Online Poker Rooms Comparisons and Reviews

There are several comparison and reviews about Poker Rooms available on the Internet.
I have compiled here a list of them, and added a comparison by my self, based on some concrete stuff that I consider very relevant for a Cash Games, No Limit Holdem, Small Stakes Player, like me.

Comparisons
HomePokerGames, PokerWorks

Reviews
BeatTheFish, BonusWhores, FlopTurnRiver, OnLinePokerCenter, PokerListings, PokerOnline, PokerRanking, PokerRoomRake, PokerTips

Online Poker Rooms Comparison

Feature	Absolute	Classic	Interpoker	Littlewoods	Pacific	Paradise	Party	Poker Plex	Poker Rewards	Poker Stars	Sun	Total Bet	UK Betting	William Hill
Feature	Absolute	Classic	Interpoker	Littlewoods	Pacific	Paradise	Party	Poker Plex	Poker Rewards	Poker Stars	Sun	Total Bet	UK Betting	William Hill
Network	Absolute	Crypto	Crypto	Crypto	Pacific	Paradise	Party	Crypto	Prima	Poker Stars	Crypto	Crypto	Crypto	Crypto
Multi table	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
NL Tables	0.05/.010, 0.10/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/4, 5/10	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50	Pacific	Paradise	Party	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50	Poker Rewards	0.01/0.02, 0.02/0.05, 0.05/0.10, 0.10/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 5/10, 10/20	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50	0.15/0.25, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1, 1/2, 2/5, 5/10 , 10/20, 25/50
Maximum Buy In (BBs)	Absolute	100	100	100	Unlimited?	Paradise	Party	100	100	Poker Stars	100	100	100	100
Minimum Buy In (BBs)	Absolute	20	20	20	5	Paradise	Party	20	10	Poker Stars	20	20	20	20
Minimum BBs to Rebuy	Absolute	80	80	80	Pacific	Paradise	No Minimum	80	No Minimum	No Minimum	80	80	80	80
Self re-raise forbidden	NO	YES	YES	YES	Pacific	Paradise	Party	YES	NO ???	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
PIN Free Withdraw	YES	NO	NO	NO	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO	YES
Neteller Withdraw Charge	Free	$0.01-$1.00	$0.01-$1.00	$0.01-$1.00	Pacific	Free	Free	$0.01-$1.00	Poker Rewards	Free	$0.01-$1.00	$0.01-$1.00	$0.01-$1.00	Free
Cents can be withdrawn	Absolute	Classic	Interpoker	Littlewoods	Pacific	Paradise	Party	Poker Plex	YES	Poker Stars	Sun	Total Bet	UK Betting	William Hill
Monthly Bonus	NO	NO ???	$90	£ 25 = $44	Pacific	Paradise	Party	$50	Poker Rewards	NO	$40	£ 25 = $44	£ 25 = $44	£ 25 = $44
Monthly Bonus Type	N/A	NO ???	Redeposit $90, play 450 hands raked $1	Play 5 hours	Pacific	Paradise	Party	Play 250 hands raked $1	Poker Rewards	N/A	Play 200 hands raked $1	Play 5 hours	Play 5 hours	Play 5 hours
Weekly Redeposit Bonus	Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday	NO	NO	NO	Pacific	Paradise	Party	NO	Poker Rewards	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
FPP Store	Poor	NO	NO	NO	Pacific	NOT YET	Currently Unavailable	NO	NO	Very Good	NO	NO	NO	NO
Days for Expiration of FPPs	Absolute	Classic	Interpoker	Littlewoods	Pacific	Paradise	30	Poker Plex	Poker Rewards	Poker Stars	Sun	Total Bet	UK Betting	William Hill
Bad Beat Promo	NO	YES	YES	YES	Pacific	Paradise	Party	YES	Only with $0.50 Extra Rake	NO	YES	YES	YES	YES
Royal Flush Promo	T-shirt	NO	NO	NO	Pacific	Paradise	Party	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
Best Rakeback Offer	Absolute	Classic	Interpoker	30%	Pacific	Paradise	Party	Poker Plex	Poker Rewards	Poker Stars	32%	15%+	15%+	30%+
Best Rakeback Partners	Absolute	Classic	Interpoker	FishyPoker, MegaRakeBack, PaidPoker, RakeBack, RakeBackDeals	Pacific	Paradise	Party	Poker Plex	Poker Rewards	Poker Stars	Rakerebate, ThisIsTheNuts, RakebackOffers, PokerHand.org,	PaidPoker, RakeBackDeals	PaidPoker, RakeBackDeals	Rakemeback

