September 14, 2008
Cool It
I haven’t played poker online for awhile, but I just visited Paradise and was thrilled to see that they’ve recently (?) started a sit-and-go no-limit tournament called “Cooler.” If you finish in the top five, you double your buy-in (minus the maximum 10% rake). Since many online players are cliff-divers and action junkies, this is a very good (and quick!) game for a patient player. 1500 starting chips and eight minute blinds is so much better than the dreaded “Speed” (five minute blinds) and absurd “Turbo” (three !!! minute blinds) tournaments, which really lure the nutty gamblers.
As you can see, they have some pretty high stakes games (100-500 euros), but it’s tough to fill a table with those buy-ins. On the other hand, I’ve never had to wait more than a few minutes to get a table at 10 euros or lower. Check it out if you’re a fellow poker player.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Paradise Poker is not open to U.S. residents. The sites that use euros are usually closed to us. It’s even hard to fund accounts of sites that still accept Americans. They usually post a bogus name and money amount when you deposit, e.g., $200 to Absolute poker will look like $199.93 from csc-portlouis.com or some other made up name on your credit or debit card; the name changes every time. We have been Frist f’ed.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
pokerstars and bodog still are, though you have to jump through funky hoops to fund bodog that, if it were a new site, i’d think were a scam.
i think FTP is…some others still are, but vary from state to state. eurolinx isn’t open to me, but is to about half the u.s.
btw, one of the leading ppl behind the crappy gambling bill is kyl.
September 16th, 2008 at 12:53 am
I can’t even fund FTP. My bank cards are blocked. I suppose that I could use their “telephone card” trick for funding. Maybe I should try funding the sites on my next trip to Costa Rica.
September 16th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Anthony & bob: It’s a shame that the mafia (via Congress) killed online “gaming” for US citizens. Incidentally, whenever I request a withdrawal check, the express mail envelope return address has a different “name,” but they all sound like characters from the Sopranos, lol.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:07 am
If by “mafia,” you mean the religious right, then I agree with you about who is behind the end of “gaming” online in America.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:21 am
@Anthony: An unusual alliance between the mob (Tony & Co.) and hard-right fundamentalist wingnuts like the terrible Palin. :)