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Full review of Planet Poker
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Planet Poker
Website www.planetpoker.com
FREE DOWNLOAD!
Software size 3.64 MB
Special Features
Great game variety, with lowball, razz and five-card draw
Loyalty program
Membership referral scheme Total weighted score (out of 10)
4.25 |
Sign-up bonus in $ $50
Deposit bonus in % 25%
Referral bonus per friend $50
Deposit free bonus $0
Paid to play ($/hour) $0
Hits
Live 24-hours chat and telephone support
Micro-limit tables with low rakes
Daily free roll tournaments
Misses
No great look and feel in software
Only one table at a time is allowed
No sit-and-go tournaments
No multi-table playing support
No statistics functions or note-taking
No lobby information on view flop percentage and hands/hour
No advanced buttons for automatic play |
Summary
Planet Poker was the first real money online poker room, launching January 1998.
The traffic is quite good, typically among the top dozen. Planet Poker has a
good support and a great game variety, with lowball, razz and five-card draw and
nice promotions. There are a loyalty program and refer a friend program. The
site has a nice vibe, but the software is quite dated with few advantages. Real
money player statistics - April 2005: 200-250ring game players at peak hours,
300-400 tournament players at peak hours.
Software and graphics
The software level is clearly below average standard, with no statistics or
note-taking functions. The graphics are not attractive, with old looking
interface. There are no advanced buttons for automatic play. A player can only
be a one table at a time. Hand histories are available via email or HTML. They
need to do a major upgrade of this software to not continue to loose ground.
Ring game traffic
At peak times one can find 200-250 real money ring game players (April 2005).
Tournament traffic
At peak times the traffic reaches around 300-400 players (April 2005). There are
multi-table tournaments. However, there are currently no sit and go tournaments.
Game variety
Very good game variety, with hold'em, Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo, seven-card stud Hi and
Hi-Lo, razz, draw, lowball. There are also heads up games, no-limit in hold'em
and pot-limit in hold'em. Razz and lowball online are quite unique at Planet
Poker at present.
Rake
The rake is quite attractive, especially at the low limit games (from
$0.05/$0.10 to $0.5/$1). For the tournaments the charge is average, at around
10% for the various levels, including the lowest.
Soft competition
We have limited playing experience lately, but the competition should be quite
good, so it is not very easy to make money just by playing tight and
aggressively.
Sign up bonus
There is a 25% deposit bonus, limited to $50. Restrictions are not stated
clearly on site.
Loyalty bonus
There is a frequent player scheme where Planet Points are earned for each raked
hand, that the player participate in. Points are redeemable for tournaments
buy-ins and merchandise.
Promotions
Planet poker has good promotions. There are daily free roll tournaments and
sometimes special promotions. $50 is paid for as member referral bonus, where
the friend makes a deposit on minimum $50 and plays approximately 100 rakes
hands (less in high stakes over $3/$6 and more in low stakes under $3/$6). The
endorsers Mike Caro and Roy Cooke take part in the games at a regular basis.
Support
The live 24-hours chat and telephone support, combined with the e-mail service
provides a good support.
Financial security
Should be clearly secure, as one of the top 20 poker rooms in the world, with no
earlier recorded problems. High score.
Deposit & withdrawal options
Deposit options:
VISA, MasterCard, NETeller, FirePay, P$e-direct (US only), bank draft, wire
transfer, money order, personal check, VIP Sports, Casino/Bingo Vega.
Cash out options:
NETeller, FirePay, P$e-direct (US only), wire transfer, check, VIP Sports,
Casino/Bingo Vega. (VISA at maximum of total deposits)
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