Poker Bankroll suffers major damage

Poker Bankroll was on $883 on January the 16th, after recovering from a low of $175 on December 26th.
But, the major damaged started on January 17th losing $51, deepened on January 18th losing $432 on January 18th, and continued today January 19th losing $58, so now it's $342.
There is still some of it at Pacific, were there are $78, so the ammount available to play is less.
So, I'm going back from $0.50/$1.00 to $0.25/$0.50 stakes :-(
This was not caused by bad beats, just by playing horrible, and going all in to steal al pot against a mediocre hand with hands almost wortless.
I'm very dissapointed with the way I've played these days, the good part is that having played so badly, it will very easy to play better :-)

I hit a straight flush today !!!

The roll of unbelivable hands keeps going. Today, three days after hitting the Royal, I hitted a straight flush on the turn using my two hole cards, and had time to capture the screen of it.
Sidselpig was betting on the hand and he says he had the diamond flush with his Ad, but folded to my bet on the river. I really don't buy it, but if this was true, it was an amazing fold by him.
I'm unhappy with the way I played the hand, for the following reasons:
* On the Flop, I had a small flush, so I bet $5, he raised to $10. At this point I remember having said to my self "I have to know where I stand", as I was scary he could had a higher flush. I'm happy with this re-raise. I got just called.
* On the Turn I hit my magic card, giving me the straight flush and being first to act I chose to check in order to check-raise. The pot had already more than $40, so it was a considerable pot already and he should have interest on the big pot, one reason checking was bad there. I had already showed strenght with my bet and re-raise on the flop, another reason checking was bad there. My opponent had already showed he had a pretty good hand and he was willing to defend it by calling the $20 bet on the board, another reason. Board had 4dTd8d6d, and I had 5d7d, so he could be drawing to the Q high straight flush and I gave him a free card, another reason. Finally, I had only one more round to get money into the pot and only one player, last reason. So I think I should had bet the turn, perhaps $15 so he could get proper odds to chaise a possible flush draw, and also to lower the previous $20 bet so I don't show so much strenght and get called.


Game #1431124004: Hold'em NL ($0.50/$1) - 2006/01/17 - 16:13:19 (ET)
Table "Steelton" Seat 10 is the button.
Seat 1: Staffyman ($93.50 in chips)
Seat 2: mrdipper ($77 in chips)
Seat 3: Adrian20X ($112 in chips)
Seat 4: APK78 ($90.50 in chips)
Seat 5: paroar ($94.75 in chips)
Seat 6: Sidselpig ($127.72 in chips)
Seat 7: Sl1ckR1vr ($82.25 in chips)
Seat 8: pretty ($118.50 in chips)
Seat 10: headline ($57.25 in chips)
Staffyman: posts small blind $0.50
mrdipper: posts big blind $1
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Adrian20X [5d 7d]
Adrian20X: calls $1
APK78: folds
paroar: folds
Sidselpig: calls $1
Sl1ckR1vr: calls $1
pretty: folds
headline: calls $1
Staffyman: folds
mrdipper: checks
----- FLOP ----- [4d Td 8d]
mrdipper: checks
Adrian20X: bets $5
Sidselpig: raises to $10
Sl1ckR1vr: folds
Sl1ckR1vr sits out
headline: folds
mrdipper: folds
alyssa09 joins the table at seat #9
Adrian20X: raises to $20
Sl1ckR1vr sits back
Sidselpig: calls $10
----- TURN ----- [4d Td 8d][6d]
Adrian20X: checks
Sidselpig: checks
----- RIVER ----- [4d Td 8d 6d][Ks]
Adrian20X: bets $36
Sidselpig: folds
Returned uncalled bets $36 to Adrian20X
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Adrian20X: shows [5d 7d] (Straight Flush, Eight high)
Adrian20X collects $43.25 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $45.50 Main pot $43.25 Rake $2.25
Board [4d Td 8d 6d Ks]
Seat 1: Staffyman (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: mrdipper (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 3: Adrian20X showed [5d 7d] and won ($43.25) with Straight Flush, Eight high
Seat 4: APK78 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: paroar folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Sidselpig folded on the River
Seat 7: Sl1ckR1vr folded on the Flop
Seat 8: pretty folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: headline (button) folded on the Flop

I hit a Royal Flush !!!

