Poker Room

PokerRoom.com recently celebrated its 5th birthday.  PokerRoom has seen a huge increase in traffic in the least six months which has seen an increase in "soft" action. PokerRoom will be appealing to those that like six-handed action, as it offers more six handed tables than most other rooms.  The bulk of the traffic goes into the Hold`Em tournament section.  Rake is slightly higher than industry average (partly due to so many short handed games). Peak time tournament traffic in March 2005 has peaked at 6000. PokerRoom is an excellent option for all types of players. They run some excellent promos such as the chance to become a sponsored pro poker player. The graphics are great and will appeal to those who like glitz.

Some additional cool features include:

• Listen to Virgin Radio Live while you play
• A full online casino with slots, blackjack and more (great to have a go between tournaments if you want a break). The games are surprisingly good for a "non"-casino operation.
• A great poker school with video.

• $200 signup bonus
• Deposit bonuses up to 50%
• 3 daily free rolls at $1000 each
• Guaranteed tournaments each day

Rake at PokerRoom:
The rake structure is on par with the industry. There is one interesting twist.  Rake increments for table numbers 2, 34 ,5,6,7 and8+ differs from the traditional 1-3, 4-5, 6+. This means that if you are playing at a table with 4, 7 or 8 players you will pay less rake relative to most sites for limits above $1/$2.The rake is above industry average when viewed as a % of the pot size. It however shares the average max of $3 per pot.

Traffic:
Tournament traffic reaches between 16000-2000 real money players at its peak. Daily free rolls draw very large crowds also.

Game Limits and Games that you can play at PokerRoom
As mentioned, a lot of action is concentrated on 6 hand tables, mainly on Texas Hold`Em. Pot- and no-limit games as well as Omaha and seven-card stud (both Hi and Hi-Lo) were launched in 2004.

Deposits / Withdrawals:
Credit cards, Delta, Solo, Switch, Neteller, Firepay and more

Soft Games:
With the increase in traffic over the last six months, action has become more "soft", even on mid limit games.

Cons:
The lobby info can be a little confusing and you have to click through to a table to see its stats. The software has been unstable at times under heavy load but we are told this has been addressed. At 20MB, it is the big download.

Player Service:
24/7 via live chat and email. Supports staff were average in the early days but have improved.

Loyalty Program:
Bonuses are awarded if you collect enough player points during the first 60 days after making your deposit. Every seven points accumulated earns a dollar towards your bonus.