Party Poker Summary
Party Poker is one of the world’s largest online poker rooms in regards to active player volume, though it no longer holds the top position, since being forced to decline US player deposits due to the UIGEA of 2006. Party Poker has a full range of poker games to choose from, as well as single-player, multi-player and multi-hand Blackjack. The tournament line-up is lucrative and well structured, with a fast software platform available in multiple languages.
Party Poker Software
Party Poker has privately developed its own software platform that comes as a download version only, which in the past caused compatibility issues. However, in 2007, the online poker room released Mac and Linux versions of the software, making Party Poker conveniently suited for all major operating systems. There is also a no-download version for instant play directly in your browser. The graphics are clean but nothing to write home about, though it does come in 13 languages.
Players will find the typical features and statistics, including note taking, deal making, four-color decks and basic customization. Lobby stats offer viewed-flop percentages, average pot size and hands played per hour. Party Poker is well suited for multi-tabling, allowing up to 12 simultaneous tables with an auto-resize option that tiles all windows evenly across the screen.
Party Poker Bonuses / Promotions
Party Poker does not offer any percentage-based deposit bonuses or free trial offers to their new members, but they do provide 60 days worth of rookie Freerolls and Freeroll qualifier entries. $100 Freerolls are played 3 times daily, with the top 50 players moving on to the weekly $2,500 Freeroll tournament. The top 200 finishers in each $2.5k Freeroll are awarded entry to the monthly $10,000 Freeroll. Being rookies, Party Poker wants to make sure everyone gets a shot at the $2,500 Freeroll, regardless of their $100 Freeroll performance. Therefore, all new members are granted free entry into the first up-coming $2,500 Freeroll (within 7 days of sign-up) without having to qualify.
Join Party Poker every Friday night as they are guaranteeing $250,000 every week. 19 guaranteed online poker tournaments run from noon to 11pm ET, with prizes of $2.5k to $50k and buy-ins starting as low as $2.
Every Sunday at 12:45 ET, Party Poker hosts a $300,000 Guaranteed with a direct buy-in of $215. Alternatively, players can save a lot of cash by entering any of the 8 daily qualifier tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $3 to $23. Six weekend qualifiers are also held, costing $11 to $23. The top players in these qualifiers are awarded a seat in the Sunday $300k Guaranteed.
Party Poker Game Variety
Party Poker has a basic variety of online poker games - Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 7 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo - plus Blackjack, available in single-player, multi-player or single-player multi-hand varieties. With an average of 9,500 ring game players at peak hours (as of June 2008), there’s always plenty of action in all games and blind levels. Games vary between Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit with full-table, short-handed and heads-up play available.
As a part of the Party Gaming Network (Party Bets, Party Casino, Party Bingo and Party Gammon), Party Poker boasts very loose competition at low to mid-level stakes, due to an influx of traffic from its other online gambling venues.
Party Poker Tournaments
The tournament schedule at Party Poker is well structured and jam packed with profitability, especially in the Freeroll department. $250 Freerolls run every day, along with point-entry Freerolls worth $500 (100 poker points to enter) and $1,500 (250 poker points to enter). $100 Rookie Freerolls are held 3 times daily for new members who signed up within the last 60 days.
Party Poker guarantees millions every week, with the most lucrative tournament being a $300,000 guaranteed each Sunday. Direct buy-in is $215, but qualifiers are run daily, starting at $3. Party Poker guarantees $250k every Friday. Spread across 9 hours worth of tournaments that start as low as $2.
With an average of 60,000 real-money tournament players at peak hours (as of June 2008), the tournaments are very well populated. Lower buy-in events tend to proffer very loose competition, while the more expensive variety can be very tight towards the final table.
Party Poker Support
Party Poker provides friendly, professional customer support 24/7 via 4 email departments and a multitude of toll-free telephone numbers. Note that US players cannot receive telephone support, but can email for assistance. US players are only offered play-money accounts (US player deposits no longer accepted).
Party Poker Payment Methods
All currencies are accepted at Party Poker, but will be converted to USD for play at the online poker room. Party Poker supplies a full range of payment methods for maximum player convenience, no matter their geographical location. (Note: US player deposits no longer accepted.)
Deposit Methods: Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Visa Electron, Laser, Maestro, Switch, Solo, Paysafecard, EPS, Web Money, MisterCash, iDeal, ClickandBuy, Click2Pay, GiroPay, Ukash, Przelewy, Directpay24, MyCitadel, POLi, eWire, EC ELV, UseMyBank, Electronic Transfer, Moneybookers, EntroPay, NETeller, Bank Transfer and Bank Wire.
Withdrawal Methods: Visa, Maestro, Switch, Solo, Web Money, Click2Pay, MyCitadel, Electronic Transfer, Moneybookers, NETeller, Bank Transfer, Bank Wire, Check by Mail and Check by Courier.