Another strange event, two days after having the Bad Beat Jackpot hit on my table, today I hitted a Royal Flush (of Spades, I had KsJs).
Even more, I flopped the Royal Flush !!!
Fortunately I got action for it, after the flop I was paid 27BB by Lassie01 that flopped a Flush with 4s3s, and by theo69 that flopped a straight with KdJd.
The board paired at the river with a second Ace, I was hopping somebody would had made a full house there, but didn't happened, everybody flopped a very nice hand, but I just flopped the absolute nuts of the whole world.
I don't know how to play a beautie like this since they don't come very often so I had to improvise, but I think I made a very good ammount of money just calling the 2BB bet on the flop, for a total net win of 54.4 BB (a bit more than half of the buy in).

---

Game #1397496144: Hold'em NL ($0.50/$1) - 2006/01/14 - 15:27:36 (ET)
Table "Pink" Seat 2 is the button.
Seat 1: bizaff ($98.50 in chips)
Seat 2: Lastdime ($106.50 in chips)
Seat 3: Stinex ($68.50 in chips)
Seat 4: theo69 ($49.25 in chips)
Seat 5: paroar ($145.18 in chips)
Seat 6: AngryDonk ($88.43 in chips)
Seat 7: Desimania ($41 in chips)
Seat 8: blaidan7 ($74.50 in chips)
Seat 9: Lassie01 ($80 in chips)
Seat 10: Adrian20X ($122 in chips)
Stinex: posts small blind $0.50
theo69: posts big blind $1
Lassie01: posts big blind $1
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Adrian20X [Ks Js]
paroar: folds
AngryDonk: folds
Desimania: folds
blaidan7: folds
Lassie01: checks
Adrian20X: calls $1
bizaff: calls $1
Lastdime: folds
Stinex: folds
theo69: checks
----- FLOP ----- [Ts As Qs]
theo69: bets $2
Lassie01: calls $2
Adrian20X: calls $2
bizaff: folds
----- TURN ----- [Ts As Qs][3h]
theo69: bets $7
Lassie01: calls $7
Adrian20X: raises to $15
theo69: calls $8
Lassie01: calls $8
----- RIVER ----- [Ts As Qs 3h][Ac]
theo69: checks
Lassie01: checks
Adrian20X: bets $10
theo69: calls $10
Lassie01: calls $10
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Adrian20X: shows [Ks Js] (Royal Flush)
theo69: mucks hand [Jd Kd]
Lassie01: mucks hand [3s 4s]
Adrian20X collects $82.50 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $85.50 Main pot $82.50 Rake $3
Board [Ts As Qs 3h Ac]
Seat 1: bizaff folded on the Flop
Seat 2: Lastdime (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Stinex (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: theo69 (big blind) mucked [Jd Kd]
Seat 5: paroar folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: AngryDonk folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Desimania folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: blaidan7 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Lassie01 (big blind) mucked [3s 4s]
Seat 10: Adrian20X showed [Ks Js] and won ($82.50) with Royal Flush

Sun Poker Bad Beat Jackpot hits on my table !!!

Sun Poker Bad Beat Jackpot hit on my table today, and I won 23.66 dollars.
HATEMONEY lost with 4 Jacks, and won 200 pounds (331 dollars), Theodor77 won with 4 Queens, and won 100 pounds (165 dollars) plus the 101.95 dollars pot.
Clintern2, Winged and Rcheng won 14.29 pounds (23.66 dollars).
AljdrA, JeppeKP, Adrian20X and hummern won 23.66 dollars.
The bonus did not appear as a diffent item on the statement, but instead it appeared in the balance of the session.
Congratulations guys !!!

