A suggestion for 2007

[hayward2k]

I think the Poker forum really needs a 'poker room reccomendation' thread.

Many beginners and even experienced players (like myself) have trouble knowing what sites to join up to and inject their hard earned into to start playing.

I would really like to see a thread that offers recommendations for the various types of poker.

For example I myself play the odd MTT and cash game but 90% of my poker play is focused on STT's. I am currently on the lookout for a new poker room to transfer my bankroll to and startup playing STT's for the new year. New year - new poker room.

To be able to see what poker rooms people recommend for good STT setups and prizes would be extremely useful to me.

Maybe it could be a new years venture that you mod's could look into.

[AJ]

Agree it's a good idea.

I'm also looking for a new site just now, I'm a bonus whore just now, so shall most likely go to where I can clear bonus fast

[Valiant23]

Nice idea Hayward.


With the Pokerroom fiasco happening I was thinking of the negative aspect of online poker and wondering whether we should have a blacklist, or at least a 'play here at your own peril' list.

If we combined the two....

[Tax_Monkey]

I like the idea but I think it's a bit more difficult than you might realise.

For example, STTs: Which is a better site that charges less rake or one that gives more rakeback, or one whch charges higher rake but is easier to beat, and if it's easier to beat for one style of play or another.

The same could be said for cash and tourneys.


EDIT: Andys post brings another dimension as well. The site that seems to be offering the best deal might not always be the best option.

[hayward2k]

Originally Posted by Valiant23

Nice idea Hayward.


With the Pokerroom fiasco happening I was thinking of the negative aspect of online poker and wondering whether we should have a blacklist, or at least a 'play here at your own peril' list.

If we combined the two....

Yeah that would be a good addition.

In reply to Tax Monkey What I was really looking for really was a basic recommendation/review from people that play at certain poker rooms.

Going back to STT's as an example, reviews could include such issues as STT traffic, this is important to me as I don't like to be sat around for ages waiting for tables to fill up, and also the prize structures of STT's are an important factor.

I know there are already sites that review poker rooms out there, but I would much prefer to take the advice of fellow punter's, rather than sites that are bigging up the poker room that is currently paying them the most in sponsorships.

I'm willing to start the thread up myself but would like some idea's put forward first on what to include. And as I can't always be around it might be better that a mod controls it.

[Valiant23]

I've been thinking about this and I thought I'd write an example review. It is a real one that can be trusted as much as you trust the reviewer I suppose. One definite no-no is allowing a newbie to make a review as their first post for several reasons. One main one being the trustworthyness aspect, but another is encouraging spam. If I write this on the fly without planning then maybe it we can encourage questions or even points that have been overlooked. I would prefer to see a screen shot of the main lobby and of a table from the site.

Pokerstars

Lobby



Table



This is the site that I consider my poker home. I've been playing here for about the last 4-6 month's. I deposited here for the first time to play in the online APAT series.

Traffic (Overall)
In the lobby screenprint above you can see xxxx players and xxxxx tables. This is a fair reflection of the real time traffic.

Games Available
Texas Hold em (all limits)
Omaha (Pot and Fixed Limit)
Omaha hi/lo (all limits)
7 card Stud (fixed limit)
7 card Stud hi/lo (fixed limit)
Razz (fixed limit)
5 Card Draw (all limits)
2-7 Triple Draw (all limits)
HORSE
HOSE

STT's(Sit & Go->1 table)

From here you can choose from;

• All from $3+.40 to $1050+$50
• High (stake) from $100+9 to $1050+50
• Medium (stake) from $20+$2 to $70+6
• Low (stake) from $5+.50 to $15+1
• Micro (stake) $3+.40
• Turbo (all buy-ins)

With 10's of thousands of players on here most of the time finding a game is pretty easy. At the lower levels the tables fill almost as quickly as they appear, so making use of the "Show Registering" button is essential, although the recent addition of the Tourney Filter helps further. The vast majority of tables are 9 seaters, although 6 are available. 10 seaters are only available at the micro ($3+.40) level.

MTT's (Tourney->All)
Games are starting almost all the time, whether it is a satellite to the latest professional tour event or a $1+.25 Sit n Go MTT. Shootout satellites and rebuys are popular, but I personally love the fact that you can dive nto a 180 player $4+.40 MTT and it will start almost immediately.

