::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
:: Shorthand Game
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
::
|
|
Poker Room Reviews
Please note: We rate and review each poker room according to our own self-devised scoring system. Based on a simple, 10-point, whole-number scale in which 1 is the worst and 10 the best, our system focuses on simplification. We feel there’s no sense in overcomplicating our scoring, so you won’t find information that you don’t need, and we won’t confuse you with scores of 9.63 out of 10 for example. To distinguish between our sites at the ‘overall’ level, .5 increments will also be used, but this is a far as we deviate from the simplicity concept.
The categories we consider in our reviews are: reputation and popularity; theme and creativity; graphics; sound; software; amount and variety of games; promotions and bonuses; ease of use; security; customer support; and payment options. We hope you find our research useful.
Online poker rooms are ranked and recorded based on the following criteria:
| Reputation / Popularity |
|
Security |
| Theme / Creativity |
Graphics |
| Promotions / Bonuses |
Ease of Use |
| Amount / Variety of Games |
Payment Options |
| Customer Support |
Sound |
| Software |
Free CD |
| PARTY POKER // Ranked No. 1 |
 |
|
|
Party Poker is the biggest poker room online and there are thousands of players who visit this site every day. In the case of Party Poker, bigger often equals better at this site. The cashouts at Party Poker, where you're likely to get your money within one business day, are fantastic. There has been improvements in the customer support and even though the site recently has gone independent, it still represents 50% of the market and isn’t content to rest on its laurels. Our only real reservation is the lack of high-limit tables and game variety. From such a large site we’d expect more. Nonetheless, Party Poker is still no.1 on our list. |
|
 |
| TITAN POKER // Ranked No. 2 |
|
|
|
Titan Poker, although relatively new, has quickly become one of our favorite online rooms. Part of PlayTech’s “iPoker network” you can count on amazing graphics and great usability at this site each time you visit. Bonuses are attractive and all of the promotions are great. Very similar to Noble Poker, Titan possesses a new ‘energy’ that we love and despite being young, addresses and fixes problems fast and it’s shown a amazing knack for achieving success very quickly. Check this site out as soon as you can. |
|
|
| NOBLE POKER // Ranked No. 3 |
|
|
|
Similar to Titan Poker, Noble Poker possesses, in our opinion, the best visual design on the Internet today, with cool 2D and 3D options, different viewing angles, background music, and other audio features. This in itself makes Noble Poker a room worth visiting. With amazing software and an aggressive marketing strategy, Noble Poker is quickly gaining popularity which only makes the choices and opportunities at the site even better. But that's not all that's positive about Noble Poker. The promotions are also impressive, including a free $10 and a bonus of 25% of your original deposit, up to a $100 maximum. Clearly Noble Poker is a room that's trying to make an impression on the online poker community; we think they're doing a good job. The only thing we dislike is Noble's the fact that there's still not enough competition here to match up to other casinos. But check it out for the dynamic graphics and to be a part of this site’s climb into the upper echelon of poker rooms online. |
|
|
| CLUB DICE POKER // Ranked No. 4 |
|
|
|
CD Poker is a relatively new site and has recently seen a substantial increase in its traffic. The only games on offer for the moment are Texas Hold 'Em, Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo so the variety factor here amounts to average at best. There aren't a lot of high-limit tables, and even those that are considered "high limit" here would be considered medium-limit elsewhere; a word to the wise for you big bettors in the audience. But. CD Poker does have cool 2D and 3D graphics with good, fast software, and actually PLAYING here is very enjoyable, even if the selection is not as varied in its offer as many other casinos. Take advantage of the good promotions, including a match of 25% on your initial deposit, up to $100. |
|
|
| POKER STARS // Ranked No. 5 |
|
|
|
