Redkings

Full Review of Redkings

As far as newcomers to the world of online poker go, few have managed to have the sort of impact that Red Kings Poker are currently enjoying.

Available to play in both a downloadable or Java applet format and boasting a choice of 17 different languages, Red Kings Poker have quickly managed to put themselves in direct competition with the market leaders of the the online poker world and continue to enjoy tremendous growth, high-volume traffic and glowing testimonials from it's users.

Red Kings Poker was launched in 2006 as part of the OnGame Network and also provides players with the chance to take part in casino games without having to register separately. All this adds up to a tremendously positive gaming experience that can be enjoyed on any computer, anywhere in the world.

For new players, there's an absolutely incredible chance to build the fattest of poker bankrolls by taking part in one of them most generous and innovative sign-up bonuses available to online players anywhere.

The bonus itself comes as part of a three-tiered system and works on an incremental basis that could see players who spend a decent amount of time at the table walk away with up to $1,000 in first-time deposit bonus money.

The three bonus levels are Hearts250, Diamonds500 and Kings1000. Simply choose which option you want when signing up, then gather player points to release the funds in incremental stages dictated by how often you play. Depending on which bonus level you choose, there's anything up to 60 days to complete your total points accumulation and earn the maximum bonus possible.

If that's not enough, there are also three fixed bonuses that can be made by earning a quota of points for each dollar of bonus you aim to reach . Meet the criteria, and anything up to $2,500 could be finding its way into your bankroll. Once more this is a three-tiered system that, although a little complicated, offers an attractive option for new players looking for something a little different in terms of sign-up bonuses.

Amazingly, the bonuses don't stop there! Red Kings Poker love their name and if you get dealt a pair of red kings in the hole, you'll be looking at an extra $300 being added to your account. Better still, if you play through to the showdown with your pocket red kings and lose, Red Kings Poker offer a $500 Bad Beat bonus that'll have you praying for somebody else having that pair of aces in their hand. Both bonuses are subject to points accumulation on your account.

Red Kings Poker offers a good range of tournament play including guaranteed pools, freezeout tournaments and freerolls. Perhaps the most attractive tournament of all is the weekly ChampionChip competition where qualification for this guaranteed $300,000 prize pool can be earned in regular qualifiers starting at just a $1 buy-in, or a $200 buy-in on the day of the tournament itself.

For a relatively new site, Red Kings Poker enjoys average traffic of around 3,600 players although that number can almost double during peak hours. This gives players a wide choice of tables to pick from at stakes that suit all abilities and bankroll sizes. Texas Hold 'Em tables seem to make up a significantly larger percentage of games than on most other online poker sites.

The OnGame Network software is stable and operates without glitches and although the instant play version lacks the full range of features available in the downloaded version, it provides a more-than-adequate alternative for Mac users and those who simply don't want to use the full version.

The downloadable version is a sleek piece of design that looks razor sharp but doesn't get lost in complicated gimmicks or unnecessary features. The avatars are static and use speech bubbles to display game moves and chip movement but expected features like the ability to take player notes and deck colour changes are all available. Play moves quickly and statistical data is informative and easy to understand. Up to 4 tables can be played simultaneously although there's no mini-view available at the present time. Red Kings Poker also provide a mobile poker application that allow real money games to be played on mobile phones or other hand-held devices.

The lobby area is simple in design and easy to navigate but can occasionally run a little slowly. Although there are a couple of Stud games available, Red Kings Poker is predominantly a Texas Hold 'Em site although Omaha seems to be enjoying a recent rise in popularity.

Table stakes start at 10c/20c and can range as high as $1,000/$2,000 in fixed limit games. The usual assortment of short-handed, heads-up and round table games are available as well as regular sit-and-go tables starting every few minutes.

Withdrawals are available in a full range of electronic formats and are usually paid within 72 hours. Cheques can also be mailed out subject to a minimum withdrawal of $25.

Customer service is available 24/7 via e-mail or telephone support and staff are well trained and courteous. Most problems can be easily solved by referring to the FAQ section on the Red Kings Poker web site.

As a genuine alternative to some of the more established online poker sites, Red Kings Poker continues to satisfy a rapidly increasing customer base, particularly with the new player bonuses available at the time of writing.