Quality of Opposition
For me this applies to both MTT and STT formats. I have managed to turn my initial deposit of $50 into $300 at its highest playing $3 STT's and $4 MTT's. I struggled at first and my balance dropped down to $3 or so and I managed to cash in with that last one and never looked back. This suggest that a good solid player could and should be cashing in on a regular basis, but if you aren't prepared to play a good game then you will get punished. I think there are a lot of players of a decent ability on there, but also a hell of a lot of fish. I personally find Pokerstars games easier than Boss Media games.

Other Features

• The tables are sizable and can be customised. I like the theme shown above.
• The avatars can also be customised and if you don't like any you see you can switch them off.
• If you win in any tournament you receive an e-mail confirming your win. You can switch this off.

Anything Else
If you deposit here, do it because you want to play here rather than clear a bonus. They do offer deposit bonuses but certainly not generous ones.

There is no phone support, which I don't like, but their Customer Support are generally quite good.

Valiant 23 rating: 87%
(other players could give a score and add their own thoughts too)
------------------------------------------------------------

This took me just about an hour to write and I know I haven't covered everything. I must be honest I didn't expect it to take so long so I'm not sure I could do a lot of them.

So? What do you think?

[msaban]

seems like a fair write up Mr V

I would a couple of additional comments of my opinions if I may.

Downsides in comparisons with other sites, sometimes it feels like there are too many other competitors in MTTs and youve got to give yourself a good 4 hours plus to get to the final table. Also sometimes the payout structure seems very top heavy, more so than other sites, thats just a feeling and dont have details to prove that either way.

Additional extra's and upsides are the fact that the site is very reliable and playable, and I like the fact, there's sites like thepokerdb and sharkscope that keep pokerstars stats.

[Valiant23]

I had hoped you'd add something Mike, as I know you play there, so although it's good that you agree with most that I've done, thanks.


I think we need to know what someone like AJ or Hayward thinks, because a non-player (of the site reviewed) is who these are written for.

[hayward2k]

Originally Posted by Valiant23

I had hoped you'd add something Mike, as I know you play there, so although it's good that you agree with most that I've done, thanks.


I think we need to know what someone like AJ or Hayward thinks, because a non-player (of the site reviewed) is who these are written for.

Yeah thats sort of along the lines mate but like I say the most important factors for me would be the following -

Payment process -

• Available payment methods
• General payment transaction speed (Deposits and withdrawls)

Tournament Traffic -

• Regular turnover of STT's/MTT's?

Interface -

• Amount of table windows you can have open at one time?

Support -

• Phone/Email?
• General response time?

For example Poker Stars I know you have to use Netteller to deposit if you don't own a credit card, and also Nettellers fee for transactions. This I would imagine would affect quite a few members on here.

The above are the important factors that I look for when I'm depositing on a new site. Of course other people will have different requirements but these are the factors I would like to see reviewed.

Nice start.

[Washman]

Hayward - I'm another fan of Pokerstars, even though I don't win very often there!

They take all kinds of payments (a friend of mine has no credit cards, and no neteller, so he uses Western Union which is expensive, but at least he can deposit there). Withdrawals to Neteller usually take around 1 hour - the best I've seen anywhere.

STT traffic is phenomenal at most times of the day, and there is a huge range of MTTs - including the 180 seat sit and gos, and qualifiers for weekly Sunday Million.

As tables are resizeable, you could easily have 4 on screen at a time, depending on your screen size and eyesight!

Don't know about support as I've never had a problem with the site - never seems to go down, and is the 1 site I really trust not to go belly up.

[H-Bomb]

I'm totallyu for this idea.

In the new year I'm looking to change poker rooms and would be looking for the best one and I know most PL'ers play a variety of rooms.

I'd like to have a section on bonuses, rakeback etc offers that people had found for various sites as well.

It might help add a variety of sites being used around PL, as right now it seems like most use Poker Stars, SO/whatever it is now and Virgin.

Since most of them skins are on the same networks, it might be better to focus on specialist tournaments on offer as well as incentives being offered by individual skins.

Just my 2c.