| Site |
Detailed Review |
What we liked |
What we didn't like |
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24hPoker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- The software is very intuitive, with clear, minimalist graphics
- Blind structures are posted in the tournament lobby; level times show at the table
- There's a generous VIP program and unlimited multi-tabling
- You can use VIP points to buy in to tournaments
- There's both a downloadable client and a Java-based version (another Mac-friendly site!)
- The cashier page is clear and simple and you can cash in VIP points yourself
- The Swedes LOVE to push! |
- The software isn't very feature-rich
- There's no option to show bet amounts and no table stats
- Hand histories are accessible through the cashier, not the table and tournament hand histories aren't available
- It's not obvious when you have a note on another player
- The tournament lobby launches in a pop up window
- The cashier and login pages can't seem to remember your login details
- There's no phone number for customer support; we're still waiting for a response to our emails |
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Bodog Poker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- Great selection of loose, lower limit NL cash games
- Good selection of sit n gos; at $30 and below, they seat quickly
- Decent selection of MTTs; most of the guaranteed tournaments have nice overlays
- You can pick your felt color (red, blue, green...see the blue above)
- The QuickSeat feature allows you to pick a game type and size from the lobby and get seated immediately
- There's a "bet pot" button in NL games
- Immediate customer service available by phone
- Help and tournament info is clear and readily available on the website
- 10% reload bonus on every deposit |
- The SnG blind structure takes some getting used to; they start lower (5/10) and increase more rapidly (70% avg) than at other sites
- The site recently upgraded its interface; some of the bugs are still being worked out
- The card graphics could be larger; it's not easy to multi-table or play on a smaller screen
- Players are limited to playing 3 tables at once
- When you join a ring game, the default setting posts your blind out of turn |
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Bugsys Club
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- You'll love the MTTs--great structure (10,000 chips and 10-20 min level times), smaller fields, complete lobby info
- Athough ring game traffic is limited, flop %s routinely exceed 40+%
- You can pull up stats for specific sessions or tournaments
- It's obvious when you have notes on a player
- You can play for free on PokerPages |
- The ring game and SnG activity is limited; most traffic is at low limits and buy-ins
- Hand histories are available by email only
- There's no option to show bet amounts
- The site offers Omaha, stud and razz, but we never saw players
- The minimum deposit is high ($50 via NETeller) |
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Captain Cooks Poker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- The competition in the NL cash games and SnGs is weak
- The Quick Start/Search feature takes you directly to games or SnGs meeting your criteria; the Captain would've loved this!
- The old world table graphics (red leather seats, antique rugs) make you feel rich
- There are lots of 5 and 6-handed SnGs that pay 2-3 places (40-50% payouts)
- You can pull up your raked hands status real-time (by day, week, month)
- Prima hand histories are supported by PokerTracker (with a free add-on) |
- Many MTTs are rebuy and add-on tournaments; we're explorers, not drunken sailors
- The MTT lobby doesn't include relevant tournament info until it starts
- You can't tell the details of SnGs (level times, payout, etc.) before trying to sit down
- The SnG blind structure doubles with each level; that's as steep as we've seen
- Session stats don't include number of hands
- The help feature is hard to navigate and incomplete in areas
- Email support was inconsistent |
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DoylesRoom
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- The superb software and graphics
- Plenty of loose NL ring game action at $3/6 and below…much of it short-handed
- Blind structure is the same for all SnGs, regardless of buy-in size and level times
- Lots of smaller buy-in (<$5) SnGs and MTTs
- Very clear cashier page, low minimum deposit ($25), high maximum ($100k via NETeller )
- The live support is responsive and knowledgeable |
- No lobby stats to aid table/game selection
- Not much limit action at any level
- There seems to be an emphasis on rebuy & add-on, speed, turbo tourneys
- There are too many SnG choices; with fewer choices, we think they'd seat quicker
- The SnG blind structure is not posted on the site; we had to email support for it |
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Empire Poker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- There's a good selection of MTTs at all buy-ins
- The software is stable, reliable and easy-to-use
- You can play up to 6 tables at once
- The sign-up bonus is easy to clear |
- The lobby and table stats could be improved to provide more detail
- The MTT lobbies don't provide chip and blind structure info
- Customer support is inconsistent at best; responses are sometimes incomprehensible
- The minimum deposit ($50) is relatively high |
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Everest Poker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- $100 bonus just for opening an account
- $5 minimum deposit (FirePay, Click2Pay); $1 minimum cashout
- Freeroll sit n gos (aka the Shasta tables)
- Lots of hyper-aggressive European players
- Cool software with excellent graphics
- Complete lobby info including a table search feature
- Accurate session statistics at the table; nice hand history feature
- Blind structure is posted on the site |
- Not much limit action to speak of
- The freeroll sit n gos seat faster than Party $5 SnGs!
- Multi-lingual chat; you never know what guys are saying
- Relatively small card graphics
- At present, only hold 'em is offered
- Our set of tens got worked by some donut drawing to an inside straight...ugh |
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Full Contact Poker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- The PokerNetwork software is fast and intuitive and with awesome graphics
- The SnG blind structure offers 8-12 minute level times and favors skilled players
- There are several daily freeroll(s) and good selection of NL tournaments
- It's easy to see bet and pot amounts and the size of other players' stacks
- Hand histories are web-based and easy-to-read
- The minimum deposit is $10 (via NETeller)
- The Java-version is a great choice for Mac users |
- Flop%s aren't easily visible from the lobby; you have to hunt for them
- You have to leave the ring game table to add chips
- There are no session stats for SnG play
- If you bust out of a SnG, the table closes and you can't flame the girl that spanked you
- If you're using the Java version and close your browser, you'll be logged off active tables without warning |
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Full Tilt Poker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- Exceptional software; clear lobby and table graphics
- Player-friendly blind structure in SnGs, consistent across all buy-ins and posted in the lobby
- Full table stats in the lobby; session stats at the table
- Nice selection of cash games of all types and limits
- Hourly NL MTTs with detailed tournament lobbies and a special "final table"
- Ability to sit front and center and change the table background to your liking
- The most complete online instruction/support we've seen
- Detachable chat window with scroll lock makes it easy to recap action
- Clear, simple cashier window |
- The cartoonish avatars; fortunately, you can turn them off
- No web-based tournament listing?
- Limited deposit options and relatively high minimum deposits
- Bonus account info is confusing as presented |
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GamesGrid Poker
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Click here for a full review of the site |
- Stunning, speedy interface
- Dealer's choice games and tournaments
- Action is easy to follow and recap
- Nice cashier page; easy to track your bonus status |
- Off-peak, the site is a ghost town
- No sit n go traffic to speak of
- The interface offers relatively few options (sound, notes, seat position)
- There's no table info from the lobby to aid game selection |
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