Full Tilt Poker

Hits

• $8 million in guaranteed prize money each week
• Accepts U.S. players
• Great points store with Full Tilt Poker merchandise
• Refer-a-friend program
• Great mini-view functions for multi-table play
• Supports completely automated import of tournament and ring-game data to Poker Tracker

Misses

• Very tough competition at higher levels
• No-download software isn't available

FULL REVIEW - Full Tilt Poker (8.53)

Launched in 2004, Full Tilt Poker continues to showcase its ambition through massive growth and a reputation as one of today's market leaders. Adding to its prestige is Team Full Tilt, a group comprised of more than a dozen poker legends, including Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Allen Cunningham, Phil Ivey, John Juanda, Mike Matusow, Clonie Gowen, Jennifer Harman and Erik Seidel.

These sponsored pros can be found playing at all limits in all variations across Full Tilt, and are also available for real-time chat at the tables. Anyone good enough to win Full Tilt Poker satellites for entry to the biggest live poker tournaments will also be able to play the pros live.

At Full Tilt Poker there is action to be found at any poker game and at any limit. The site was the first poker room in the business to offer ultra high-stakes games, attracting some of the absolute best players in the world. The high-stakes player and the railbird alike can often find monster action or watch hands unfold at tables filled with the best in the world, playing for pots of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The games offered at Full Tilt Poker include Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven-Card Stud, Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo, Five-Card Draw, Razz and various mixed games. The games vary between No-Limit, Pot-Limit and Fixed-Limit. Full-table games, shorthanded and heads-up tables are all available.

Full Tilt Poker is also one of few sites offering mixed games such as H.O.R.S.E., H.A. and H.O.S.E. in both cash games and tournaments, making the game variation some of the most extensive and impressive online.

The poker room's software is unique, boasts some very innovative functions, is very stable and features excellent graphics; indeed, it is one of the best in the industry. The functions are easy to use and the points shop is also excellent, offering players all sorts of cool merchandise that can be acquired with their Full Tilt Poker points. The graphics are innovative, with cartoon-style avatars, and the software offers different table types with optional backgrounds.

Overall, the traffic volume is in the very top segment of the industry. Real-money player statistics as of August 2008 show 10,500 ring-game players at peak hours, and 70,000 tournament players at peak hours.