Pacific Poker

Posted by Lassieham , 27/10/09

Overall score: 3.0 / 5

Network: 888.com

Country of Origin: Gibraltar

Established: 2002

Accept US Players: No

EU Based: Yes

The site in general: Pacific poker is operated by Cassava Enterprises (Gibraltar) Limited. They have been a member of the Interactive Gaming Council since 1997. Pacific poker is owned by 888 Holdings PLC, which is a company that is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Pacific Poker is definitely a favorite for Hold'em players looking for juicy high-action tables and good promotions. Tournaments and cash games are all quite loose and most players quickly find a game they like - particularly if they're skilled and looking to make a profit. Add the newly upgraded software - with great graphics, improved search functions and a nice layout - and you have a poker room that's never short of players.

Big name pros: None

Bonuses: Pacific Poker offers a 100% Welcome Bonus up to $400. What’s unique about this bonus, and something you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the industry, is that they give you 25% of it instantly – a huge plus for Pacific Poker!
First depositor tournaments: Once you’ve made your first deposit, you get instant access to the following tournaments…

-    Seven $500 First Depositors’ Freerolls
-    $100k First Depositors’ Challenge
-    $1,000 Depositors’ Freeroll (if you deposit min. $50)

Software: As one of the more popular and better traveled sites on the net, it is expected that this site will have top notch graphics and software. On that score they do not disappoint. Not only are the graphics attractive, but the design is laid out in a very user friendly manner. Many places on the net think more about dazzling the user with images and less about the ease the end user will have in actually working with the site.

System problems such as slowdowns and crashes are a rarity at Pacific Poker. The experience overall is clean and almost seamless. Players will enjoy the ability to personalize their experience, well paced play, comp points, a game history function, the ability to take notes, and for those who are mouse challenged will appreciate the fact that just about any action can be controlled by the keyboard. In short, the software that drives Pacific Poker is among the best and most user friendly in cyberspace.

No-download version is also available.

Layout: 

Special features: Other nice functions that stand out are the password-protected SNGs and the hand histories, which now support both writing on your hard drive and importing to the major hand analysis software tools.
Pacific Poker has also introduced a no-download client, allowing Mac and Linux users to enjoy the Pacific Poker experience. The new software is very sleek and competent and offers most of the functionality of the download version, although some 3D functionality and a few cosmetic features have been left out to keep the client light and quick.

Player traffic: During peak hours, Pacific Poker typically has between 3,500 and 4,000 real money ring game players and 4,100 and 5,000 real money tournament players. While the player population is fairly large, It is quite common to see the same players playing in the same types of games at the same time, so it is possible to get to know a lot of your opponents.

Ease of game: Since its launch in 2002, Pacific has been known as the home for juicy cash games where the action is fast and furious. The UIGEA slowed down their traffic, but the overflow of players from 888's Casino-On-Net venture keep the pool of recreational players eager to spend money gambling fully stocked. High traffic and good marketing insure that there is always a healthy population of bad players logged into Pacific Poker at any point in time. Like fish everywhere they tend to school in the low limit games. Over time they have begun to filter into the mid-level limits and this is good news for anybody who knows what to do with a pair of pocket Aces.

Game variety: Pacific Poker offers games including Texas Hold’em, Omaha High and Hi/Lo, 7 Card Stud and Hi/Lo. Stakes start at 1¢-2¢ with 30 second decision times, perfect for beginners. We love the fact that the competition is generally quite soft, making it relatively easy to start making money straight away. Table variety includes Fixed Limit, PL and NL with the majority of the action at the Texas Hold’em tables.

Tournaments: The following tournaments are offered on a regular basis:

-    $100,000 Deep Stack Challenge: Every Sunday
-    $20,000 Guaranteed: Every day except Sundays
-    Double or Nothing Sit and Gos: The game stops after half the table has been eliminated, with all surviving players doubling their buy-in!
-    Bad Beat progressive jackpots: Lose with Four-of-a-kind 8s or better to win the jackpot
-    Royal Flush progressive jackpots: Get a Royal Flush to win the jackpot

A definite plus is the variety available, especially the progressive jackpots, which offer a new twist on the classic game of poker and the chance to win much more than just the pot – we love it!

Cash games: You will always find plenty of opponents of different skill levels at all types of tables available in the room. You can find crowded No-Limit Texas Holdem tables starting from as little as 5¢/10¢ and up to $50/$100 during peak hours. Although Omaha Holdem and Seven Card Stud are not as popular as Texas Holdem games, you will always find a couple of games to play at these tables too. Play money players will always find a lot of crowded tables regardless of the preferred game.

Rake info: It should be noted that Pacific Poker charges a higher rake than most online poker rooms. Notably, instead of a standard 5% up to $3 rake, the maximum rake is $4 in limit games of $3-$6 to $30-$60 and for all no-limit and pot-limit games. Furthermore, most poker rooms cap the rake at $2 for 4- or 5-handed games, but Pacific caps the rake at $2.50.

Rakeback: The 888.com network does not offer any rakeback, only different loyalty programs.

Deposit/Withdrawal: Transactions are made via a safe cashier, ensuring a high level of security and protecting players’ confidential details.

Support: Pacific Poker offers 24/7 support via telephone, email, an online chat service and via the help pages on their website. An account manager address is also provided to provide customer service to players. Responses are generally quick, to the point and helpful.
 

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