Legendary since producing the winner of the 2003 World Series of Poker, Chris Moneymaker, Poker Stars remains one of the Net's most popular poker rooms. Theme and creativity are strong, the graphics and software are cool, and the gaming options are what you'd expect from a place with such an admirable reputation. The game selection includes both standard and Hi-Lo versions, and the limits are wide enough to suit any taste, with popular $100-200 Hold 'Em tables drawing some of the better players online today. If there's one thing we want to warn you about, however, it's that Poker Stars tends to attract people who are serious about poker, and as a result you won't find many fish here - at least not at the middle and higher-limit tables. Fortunately, there are plenty of low-limit tables that are OK for beginners. Come to Poker Stars for the Internet's second-largest poker room and to improve your game. Don't come for the promotions, because there aren't any great ones. At Poker Stars, they know they're good, and that's enough for them (or so it seems). |
|
|
| PACIFIC POKER // Ranked No. 6 |
|
|
|
Pacific Poker is known for attracting lots of beginners. In other words, this is a site that could make your day! Unfortunately, the software is ancient and takes too long, and the cashouts are way too slow as well. You can wait up to four days before you get your money from Pacific. So while you might be happy to face some soft competition, it sounds a little bit better than it actually is: the most popular tables are of the low-stakes variety, the software will frustrate you, and you won't see your winnings nearly as quickly as you would from other sites. But Pacific is still a lively room with lots of players, and easy competition is getting harder and harder to find in today's Internet poker rooms. |
|
|
| POKER ROOM // Ranked No. 7 |
|
|
|
Offering both the standard downloadable version as well as a Java version for those who want to get started without a wait, PokerRoom.com is a well-rounded room. The graphics and software are clean and crisp, security, payment options and cashouts are all what you'd expect, and the variety of games and limits is above average too. The site has become much more popular recently, and older problems suchs as lower traffic and less table choices are no longer such a big issue. Overall, a truly exceptional site with great promotional offers: a sign-up bonus of 50%, up to a tremendous maximum of $300, as well as regular $1,000 freerolls. Highly recommended ! |
|
|
| PARADISE POKER // Ranked No. 8 |
|
|
|
Known as the "grandfather" of online poker rooms, Paradise Poker has been up and running since 1999 which, as we all know, is a very long time indeed in the world of online gambling. Paradise is also one of the better rooms out there. With an exceptional game selection including lesser-known styles of poker such as Pineapple and Draw, Paradise doesn't stop there at impressing the visitor. The graphics, software and all-around design are attractive too, proving that Grandpa hasn't lost a step over the years. Customer support, on the other hand, could use some updating, as Paradise Poker offers only e-mail support and no live help. For a room with such a long-standing presence on the Internet, this could be improved. Another potential pitfall for beginners is the fact that a lot of sharks call Paradise Poker home, so use discretion on the higher-limit tables. |
|
|
| ULTIMATE BET // Ranked No. 9 |
|
|
|
Ultimate Bet scores a perfect "10" for game variety, with all the favorites plus interesting variations and even some games you might not know, like Crazy Pineapple and Triple Draw. Besides this, there's a great range of limits that goes all the way from $0.01-0.02 blinds on the low end to $80-160 blinds on the high end. We like all the choices. The graphics and software, while not remarkable, are above average, and the payment options and cashouts are excellent. Customer service is another plus on a site that has a high level of all-around quality. Promotions, meanwhile, are better than most, with $25 on a deposit of $50, and $50 on a deposit of $100. With all of these positives, there must be some negatives, right? Well, yes, but only one-the level of play is quite high, so don't come here looking for an easy day at the office. But otherwise, a truly enjoyable poker room. |
|
|
| INTER POKER // Ranked No. 10 |
|
|
|
InterPoker might be described as a bit of a rich man's room. That's not to say that there are no tables with low limits, or that the level of competition is hard as a rock. It's not. We call it a rich man's room because this is a joint that takes more of the rake than most other rooms, sometimes up to 300% of the average! Clearly, that's a big red light for a lot of people. Where some poker rooms take $1 from the pot, InterPoker can take as much as $3. Just a word of caution. But, they compensate for their large rakes with some fantastic bonuses - they’re the only site that offers consistent monthly bonuses to all of its players. There are tables with mouth-watering $100-200 blinds, and the promotions are strong. |
