a plurality of available poker tables, the distances based on similarities between the table parameters of the desired table and corresponding table parameters of each available poker table, each available poker table being served by one of a plurality of servers;
selecting a plurality of candidate tables from the plurality of available poker tables based on the calculated distances;
selecting a playing table from the plurality of candidate tables at random; and
connecting the client device of the user to a first server serving the randomly selected playing table for playing the online poker game in the playing table.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the table parameters include one or more or small blind, table capacity, table language, speed of play, or number of users sitting at the table.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user is not informed an identification of the first server where the user is playing poker.
4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein malicious behavior between players for unauthorized exchange of game currency is decreased by disabling players without a close social relationship to play together.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein calculating the distance is based in a commonality between the table parameters and parameters of each available poker table, the commonality referring to two or more of language, capacity, speed, small blind, or fill rate.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user is connected to the first server over a network, wherein the plurality of servers are distributed over a plurality of cities.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein selecting the plurality of candidate tables further includes:
identifying tables having a distance below a predetermined threshold distance.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein selecting the plurality of candidate tables further includes:
sorting the candidate tables by distance; and
identifying a predetermined number of the sorted candidate tables.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein connecting the user further includes:
sending join parameters to a client device used by the user, wherein the client device joins the first server with the sent join parameters.
10. A system comprising:
a login server for receiving table parameters from a client device utilized by a user in an online poker game, the table parameters identifying characteristics of a desired table for playing poker by the user;
a web server for managing available stake levels for a plurality of available poker tables, each available poker table being served by one of a plurality of servers; and
a master control server operable to:
calculate a plurality of distances from the desired table to each of the plurality of available poker tables, the distances based on similarities between the table parameters of the desired table and corresponding table parameters of each available poker table;
select a plurality of candidate tables from the plurality of available poker tables based on the calculated distances; and
select a playing table from the plurality of candidate tables at random;
wherein the client device connects the user to a first server serving the randomly selected playing table for playing the online poker game in the playing table.
11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the client device logins to the login server, wherein the client device obtains a list of available stake levels for the user to play poker.
12. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the login server sends a request to the master control server for the playing table, wherein the master control server returns instructions for connecting to the playing table, the instructions including table id, server id, password, and timestamp.
13. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the table parameters include one or more or small blind, table capacity, table language, speed of play, or number of users sitting at the table.
14. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the user is not informed an identification of the first server where the user is playing poker, wherein malicious behavior between players for unauthorized exchange of game currency is decreased by disabling players without a close social relationship to play together.
15. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein calculating the distance is based in a commonality between the table parameters and parameters of each available poker table, the commonality referring to two or more of language, capacity, speed, small blind, or fill rate.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
program instructions for receiving table parameters from a client device of a user in an online poker game, the table parameters identifying characteristics of a desired table for playing poker by the user;
program instructions for calculating a plurality of distances from the desired table to each of a plurality of available poker tables, the distances based on similarities between the table parameters of the desired table and corresponding table parameters of each available poker table, each available poker table being served by one of a plurality of servers;
program instructions for selecting a plurality of candidate tables from the plurality of available poker tables based on the calculated distances;
program instructions for selecting a playing table from the plurality of candidate tables at random; and
program instructions for connecting the client device of the user to a first server serving the randomly selected playing table for playing the online poker game in the playing table.
17. The storage medium as recited in claim 16 , wherein calculating the distance is based in a commonality between the table parameters and parameters of each available poker table, the commonality referring to two or more of language, capacity, speed, small blind, or fill rate.
18. The storage medium as recited in claim 16 , wherein the user is connected to the first server over a network, wherein the plurality of servers are distributed over a plurality of cities.
19. The storage medium as recited in claim 16 , wherein selecting the plurality of candidate tables further includes:
program instructions for identifying tables having a distance below a predetermined threshold distance.
20. The storage medium as recited in claim 16 , wherein selecting the plurality of candidate tables further includes:
program instructions for sorting the candidate tables by distance; and
program instructions for identifying a predetermined number of the sorted candidate tables.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating a plurality of distances further comprises:
applying weights to the parameters when calculating the plurality of distances.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein a corresponding distance is calculated using the following formula:
d
(
x
,
y
)
=
d
roomType
(
x
,
y
)
+
d
room
(
x
,
y
)
,
wherein
d
roomType
(
x
,
y
)
=
ω
l
·
l
xy
+
ω
c
·
c
xy
+
ω
s
(
s
x
-
s
y
s
x
+
s
y
)
+
ω
b
(
b
x
-
b
y
b
x
+
b
y
)
+
ω
τ
(
1
-
τ
y
2
)
,
and
wherein
d
room
(
x
,
y
)
=
ω
u
(
1
-
u
y
u
x
)
+
ω
p
(
1
-
p
y
)
.
23. The system of claim 10 , wherein the master control server is operable to further apply weights to the parameters when calculating the plurality of distances.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein a corresponding distance is calculated using the following formula:
d
(
x
,
y
)
=
d
roomType
(
x
,
y
)
+
d
room
(
x
,
y
)
,
wherein
d
roomType
(
x
,
y
)
=
ω
l
·
l
xy
+
ω
c
·
c
xy
+
ω
s
(
s
x
-
s
y
s
x
+
s
y
)
+
ω
b
(
b
x
-
b
y
b
x
+
b
y
)
+
ω
τ
(
1
-
τ
y
2
)
,
and
wherein
d
room
(
x
,
y
)
=
ω
u
(
1
-
u
y
u
x
)
+
ω
p
(
1
-
p
y
)
.