---

Game #1371900864: Hold'em NL ($0.25/$0.50) - 2006/01/12 - 12:09:15 (ET)
Table "Partita" Seat 2 is the button.
Seat 1: Winged ($51.15 in chips)
Seat 2: Adrian20X ($47.68 in chips)
Seat 3: Rcheng ($19.45 in chips)
Seat 4: hummern ($27.40 in chips)
Seat 5: Clintern2 ($63.92 in chips)
Seat 6: HATEMONEY ($51.60 in chips)
Seat 7: manny_z3 ($25 in chips)
Seat 8: AljdrA ($11.10 in chips)
Seat 9: Theodor77 ($66.50 in chips)
Seat 10: JeppeKP ($27.55 in chips)
Rcheng: posts small blind $0.25
hummern: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Adrian20X [6d As]
Clintern2: folds
HATEMONEY: raises to $1.50
AljdrA: folds
Theodor77: calls $1.50
JeppeKP: folds
Winged: folds
Adrian20X: folds
Rcheng: folds
hummern: calls $1
----- FLOP ----- [Qd Jh Js]
hummern: checks
HATEMONEY: checks
Theodor77: checks
----- TURN ----- [Qd Jh Js][2d]
hummern: checks
HATEMONEY: bets $0.50
Theodor77: calls $0.50
hummern: folds
----- RIVER ----- [Qd Jh Js 2d][Qs]
HATEMONEY: bets $1
Theodor77: raises to $5
HATEMONEY: raises to $49.60 and is all-in
Theodor77: calls $44.60
----- SHOW DOWN -----
HATEMONEY: shows [Jd Jc] (Four of a kind, Jacks, Queen high)
Theodor77: shows [Qc Qh] (Four of a kind, Queens, Jack high)
HATEMONEY wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of £200
Theodor77 wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of £100
Clintern2 wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of £14.29
AljdrA wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of $23.66
JeppeKP wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of $23.66
Winged wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of £14.29
Adrian20X wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of $23.66
Rcheng wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of £14.29
hummern wins Bad Beat Jackpot at table Partita with prize of $23.66
Theodor77 collects $101.95 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $104.95 Main pot $101.95 Rake $3
Board [Qd Jh Js 2d Qs]
Seat 1: Winged folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Adrian20X (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Rcheng (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: hummern (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 5: Clintern2 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: AljdrA folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Theodor77 showed [Qc Qh] and won ($101.95) with Four of a kind, Queens, Jack high
Seat 10: JeppeKP folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Affilliates for Sign Up Free Gifts

There are a couple of sites that have free gifts for signing up at a poker room.
This affiliates give you these gifts for signing up, and in turn they get money from the poker room for which you sign up.

The sites that I'm currently aware are: PokerSourceOnline, Internet Texas Holdem, PokerListings, Boogster, PokerPromotions, Vegas Poker Pro, PokerLizard and FreeChipDeal.

Here is a brief review of all of them.

• PokerSourceOnline, here you can get a chip set, a poker table, Poker Academy Pro, Copag Cards, a Gift Card, Poker Tracker or PSO Points to use at the PSO Store. I listed it first because it is the one I use most of the time because usually I get a bonus of 9000 points = 90 dollars thru one of the special promotions that you can find on the Promotions Forum. Then I use the points for an Amazon Gift Card, and usually buy thru one of the zShops of the Amazon Market Place. Be sure to read my review of PSO main page offers as some of them add value, but some of them destroy value and you should get PSO points instead. Remember also to post a picture of the item to get an addditional 2.50 dollars bonus on your first picture. If you sign thru them, please use my referall ID "Adrian20XX" so I can I also get a mini-bonus ;-)
• Internet Texas Holdem, here you can get a chip set or two poker books. I listed it second because I got my chip set from them, for international customers they exchange one additional promotion for the international shipping of the chip set, so is a good deal for non US residents.
• PokerListings, here they do not give gifts, but usually they have higher cash bonus for signing that what you get thru the other affiliates. So, you have to compare this difference with the value of the free gift you get. I listed it third because it is a benchmark, how much more initial bonus can you get instead of the free gifts of the other affiliates.
• Boogster, here you can get Boogster points to use at the Boogster Store, and you get between 70 and 20 dollars value depending on the site for which you sign up. I listed it fourth because is the only place where you can get a bonus for signing up for Pokerstars, the bonus is 2000 points = $20 at Amazon.
• PokerPromotions, here you can get a chip set, a dual deck of KEM cards, Poker Tracker, a 40 dollars Amazon or Ebay Gift Card, or $40 cash (paid thru PokerStars).
• Vegas Poker Pro, here you can get a chip set, a poker table, 2 poker books or DVDs, Poker Tracker, or a 50 dollars gift card.
• PokerLizard, here you can get a chip set, $50 cash, Poker Tracker, a poker/black jack table top, a set of DVDs or two poker books. As you can always get a better deal thru PokerSourceOnline as you can see on my Review of PokerLizard Sign Up Gifts, then it is not worth it because it gives no added value.
• Shufflecat, here you can get the standard chip set for signing for Pacific Poker or Empire Poker, a free entry to a qualifying tournament for the Party Poker Million V (value $34), and the standard $10 bonus with no deposit requirement for Royal Vegas Poker. It is not worth it because it gives no added value.
• FreePokerChips, here you can can get a chip set or $50 cash but only for signing for Party Poker. As this can be done thru other affiliates with the same or more value for the gifts, then it is not worth it because it gives no added value.
• FreeChipDeal, here you can get a chip set, a poker table or two books. The only room where you can sign thru them is Pacific Poker, and as it can be done thru other affiliates with the same or more value for the gifts, then it is not worth it because it gives no added value.

