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The Ongame network of poker sites does not accept US players.
There's a reason why PokerRoom is one of the fastest growing online poker sites--the site promotes regularly via print and TV advertising and offers a great mix of tournaments from beginner MTTs (Shark Cage) to the best online MTT value available (The Grand, $1000 buy-in, $0 fee, 10,000 chips, 30 min levels). If you play tournaments, PokerRoom will become one of your favorites. Tournament play counts toward bonuses, the lower buy-in (<$30) sit n gos seat quickly, there are hourly NL MTTs that draw anywhere from 100-500 entrants and player points are usable for entry fees. If you're a ring game guy, there's plenty of limit and NL activity (about 40/60 split) with short-handed and heads-up play available. The software (available in either a download version or Java "Instant Play" version) has the most complete array of features we've seen (note: the download version includes more features than the Java version). If you're on a budget, you'll like the freerolls, hourly (or so) $5 buy-in MTTs and the abilty to use player points to enter tournaments. The Java version of the software is one of the better choices we've found for Mac users. |
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| Note: traffic estimates are observed data circa Feb 06 unless otherwise noted |
| Ring Games |
| |
# of players |
% of total |
| Limit |
1 100 |
38% |
| No limit (NL) |
1 500 |
52% |
| Other |
0 |
300 |
10% |
| |
full |
s/h |
| Table size |
10 |
5 |
| Approximate mix (%) |
60% |
40% |
| Activity - Limit |
tables |
players |
| 25c/50c |
60 |
354 |
| 50c/$1 |
35 |
220 |
| $1/$2 |
32 |
170 |
| $2/$4 |
24 |
146 |
| $3/$6 |
13 |
68 |
| $5/$10 |
19 |
88 |
| $10/$20 |
11 |
23 |
| $25/$50 |
7 |
10 |
| $50/$100 |
6 |
6 |
| $100/$200 |
4 |
5 |
| $250/$500 |
1 |
0 |
| $500/$1000 |
1 |
0 |
| Activity - No Limit |
tables |
players |
| 25c/25c |
82 |
470 |
| 50c/50c |
54 |
300 |
| $1/$1 |
68 |
359 |
| $2/$2 |
33 |
200 |
| $4/$4 |
20 |
95 |
| $6/$6 |
6 |
25 |
| $10/$10 |
16 |
57 |
| $20/$20 |
6 |
19 |
| $50/$50 |
3 |
4 |
| $100/$100 |
1 |
0 |
| Lobby view |
Flop % |
yes |
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| Avg pot |
yes |
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| Hands/Hr |
yes |
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| Real-time HH? |
yes |
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| HH stored on computer? |
yes |
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| Mucked hands in HH? |
yes |
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| Player notes? |
yes |
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| Session stats at table? |
yes |
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| Tournaments |
| |
# of players |
| Multi-table tournaments (MTTs) |
5 000 |
| Big weekly MTT |
Add to Calendar |
| |
Buy-in |
$300 + $20 (Big Deal) |
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| Entrants |
300 |
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| Prize pool |
$90,000 ($80K Gtd) |
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| Overlay? |
no |
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| Day/time (EST) |
Sun 2:00 PM EST |
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| Big daily MTT |
Add to Calendar |
| |
Buy-in |
$50 + $4 (US Daily) |
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| Entrants |
300 |
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| Prize pool |
$15,000 |
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| Time (EST) |
8:00 PM EST |
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# of players |
| Sit n Gos (SnGs) |
3 200 |
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full |
s/h |
| Table size (SnGs) |
10 |
5 |
| Approx mix (%) |
70% |
30% |
| Range of buy-ins |
$5 to $500 |
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| Time to seat |
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| $5 + 50c |
NA |
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| $10 + $1 |
NA |
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| $20 + $2 |
NA |
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| $30 + $3 |
NA |
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| $50 + $4 |
NA |
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| $100 + $8 |
NA |
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| $200 + $15 |
NA |
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| $300 + $20 |
NA |
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| $500 + $25 |
NA |
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| Blinds increase every? |
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Regular |
12 min ($200+), 10 min ($50-100), 8 min ($30 and below) |
