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Overall: 4
PokerRoom was one of the first online poker
sites on the market, and continues to be a player
favorite. They regularly have a good number of
promotions and reward their regular players pretty well.
The software package is also very strong here with sharp
graphics and a quick game pace. This is also one of the
few Mac-compatible online poker sites. We also give them
a very good tournament score because of the number of
events and accommodation of every level player. Overall,
this is one of the better sites that will continue to do
well over the years.
Bonus: 4 (30%
up to $100)
The actual bonus is somewhat modest at 20% directly
through their homepage, however you can use this link
and bonus code “BTF” at signup to get a 30% bonus, which
is up to $100. You work off the bonus through Player
Points, which are earned through paying tournament fees
and played raked hands. Small-stakes players may have
difficulty clearing the entire bonus, but average
players shouldn’t have much trouble with this bonus.
Promotions: 5
Promotions are typically strong at
PokerRoom, and they do a pretty good job of
giving incentives to new players but still rewarding
regular players. As a new depositing player, you receive
a free entry into their $2 “Shark Cage” tournament,
which is only valid for new players. This is a good
tournament for new players, since the experience level
is usually very low at these events. They also hold a
good number of WPT and other live tournament satellites
for larger tournament players. Another interesting
promotion is the ability to host private tournaments and
the new “team tournaments”, which allows you to create
10-member teams and play in league matches against other
teams. The main reward for existing players is through
Player Points, which can be converted into cash or used
for decent-sized freerolls. Player Points usually add up
pretty quickly.
Fish: 3
The
PokerRoom network seems somewhat softer as of
late, probably due to larger promotions and new skins
going after first-time poker players. However, this site
tends to run tighter overall as compared with some of
the crazier sites. This is typically the case with older
poker sites that have an established player base. At the
middle stakes, the flop percentage is about average at
35-40%, and you’ll probably find a mixture of rocks and
calling stations. The number of maniacs is a bit lower
than average here.
Tournaments: 5
The tournaments here are definitely one of their best
features. The
PokerRoom schedule is very busy, and I give them
a good score for hosting both small buy-in events for
new players and buy-ins all the way up to $1,000 for
serious tournament players. One of the fun tournaments
here is the daily “Lucky Dollar”, which only has a $1
buy-in, but typically attracts several hundred
opponents. They also add $500 to the prize pool, so it’s
fun to take a shot at as a second window. Besides the
small ones, they offer a lot of $20-50 events. They
have guaranteed events of at least $5,000 every day, and
the traffic is very good to every event. I also
appreciate the decent number of events during the late
hours, when I’m usually up. Finally, they have a
generous structure for qualifying to their numerous
satellites to WPT events. Overall, the tournaments are
excellent here so I give them a top score.
Software: 4.5
The software is very good at
PokerRoom and has a nice semi-3D look to it. One
big advantage is the Java version of the software, which
doesn’t require a download. This makes it compatible to
any computer with a browser, and works when you’re at a
friend’s house or on the go and don’t have to time to
deal with a new installation. Each place at the table
has a unique avatar, and the table graphics are
attractive. The lobby is easy to navigate, and the only
minor annoyance is having to click each table name to
see the game statistics. Actual gameplay in the software
runs smooth, and the game speed is pretty quick. Another
unique feature is the “thought bubble”-esque
announcement for each player’s action. For me, it helps
to clarify what a player has done if my attention span
is drifting.
Best Features
-Veteran poker site with large player base. You won't
have trouble finding your desired game.
-Busy tournament schedule. In my opinion, this is one of
the top tournament schedules online.
-Very good software. The software has a sharp color
scheme and an easy interface.
Cashouts: 4.5
This is a veteran gaming company with firm financial
ground. NETeller payments were processed for me within
24 hours.
Customer Service: 4
PokerRoom does offer decent e-mail support, but
I give them a lower score for only offering this option.
They also try to dissuade you from contacting them with
numerous FAQ links. That being said, response times are
pretty quick.
Game Selection: Hold'em, Omaha, Stud
Limits: Fixed Limit: .25/.50 - $50/100
No Limit: .10/.25 - $25/50
Tips
Since
PokerRoom has very good tournament action, I’d
like to get you started with some basic tournament
advice. When you just start out playing multi-table
tournaments, you’ll probably have the tendency to be a
tight player. This is fine for the early rounds of the
tourney, but you’ll have to loosen up your game with
modern tournament structure. Most of these events start
you off with a small amount of chips, and blinds that
increase rapidly. Unfortunately, this structure
increases the factor of luck in determining the outcome.
Once the blinds start rising, you’ll have to take some
chances even if you don’t get any cards. If you play too
tight, not only will your opponents be able to easily
peg you as a timid player, but the blinds will put such
a dent in your stack that you won’t be able to do much
damage anymore. As your stack lessens in relation to the
blinds, realize that you should play a more aggressive
game, especially from late position.
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here to visit PokerRoom.
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