PokerRoom

PokerRoom is a very popular poker room and a leader on the Ongame network, using Ongame's platform with a shared player base. The PokerRoom software has a unique design and good functionality and there is both a downloadable version and a Java client. The downloaded version is sleeker and more reliable, but the Java client works very well too. The PokerRoom software is also one of the best choices for Mac users, who can play the Java version without any special installs.

PokerRoom focuses on six-handed tables more than most other top rooms. There are many special promotions such as money-added tournaments, freerolls and qualifiers to big poker events. PokerRoom also offers great statistical analysis of your game and an open database of the hands played at the site.

The site's traffic used to be very concentrated to the Hold'em and tournament areas, but nowadays there is plenty of action at any game. The games offered are Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven-Card Stud, Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo and Five-Card Draw. The games vary between No-Limit, Pot-Limit, and Fixed-Limit. Full-table games, short-handed, and heads-up tables are all available.

Real-money player statistics as of February 2010 show 9000 ring-game players at peak hours and 45000 tournament players at peak hours. Overall, Pokerlistings finds that PokerRoom offers great action, good game diversity and software that plays very well. The software is updated frequently to ensure safety and stability with very little downtime as a result.

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Bonus Code and Promotions (5)

Exclusive $$100.00 sign-up bonus at 100% deposit match for Pokerlistings players.

No code required; the bonus is automatic when signing-up via Pokerlistings.

Reload Bonus

PokerRoom seldom offers reload bonuses, but when it does they are a great opportunity - usually with a 40-50% match up to as much as $500.

Bonus Payout

To receive the maximum $$100.00 bonus, players must deposit $600. There is a 60-day requirement, and the bonus is released in a lump sum when completed.

You need 2,100 points for raked hands where you are dealt cards to receive the full $$100.00 bonus. Points are earned at a rate of 0.07 points for each 10¢ in rake taken from the pot. In a pot with $3 rake, a player is awarded 2.1 points.

> Sign up through a PokerListings link and receive a $100 bonus at 100% deposit match

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Tournaments and Freerolls (8)

Tournaments

PokerRoom hosts lots of tournaments with buy-ins as small as a couple of dollars up to a few hundred dollars. The tournaments are well populated and fast with skillful players. Play at any level is decent, and the major satellites and tournaments are downright hard at the later stages.

PokerRoom also runs small and medium-sized guaranteed tournaments daily. The weekly $25,000 and $50,000 tournaments draw a large number of players as well as the many qualifiers to big live and online poker events like the World Series of Poker or the World Poker Tour. The biggest guaranteed tournaments are the $40,000 and $50,000 events that run all week.

Freerolls

PokerRoom runs relatively few completely free tournaments. However, the freerolls it does run are well visited and play is on the tougher side.

The tournaments are often large multi-table events, usually in Limit or No-Limit Texas Hold'em, and typically award relatively small prizes. There are occasionally freerolls with larger prize pools as part of bigger promotions or as invitational tournaments.

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Software and Graphics (5)

Software Summary

The PokerRoom software and player base are part of the Ongame network. The software is available in both a download and a no-download version and both offer great playability, security and stability.

There is even a client for mobile play, allowing players to join and play real-money games through their cell phones. The graphics are nice and clean, running in a deep red, and the functionality is good. The software is updated regularly without significant downtime.

The PokerRoom software features the usual functions players are used to - game history, player notes, options for sound and Pot- and No-Limit ring games - plus some innovative functions including in-game hot-keys and all-in statistics.

The games at PokerRoom run smoothly and quickly, even in multi-table play. The download version of the software has a sleeker look, 3D-features and somewhat better response, but even the no-download version is very competent.

In all, the software provided by PokerRoom is a great choice and makes for a good playing experience.

Statistics

PokerRoom's software allows you to take notes on your opposition during play and the lobby supplies vital table statistics like viewed-flop percentage, average pot size, seated-player's stack size and hands played per hour.

The hand history and statistics functions are excellent, with downloadable files as well as in-game statistics for cash games and tournaments viewable separately.

Multi-Table

The latest version of PokerRoom's software supports play at four tables simultaneously. Multi-table play usually runs smoothly and problem free as long as your computer can keep up.

PokerRoom is decently suited for multi-table play with clutter-free and easy-to-use software. However, the tables are fixed size (except for the option of playing in full screen) and there is no mini view or other special multi-table function.

Graphics

The graphics of the PokerRoom software are clean and crisp. Most users seem to appreciate them, but there are reported problems with the software from time to time. The table functions are easy to learn and well oriented, and there are plenty of options to configure the behavior of the software.

The avatars available are good looking and do not disturb the game play in any way, and the four-color decks are very nicely designed. The felt is a classic green that works well and looks very good. One negative to note is that the software is resource intensive.

Special Features

The PokerRoom software offers the basic features and comes as both a downloadable version and a java client. Unique features include the action replay that allows the players to replay hands in a graphic interface and the real-money mobile poker application.

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Soft Competition (8)

From our experience there are quite a few soft games available at PokerRoom, mainly in the lower-limit cash games and smaller buy-in tournaments. You can't look at the top stakes games for soft competition, where PokerRoom is much less of a fish pond. Still, you can at times find $5/$10 No-Limit Hold'em tables with a viewed-flop percentage of 35-40%. Overall, many Hold'em games have a viewed-flop percentage in the 40-50% range.

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Support (6)

The support at PokerRoom is lightning fast and offers good quality, although it does only offer e-mail support. The support staff is knowledgeable and friendly.

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Deposit Withdrawal Options (8)

Deposit options: Visa, MasterCard, Neteller, Diners Club, Moneybookers, ClickandBuy, Paysafecard, Webmoney. Withdrawal options: Neteller, Moneybookers, European VISA, courier check, normal check.

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