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| Turbo |
3 min |
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| Other |
NA |
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| Link to blind structure page |
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Link |
| Hourly NL tournaments? |
yes |
$0 to $50
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| WPT/WSOP satellites? |
yes |
| Tournament listing |
Link
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| Max tables at once (ring) |
4 |
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| Max tables at once (tournaments) |
4 |
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| Ring game play clears bonus? |
yes |
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| Ring game players earn .7 pts for each $1 of rake in hands in which they participate. For example, a $20 pot with $1 of rake would earn 0.7 pts for each player in the hand. Players must generate 7 pts for each $1 of bonus; a $100 bonus would require 700 pts or, in the example here, 1000 raked hands. |
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| Tournament play clears bonus? |
yes |
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| 5 player points are awarded for every paid dollar in entry fee (real money tournaments). For example, if you enter a $20+$2 tournament, you will be awarded 5 x $2 = 10 points. The points are awarded when the tournament finishes. Players will need 7 pts for each $1 of bonus; a $100 bonus will require 700 pts (70 $20+$2 tournaments). Put differently, when clearing the bonus, players will receive ($100/$140 = 71%) of their entry fees back. This is one of the best sites for a tournament player to clear bonus money. |
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| Miscellaneous |
Match |
Max |
| Deposit bonus |
40% |
200 |
| Reload bonus (Apr 06) |
30% |
$150 |
| Minimum deposit (NETeller) |
$10 |
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| Minimum cashout |
$10 |
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| Customer support |
NETeller cashout |
<24 hours |
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Response to email |
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| Accurancy of responses |
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| Endorsed by |
Affiliated Sites |
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- The software--lots of good features and stats
- The daily freeroll(s), the hourly $5 buy-in MTTs and the two daily $50 buy-in MTTs (the US Grand Prix and the Euro Grand Prix)
- Player points are usable for tournament entry fees
- It's easy to see bet and pot amounts, player stacks
- Hand histories are easy to access and read
- There's a random delay built into the advance action buttons
- $10 minimum deposit
- It's Mac-compatible |
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- Flop%s aren't easily visible from the lobby; you have to hunt for them
- You have to leave the table to add chips in a ring game
- The weekly tournament schedule is cluttered and difficult to read
- It's not obvious when the blinds will increase in SnGs
- If you bust out of a tourney, the table closes and you can't flame the guy who worked your AA with J7o
- If you're using the Java version and close your browser, you're logged off active tables without warning |
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Why you should play the site
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- There's some great MTTs here (at all buy-ins) with manageable fields and a good structure
- Tournament play clears bonuses at a very favorable rate
- The sit n gos seat pretty quickly and have good structures
- $10 minimum deposit is enough to enter and play several different tournaments
- It's one of the few sites that offers private tables and tournaments
- It's Mac-compatible |
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- There are plenty of NL ring games and a decent amount of limit action
- You have the option to track your session stats in detail
- It's easy to create private tables
- PokerNetwork skins are PokerTracker compatible
- Note: PokerNetwork's rake is above average and somewhat harsh in short-handed games |
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For the tournament player
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- The SnGs offer plenty of chips, gradual blind increases and 8-12 minutes level times
- There's a nice selection of MTTs with manageable field sizes
- 30-70% of your entry fees are rebated while clearing a bonus
- The Grand ($1000 buy-in + $0 fee) MTT offers a great structure (10,000 chips, 30 minute levels)
- The MTT lobby is comprehensive--detailed stats, position in the tournament, etc.