Review of PokerLizard Sign Up Gifts

Here is a review of the Sign Up Gifts from PokerLizard. It has different promos but only for Bodog, Pacific Poker, Party Poker and Titan Poker. As you can always get at least $60 from PokerSourceOnline ($90 when there is a special promo) where you can sign for all these poker rooms, if you chose to make a promo with PokerLizard you always lose money with the gifts.

But don't go directly to PokerSourceOnline, at least check before my PokerSourceOnline Main Page Offers Review to get the best value for your bonus as some bonus there add value and some destroy value.

Bellow is the full analysis of all the different promos that PokerLizard offers.

For the US we use the shipping rates for Amazon MarketPlace of $2.49 for DVDs and $3.49 for books.
For International customers we also use the shipping rates for Amazon MarketPlace of $9.79 both for DVDs and Books. This gives us a maximum cost for international customers, as International Customers can probably get better deals directly from Amazon paying Amazon's lower per shipment plus per item charges.

The total value includes the cost of shipping.

• 500 pc poker chipset: Unknown price, same offer available from PokerSourceOnline.
• $50 cash: value $50 :-)
• Poker Tracker: The value is $55 when bought directly from Poker Tracker
• 300 pc chip set: This offer is only for Bodog, but in PokerSourceOnline you get a 500 pc chip set for signing with Bodog.
• Choose any 2 of the following: Rounders (Collector's Edition), Doyle Brunson's Super System by Doyle Brunson, The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky, Tournament Poker for Advanced Players by David Sklansky, Caro's Book of Poker Tells by Mike Caro. Direct prices at Amazon (not at the MarketPlace) are $13.99, $19.77, $19.77, $19.77 and $16.47. Two of this items qualify for FREE Super Saver Shipping, so maximum value for US residents is $39,54.
• poker/blackjack table: This item thas not have a brand or a picture, but it sells for $30.00 at Poker Discount. So with the per shipment charge of $7 and the per pound charge of $0.60, this item has to weight more than 38 pounds just to get even with the standard PSO promo of 6000 points = $60.
• 2 Books: The more expensive poker book at Amazon is Doyle Brunson's Super System II for $23.07. As two books of this price qualify for FREE Super Saver Shipping, the maximum value for US residents is $46.14. This item is not available for international customers.
• DVD Choice #1, World Poker Tour Season 1: Sells for $33.92 at caiman_com. Value for US residents $36.91. Maximum value for International $43.71.
• DVD Choice #2, World Poke Tour Season 2: Sells for $22.50 at jims_hawkshop. Value for US residents $24.99. Maximum value for International $32.29.
• DVD Choice #3, Rounders (Collector's Edition): Sells for at $12.47 at faes_media. Value for US residents $14.96. Maximum value for International $22.26.
• DVD Choice #4, Howard Lederer's Secrets of No-Limit Hold'em & More Secrets of No-Limit Hold'em: Sells for $1.27 and $5.00 at margiadan and down_to_the_penny_deals. Value for US residents $11.25. Maximum value for International $25.85.
• DVD Choice #5, Howard Lederer's Secrets of No-Limit Hold'em & More Secrets of No-Limit Hold'em, Phil Hellmuth's Million Dollar: Secrets to Bluffing & Tells, Online Poker Secrets, Poker System, and Tournament Strategies, deck of WPT cards, and a dealer button: Sells for $1.27, $5.00, $5.00, $6.43, $5.50, $6.18, $2.98 ($5.95 for two decks). Value for US residents $42.30 (does not include the value of the dealer button and the shippment of the deck). This promo is not available for international customers (I was told by e-mail).