|
|
| THE GAMING CLUB // Ranked No. 11 |
|
|
|
The Gaming Club is a nicely designed, stylish poker room that has a strong variety of games and limits. In addition, the competition here isn't nearly as difficult as in other rooms. With its combination of an attractive visual design, somewhat soft competition and wide range of limits, The Gaming Club is a very good poker room. Its chief drawback, however, is that it's not as popular as it should be. Although The Gaming Club has a strong reputation, this room cannot be compared with the leading casinos in terms of players and, therefore, action. One thing worth mentioning is that the Gaming Club offers some very high-limit tables, including those of the $100-200 variety. High rollers, report for duty. |
|
|
| GOLDEN TIGER POKER // Ranked No. 12 |
|
|
|
Golden Tiger is a kind of social club-slash-poker room, in which the small player base is very faithful, and also seems to be familiar with itself. This might sound as if you're stepping into a VIP room where collusion could happen, but not to worry: Golden Tiger is just fine. It just tends to be filled with more knowledgeable players than in the bigger poker rooms, and the addition of 7-Stud and 5-Stud to the usual lineup of Hold 'Em and Omaha reflects that notion. The promotional offers are pretty good at Golden Tiger, with $30 of "free money" if you deposit $31, and a $250 daily prize awarded to the top hand of Texas Hold 'Em. If you're a beginner, you'll do better elsewhere. If you're confident and want to experience a room that's completely different from Empire or Party Poker, Golden Tiger might be for you. |
|
|
| LUCKY NUGGET POKER // Ranked No. 13 |
|
|
|
Lucky Nugget Poker will give you a free $10, one of the better promotions available these days. This promotion is necessary because Lucky Nugget doesn't offer anything else that's particularly good, other than maybe a wider range of games than most poker rooms. The graphics and design here are bland, the software is nothing special and the level of competition is just about average. As part of the Prima Poker Network, however, you can be sure that Lucky Nugget is safe, secure and reliable, and your cashouts and payment options are the same here as on the Internet's best poker rooms. Lucky Nugget is worth visiting just for the free $10. |
|
|
| TRUE POKER // Ranked No. 14 |
|
|
|
True Poker has excellent graphics, which is why the site labels itself as a "true-to-life" poker experience. The graphics, combined with good software and audio effects, rightly overshadow the rest of the site, which is average at best. The game selection consists of your standard fan favorites-Hold 'Em, Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo-and the betting limits fall within a curiously small window. There are no real low-limit tables here of the $0.25-0.50 and under kind, and there are no real high-limit tables of the $20-40 and over kind either. This is a medium-limit room, and as a consequence beginners tend to stay away, unless they're interested in seeing the graphics (which is, we admit, a good enough reason to come here). One good promotion is a 30% sign-up bonus up to $75. A room worth trying for its unique look, but we wish they had a little bit more beneath that handsome exterior. |
|
|
| EVEREST POKER // Ranked No. 15 |
|
|
|
Another beginner's room, Everest Poker has a horrible game selection-Texas Hold 'Em and nothing else! We assume it's because they are going after poker novices and believe novices are unlikely to venture out of the Hold 'Em forum, but we think they could do a little bit better in this department. Another downside to Everest Poker is that it's a new room, so not only is there one kind of poker, there's also not a lot of action in this room. But enough complaining. As a beginner's site, Everest does a lot of things well. The layout is simple and easy to use, the customer support is friendly and helpful, and there are even tutorials on how to play Hold 'Em and how to use the Everest software. Everest is a very international room as well, featuring SIXTEEN languages of operation. Bonuses and promotions, meanwhile, are good but not great. Recommended for beginners. |
|
|
| 24 HOUR POKER // Ranked No. 16 |
|
|
|
