Pacific Poker 

Description:

Pacific poker was launched in 2002, it is a very popular online poker room with a wide variety of games. Players can enjoy anything from free practice plays, to no-limit games with big cash prizes.

Poker players of all levels can be found on the site, making it a great place for beginners and pros alike. The client software is attractive and easy to use, and does not require a powerful PC to run. Recent changes to internet gambling laws mean that Pacific Poker does not offer a money-play option for U.S. Players.

Listen to this Audio Review 5min 36 sec 

Deposit Options:

There are lots of ways to deposit money into your PacificPoker account - including:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• Eurocard
• Diners Club
• Maestro
• Laser
• NETeller
• E-Wallet
• ClickandBuy
• ACTeCASH
• Moneybookers
• Paypoint e-Voucher
• Ukash, Paysafecard
• Wire Transfer

Other ways, including country specific methods, are listed on the PacificPoker web site.

Withdrawal Options: Wire Transfer, NETeller, bank draft, Moneybookers, BACS - the minimum allowed Wire Transfer cash out is $20 - for other methods the minimum is $6.

Pacific Poker offers a 25% Bonus worth up to £50 on your first deposit.

Software and Graphics:

System Requirements: Windows, Linux, Mac OS plus no download version 400MHz CPU or faster with at least 256MB of RAM Minimum screen resolution (desktop area) of at least 800 by 600 pixels with 16-bit ("High Color") At least 30MB of free disk space Tested and runs on Windows.

Pacific Poker offers downloadable client software for the PC, as well as a no-download 'quickplay' client for people who are unable to install software on the machine they are playing from - for example if they are playing at an internet cafe.

The Pacific Poker client software is a fairly small download, and on a modern machine the process from download to installation takes, quite literally, less than a minute. Registration is required before you can play - even if you only wish to take part in free practice-play games. Thankfully the registration process is also fairly simple.

The software runs smoothly, and is very stable. It works on most versions of Windows - including Windows Vista. The graphics are attractive and professional, and the client is easy to navigate, meaning you can get straight in to playing a game, instead of worrying about confusing menu's and options.

There are usually lots of games on the go at any time, and you can see a detailed listing of games - including type, number of players, and pot and stakes details, from within the lobby. You can also quickly and easily see your current balance and amount you have in play.

The software has a very professional appearance - the avatars you see sat around the table while you are playing are very well designed - almost on a par with the kind of avatars you would see in boxed poker games for some consoles. To see graphics like that in a free download online game is refreshing. When you join a game you also join it's chat room - it is up to you how much you participate in chat, but people are mostly quite friendly.

Game Traffic:

Pacific Poker has quite a healthy player base - with around 2,000 ring game players, and 8,000 tournament game players at peak times. They have an international player base, so even off-peak game traffic is strong, and you should never find yourself waiting around for a game.

Tournament Traffic:

There are lots of tournaments at Pacific Poker - they work with 888.com to hold satellites for tournaments such as the World Poker Crown, as well as offering satellites for other tournaments such as the World Series of Poker. The satellites are usually relatively low-stakes games, giving everyone the chance to earn a place at some of the most respected tournaments in the world of poker.

Game Variety:

Pacific Poker offers a massive variety of poker games - including several variations of

• Texas Hold'em
• Omaha
• Omaha Hi Lo
• Seven Card Stud
• Seven Card Hi-Lo

Games are avaliable in no-limit, pot-limit and fixed-limit forms.

There are short handed, full table, and heads-up game variations available, and players can choose to play for cash, or in the free practice play mode.

Financial Security:

Pacific Poker has been around since 2002, and is the multi-player online poker arm of 888.com, who are a big name in the online casino industry. The company is very healthy, with a diverse range of business offerings ensuring that they have remained profitable even after recent changes to online gambling laws in the US meant they had to pull out of that market. You can be confident that Pacific Poker will be trading for a long time to come.

Support:

Pacific Poker have a very good web site with guides to help you download and install their client software, register as a member, and start playing your first game. You can also find sections with advice on how to deposit and withdraw funds.

Should you still have any issues, you can contact them easily using the contact form on their site, or use the Live Chat function. They also list several telephone numbers for people who prefer support that way.