PokerSourceOnline Main Page Offers Review

I made this review of PokerSourceOnline offers, because some of the offers that are on the main page add value and you should do them instead of the PSO Points if you want this particular item, but some of them destroy value and you should do the PSO Points instead, and then buy at the store the very same item and you will keep some additional money for other items. As always, if you sign for PokerSourceOnline please if you use my referall ID "Adrian20XX" so I can also get a mini-bonus.

1. Free Poker Chip Set: This promotion has value on itself, because the 500 pc. chip set costs 10000 points = 100 dollars at the store, and that is more than the value of the special promos of 9000 PSO points = 90 dollars. Plus, you can get them for a room where there is no special promo. This promo adds value for either 40 or 10 dollars. If you want the chip set, this is your promo !!!
2. Free Poker Table: This promotion does not add any value, because the poker table costs 6000 points = 60 dollars at the store, so when you sign for a room where there is no special promo you are even, but when you use them for a room where you can get the 9000 points promo you actually lose 30 dollars. This promo can destroy 30 dollars of value. Get the PSO points instead.
3. Free Poker Academy Pro: This promotion has value on intself, because the software costs 12900 points = 129 dollars at the store. This promo adds value for either 62.90 or 32.90 dollar. If you want Poker Academy Pro, this is your promo !!! You should also check which is the current price at Amazon, currently it's unavailable.
4. Free Copag Cards: With this promo you get 2 decks of Copag Cards that cost 1500 points = 15 dollars, 5 chip racks (3 chip racks cost 1000 points, so the 5 chip racks costs 1667 points = 16,67 dollars), 1 cut card and 1 dealer button. So in this promotion you get 1 cut card and 1 dealet button for either 28.33 dollars or 58.33 dollars. This promotion destroys value for nearly 28.33 dollars or 58.33 dollars, avoid it like the plague. Get the PSO points instead.
5. Free Gift Card: With this promo you get a 50 dollars Amazon (or other's site) gift card, so this promo destroys value for either 10 dollars or 40 dollars. Get the PSO points instead.
6. Free Poker Tracker: With this promo you get Poker Tracker Holdem OR Poker Tracker Omaha, that cost at the store 5000 points = 50 dollars. I made this promo thinking I will get the Poker Tracker Bundle Holdem + Omaha that costs at the store 9500 points = 95 dollars, but I was wrong and lost money. This promo destroys value for either 10 or 40 dollars. Get the PSO points instead.
7. 6000 Free PSO Points: This is the benchmark promo, when you use it, remember to check for the special promotions to get 9000 points that you can find at the Promotions Forum.
8. Nevada Jacks: With this promo you get a 300 pc Nevada Jacks chip set, that costs at the PSO Store 190000 points = 190 dollars, and 199.99 dollars at Nevada Jacks. This promo adds either 130 or 100 dollars value compared to the PSO Store, and either 140 or 110 dollars compared to the Nevada Jack Prices. If you want the 300 pc Nevada Jacks, this is your promo !!! Also if you want the 500 pc Nevada Jacks this is your promo, paying the extra 100 dollars thru this promo, as the difference at Nevada Jacks between the two items is exactly 100 dollars.

Poker DVDs

I recently purchased DVDs with bonus money I got from PokerSourceOnline.

I've found that you can get more items by getting points at PSO, and then shopping at Amazon than buying items directly at PSO with points, so got my Amazon Gift card.

I've also found that usually Amazon has not the best prices, but the sellers on Amazon do have very competitive prices, so I bought thru the sellers at the Amazon Market Place, and paid with the Amazon Gift Card.

The items I've bought are:

1) Howard Lederer's Secrets of No Limit Hold'em, Amazon Price: $12.99, Bought it for $1.27 from down_to_the_penny_deals
2) Howard Lederer's More Secrets of No Limit Hold 'Em, Amazon Price: $11.99, Bought it for $5.49 from pokersuppliesco-com (Texas Hold Em Superstore)
3) Howard Lederer's "Tells" All, Amazon Price:$7.99, Bought it for $4.29 from pokersuppliesco-com (Texas Hold Em Superstore)
4) Annie Duke's Beginner's Guide to Texas Hold'em (Masters of Poker), Amazon Price: $10.99, Bought it for $10.42 from caiman_com (Caiman.com)
5) Annie Duke's Advanced Texas Hold 'Em Secrets - How to Beat the Big Boys, Amazon Price: $10.99, Bought it for $9.89 from caiman_com (Caiman.com)
6) Poker Secrets From Poker Champs, Amazon Price: $8.99, Bought it for $6.23 from www_dvdmagnet_com (DVDMagnet.com)
7) World Series of Poker 2003, Amazon Price: $30.99, Bought it for $10.35 from salttheearth1 (Amazon Midwest zShop)
8) World Series of Poker 2004, Amazon Price: Not Available, Bought if for $29.99 from pokersuppliesco-com (Texas Hold Em Superstore). Same item was available on the ESPN Shop for $19.95, but I prefered to use my gift card
9) World Poker Tour Season 1, Amazon Price: $71.99, Bought it for $33.28 from caiman_com (Caiman.com)
10) World Poker Tour Season 2, Amazon Price: $35.99, Bought it for $22.50 from jims_hawkshop
Items 2, 5 and 7 were highly recommended on the 2+2 Forum on Books and Publications. Item 6 was also recommended. I bought items 1, 3 and 4just for completion, also because they were cheap.

I also had to pay $2.49 for shipping to the US for every single DVD.

Altough a very few items were more expensive this way when you add the shiping charge, than buying dirctly from Amazon with the FREE with Super Saver Shipping, I choosed to buy them outside at the Market Place because in this particular items Amazon had shipping times from 1 to 2 weeks, against 1 or 2 days at the Market Place.

And my friend Carlos is travelling soon to Argentina, so I had to get this free international shipping :-)

AKs on SB, against BB and 5 plain callers on 10 players table

This is a hand that I played strange, but feel pretty happy with the way I played it.

I'm with AKs against 5 callers on the SB, on a crypto long handed table of 10 players. I do not have any information on the players, besides that all hands have a lot of plain callers, and my image at the table should be of a very tight player.

The betting turn comes to me, and I decide to plain call, mostly because I feel I can get called by a lot of people, and if I miss the board someone will sure hit it. Plus, If I hit TPTK somebody could hit a set and I can loose big time. Now I'm not sure if to plain call was a mistake or not, it probabdly was.

So, I plain call 1BB. Now the BB raises to 5BB, and every single players call, so the betting turn comes back to me. Now, I'm looking at a pot with 31BB that it costs me 4BB to call, pretty interesting pot, plus all players but the BB have shown that they are not much strong, cause nobody re-raised the BB.

I think for a moment, and see two scenarios:
1) I go all in and I'm called. I'm probably a small underdog against a pair, or a big favorite against to overcards (I don't think to overcards are going to call here).
2) I go all in and I'm not called, I keep the 31BB pot for me.

So in overall I think I have positive equity going all in, so I go all in. Get the BB calling with QQ after thinking for a while, hit my K on the turn, and won the hand.

I kept thinking about this all in, and see another good point, I eliminated the position advantage on my caller (or callers) by going all in. And, I do the math, and I think it was justified to go all in there, independently that I ended being the winer of the hand (see math at the end of the message, all numbers expressed as BBs)

I posted this hand on Internet Texas Holdem and got a couple of comments.

One is that I should had take into account for the math the probabilitie that I get called by AA or KK. Very True.

Another one is about just plain calling the first time. And altough I agree that normally I should had to raise, I still didn't found a away to play this hand in a table with lot of callers. The problem I saw that lot of people will call a decent race leaving me in bad position happened, everybody called the 5BB bet from the other guy.
And, there was also another problem, that somebody could had limped with a monster hands waiting for the re-raise. When all the other players just called, I knew the only seriour risk was the guy on the SB.

Math Analysis
Item Ammount
MyStack 100
MyInvestment 1
Callers 6
CurrentBet 5
Pcall 50%
AllIn Callers 1
Pwin 46,049%
Pfold 50%
CurrentPot 31
ToCall 4
All In 99
PotNoCallsScenario 31
PotCallScenario 225
EVNoCallScenario 31
EVCallScenario 4,61
EV+ 17,81
EV+% 17,98%
P Fold required for ALL IN -17,47%
P win required for ALL IN 30,22%
For Him to Call 95
P Him 53,95%
Raised Pot 130
His EV 26,3898
His P required to CALL 42,22%