- PokerRoom recently improved its web-based tournament search feature; it's clear and easy-to-use |
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- The ring game rake structure is above average, especially in short-handed games
- The $100 SnG is a good value ($8 fee v $9 on Party and Stars, 2000 chips, 10 min levels)
- Grand $1000 tournament with $0 buy-in fee has a very nice blind structure (10,000 chips, 30 minute levels)
- You can use frequent player points for tournament buy-ins |
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- If using your Mac, be careful not to close your browser; your active tables will be shut without warning
- PokerRoom's online community, Pokah!, offers forums, articles, glosseries, learning tools available to all users
- Check out the expected value stats; PokerRoom tracks the EV of hands by position and # of players; http://www.pokerroom.com/main/page/games/evstats/expValue |
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| Activity - Limit |
Avg # of tables |
Avg # of players |
Comments |
| 25c/50c |
60 |
354 |
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| 50c/$1 |
35 |
220 |
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| $1/$2 |
32 |
170 |
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| $2/$4 |
24 |
146 |
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| $3/$6 |
13 |
68 |
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| $5/$10 |
19 |
88 |
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| $10/$20 |
11 |
23 |
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| $25/$50 |
7 |
10 |
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| $50/$100 |
6 |
6 |
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| $100/$200 |
4 |
5 |
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| $250/$500 |
1 |
0 |
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| $500/$1000 |
1 |
0 |
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| Activity - NL |
Avg # of tables |
Avg # of players |
Comments |
| 25c/25c |
82 |
470 |
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| 50c/50c |
54 |
300 |
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| $1/$1 |
68 |
359 |
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| $2/$2 |
33 |
200 |
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| $4/$4 |
20 |
95 |
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| $6/$6 |
6 |
25 |
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| $10/$10 |
16 |
57 |
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| $20/$20 |
6 |
19 |
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| $50/$50 |
3 |
4 |
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| $100/$100 |
1 |
0 |
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| Link to our complete compilation of action by size of game |
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| Big daily MTT |
Add to Calendar |
| |
Buy-in |
$50 + $4 (US Daily) |
| Entrants |
300 |
| Prize pool |
$15,000 |
| Time (EST) |
20:00 |
| Big weekly MTT |
Add to Calendar |
| |
Buy-in |
$300 + $20 (Big Deal) |
| Entrants |
300 |
| Prize pool |
$90,000 ($80K Gtd) |
| Day/Time (EST) |
Sun/14:00 |
| Hourly NL tournaments? |
yes |
$0 to $50
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Sit n Gos (active tables)
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| Game |
Avg # of tables |
Time to seat |
Comments |
| $5 + 50c |
240 |
NA |
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| $10 + $1 |
109 |
NA |
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| $20 + $2 |
62 |
NA |
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| $30 + $3 |
31 |
NA |
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| $50 + $4 |
31 |
NA |
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| $100 + $8 |
13 |
NA |
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| $200 + $15 |
9 |
NA |
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| $300 + $20 |
6 |
NA |
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| $500 + $25 |
6 |
NA |
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| Link to blind structure |
Link to site's tournament listing |
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| The PokerRoom (PokerNetwork) software is one of our favorites, especially for tournament play. The tabbed lobby is simple and clear and provides complete info on both ring games and tournaments. At the table, you'll find stunning graphics, bet and pot amounts clearly visible and large and intuitive betting buttons and the most complete player and session statistics we've seen. There's a Java-version that's not quite as feature-rich, but an excellent choice for Mac or Linux users nonetheless. One nice feature in the download version: when players are all-in, the win %s show on the screen; you can see immediately how bad the beat really was. We did have a couple of beefs--flop%s are visible from the lobby but only when you click on the table; in ring games, you have to leave the table to add chips (seriously); when you bust from a SnG, the software closes the table, you have to reopen it to watch the remaining play. Also, when you close windows in the Java-version, there's no warning that you may be leaving an active game. That said, we think you'll like this software...a lot. |
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| Hand histories are stored on your hard drive and are accessible real-time via the site's web-site. The hand histories are very well organized; it's easy to recap the action. PokerRoom is compatible with PokerTracker (ring-games only). |
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| Players |
yes |
| Avg pot |
yes |
| Flop% |
yes |
| Wait list |
yes |
| Hands/hr |
yes |
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| Session stats |
yes |
| Player notes |
yes |
| Bet amounts |
yes |
| Pot amounts |
yes |
| Max tables (ring) |
4 |
| Max tables (trnys) |
4 |
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| Choose own image |
no |
| Visible profile |
yes |
| Player search |
yes |
| Transfer money to player |
no |
| Private tables |
yes |
| Private trnys |
yes |
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| Date |
User |
Click below for review or trip report |
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If you play this site we would love to hear your experiences.
Please click here.
You can also enter a trip report to share a story about a poker session at this site.
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