24 Hour Poker is a European site, and all transactions are done in Euros. Unlike at Victor Chandler Poker, however, that doesn't mean Americans are forbidden from playing here. If you're American, you'll just have to get used to seeing your bets in Euros, that's all. Be sure you know your exchange rates! The games and limits here are above average, with the limits to certain games changing according to the day of the week. 24 Hour Poker offers special games, including a popular game of Pot Limit Omaha on Monday nights in which the betting limits increase from their usual values. Promotions are somewhat rare at 24 Hour Poker, which detracts from our overall assessment of the site, but in all other categories this is a strong poker room. The design is sleek, the software is smooth and problem-free, and the customer support will get back to you quickly and with good results. A mainly European room, 24 Hour Poker has slightly stiffer competition than the norm. |
|
|
| VIRTUAL CITY POKER // Ranked No. 17 |
|
|
|
Virtual City is part of the Prima Poker Network, and that means you're ensured a certain level of quality. The site is safe and reliable, the payment options and cashouts are solid, and the game selection is similar to what you'd find elsewhere. With that solid framework in mind, however, Virtual City falls short in several areas. Customer service is quite poor, and we'd prefer to see some Hi-Lo games instead of just the usual.versions. The graphics are average, and the software frequently stalls and makes you wait. Furthermore, there aren't all that many players at Virtual City, so it's not like soft competition will be your main reason for coming here. Pretty much the main reason we would come back to Virtual City is the promotions: they give you $30 of free money for a deposit or equal or greater value, and this is a room that gives you access to the World Series of Poker-in case you're a dreamer. |
|
|
| PLANET POKER // Ranked No. 18 |
|
|
|
Home of almost any game you can imagine and some pretty huge jackpots, Planet Poker has a lot going for it. Here you can play all of the usual poker-room games, in addition to Hi-Lo versions, in addition to Draw Poker, in addition to Razz and Lowball, which will be new to a lot of players. There's a great range of low limits, and if you're after the big money, look no further than the tournaments, which have jackpots as high as $200,000! Unfortunately, Planet Poker is not in the running for best design or most attractive graphics. They're pretty ugly, to be honest. The software is slow. There's no live support. For the many choices Planet Poker offers its visitors in game variety, there's a lot missing in the way the site looks and works. Payouts arrive in two days, which is the industry standard, but promotions are few and far-between. Planet Poker tends just to rely on its big tournament money and its wide range of games to lure new customers. That said, those things are enough to do the trick. |
|
|
| ABSOLUTE POKER // Ranked No. 19 |
|
|
|
Absolute Poker offers a large selection of games and limits, especially for lower-limit players. You can find 7-Stud here, along with its Hi-Lo variation. Much to our frustration, however, Absolute Poker has ugly graphics and frustrating software. Some parts of the site are designed in a confusing fashion, and this is one thing that detracts a lot from the rating we give the site. A complete redesign is necessary, in our opinion. But if you're willing to give it a try, you'll find some positives behind the rough exterior. You can play 1-on-1 at Absolute Poker, which is perfect for friends who want to meet online and go head-to-head, and the promotions are worth taking advantage of, although they tend to change quite frequently. |
|
|
| VICTOR CHANDLER POKER // Ranked No. 20 |
|
|
|
Victor Chandler is a renowned British betting company, and this is their poker room. Strangely enough, it seems to be geared more toward the beginner than anybody else. The design and graphics of the site are beginner-friendly, with cards and chips displayed in a prominent, easy-to-understand fashion, and the limits range from very low to $50-100 tables on the high end of things. The game selection is quite poor, with only Hold 'Em, Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo, but again, that might be because it's a site directed more at beginners than at card sharks. One thing that's important to note about VC Poker: this is a room for British players only, and players from the USA are ineligible. Simultaneous games are allowed on Victor Chandler, and the competition is beatable, which means it's a site worth visiting. |
|
|
|
|
