POKER
ROOM REVIEW - VIRTUAL CITY POKER |
|

|
Virtual City Poker is a “network skin” which
is part of the PrimaPoker Network, with its shared player
database. Prima Network has grown quickly in 2005 and now
has well over 10,000 players online at peak time and several
thousand off peak. With a 50% initital deposit bonus up to
$200, Virtual City Poker should be of interest to any poker
player intending to play a lot. If you know how to use the
bonus schemes, it can make a huge impact on your overall bankroll.
Why keep playing on one of the poker rooms on the Prima Network
once you have cleared the initial sign up bonus? Worthwhile
to sign up to another room connected to the same network and
do the same as you will still be playing against the same
opponents - software the same, players the same, just a new
sign on bonus to clear and then you can move on.
|
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - FEATURES |
| POSITIVE
FEATURES |
NEGATIVE
FEATURES |
- Many loose games with casino players
- Decent player volumes 24/7
- Lots of short handed tables (5 or 6 players)
- Easy to switch between two tables
- Find-a-player function
- Bad beat jackpot and magic-hand bonus
- Note taking support
- Lobby info with players/flop and average pot
- Telephone support
- Clear overview over the entire betting sequence
|
- Poor software functionality although getting better
- No loyalty program
- No live table hosts
- Often slow e-mail support
- Customer support could be a lot better
|
|
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - POKER VARIANTS |
Virtual
City Poker supports the following forms of poker:
- Texas Hold Em
- Omaha
- Omaha Hi/Lo
- Seven Card Stud
- Five Card Stud
|
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - INTERFACE |
| Virtual
City Poker software is a customised shared-network version
of Prima Poker Network by Microgaming. The graphics are rather
rudimentary and with limited functionality, but the action has
been speeded up so ideal for those looking for a fast paced
game. There is no player options menu where you can set your
preferences. What's different with Virtual City from other Prima-based
poker rooms is that there is Quick Start function which allows
you to quickly find tables or tournaments of your preference.
Virtual City Poker does share the player base with the rest
of the Prima Poker Network to ensure high traffic with between
3,000 to over 10,000 players at peak times. Hand history is
available by HTML page and via email. One nice feature is the
possibility to see all actions in the chat area to the right
- who raised and called and for which amounts in the previous
betting rounds and previous hands. This feature is invaluable
for players not keeping full focus on the game (playing on other
tables or having other distractions). In sum, the software is
now OK, but leaves some room for improvement. |
 |
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - PLAYER TABLES |
Very
basic table layout. No player avatars and no options feature
to set up your individual player preferences and there is
only limited sound (just when cards being dealt). There is
a time bar which is now much quicker, actually too quick for
some. The screen is very dark with only the player name plates
and cards clearly visible. But do you really need to see anything
else that distracts your attention from the cards and the
money? We like the colour schemes as the cards are so visible.
We can put on the kettle during play and still see the cards
from far away. No magnifying glasses required here to see
what's important during game play. |

|
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - RING GAMES |
Virtual
City Poker ring game traffic is quite high. The ring game
traffic at peak times is around 3,000 players. Fairly limited
game variety. However, the action tends to be loose and fast.
A lot of short-handed tables (max. 6 players) and plenty of
high limit tables. |
|
| POKER
VARIANT |
FORM |
STAKE
IN US$ |
MAX
NO. PLAYER |
| Texas Hold Em |
Limit |
0.05/0.10 to 100/200 |
2, 6 or 10 |
| Texas Hold Em |
Pot Limit |
0.05/0.10 to 100/200 |
2, 6 or 10 |
| Texas Hold Em |
No Limit |
0.05/0.10 to 100/200
|
2, 6 or 10 |
| Omaha |
Limit |
0.10/0.20 to 50/100 |
2, 6 or 10 |
| Omaha |
Pot Limit |
0.10/0.20 to 40/80 |
2, 6 or 10 |
| Omaha |
No Limit |
0.10/0.20 to 20/40 |
2, 6 or 10 |
| Omaha Hi Lo |
Limit |
0.05/0.10 to 100/200 |
2, 6 or 10 |
| Omaha Hi Lo |
Pot Limit |
0.05/0.10 to 100/200 |
2, 6 or 10 |
| Seven Card Stud |
Limit |
0.50/1.00 to 50/100 |
2 or 8 |
| Seven Card Stud |
Pot Limit |
0.25/0.50 to 3/6 |
2 or 8 |
| Seven Card Stud |
No Limit |
0.50/1.00 to 200/400 |
2 or 8 |
| Five Card Stud |
Limit |
0.25/0.50 to 50/100 |
2 or 8 |
| Five Card Stud |
Pot Limit |
0.25/0.50 to 50/100 |
2 or 8 |
| Five Card Stud |
No Limit |
0.25/0.50 to 50/100 |
2 or 8 |
|
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - TOURNAMENTS |
Virtual
City Poker's multi-table tournaments have improved greatly
in 2005. It can now rival the top poker rooms. Plenty of freerolls,
guaranteed prize pool tournaments and qualifiers to the large
hi-value poker tournaments. There is good action throughout
the day with several thousand tournament players logged on
most of the day. Lots of Sit and Go tournaments as well. There
is something for every taste. Below are some of the higher
value daily guaranteed tournaments as well as some of the
regular guaranteed poker tournaments. |
|
| TOURNAMENT
ENTRY |
ENTRY
FEE |
FREQUENCY
+ START TIME |
AVE. NO.
OF PLAYERS |
MAX. PLAYERS
|
$5,000 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$20 + $2 |
Mon - Sat
13.30 EST / 18.30 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$5,500 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$25 + $2.50 |
Mon - Sun
17.30 EST / 22.30 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$5,500 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$20 + $2 |
Mon - Sun
02.00 EST / 07.00 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$7,000 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$30 + $3 |
Mon - Sun
17.00 EST / 22.00 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$7,500 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$35 + $3 |
Mon - Sat
18.30 EST / 23.30 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$12,000 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$20 + $2 |
Mon - Sun
19.00 EST / 00.00 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$20,000 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$10 + $1 |
Mon - Fri
15.30 EST / 20.30 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$20,000 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$100 + $9 |
Mon - Fri
14.30 EST / 19.30 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
$100,000 Guaranteed
No Limit Holdem |
$50 + $5 |
Sun
15.30 EST / 20.30 GMT |
N/A |
N/A |
|
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - DEPOSIT & WITHDRAWAL OPTIONS |
DEPOSIT
OPTIONS:
VISA, MasterCard, prepaid ATM, NETeller, FirePay, Wire Transfer.
CASH OUT OPTIONS:
Cash out to credit card only against prior purchases make,
remaining balance is paid out via various "web wallets"
(NETeller, FirePay, Prepaid ATM, etc) and check. |
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - SUPPORT |
There
is telephone support and e-mail support. However, email support
often has slow response times. There is freephone 24/7 telephone
support although the support staff sound half asleep and uninterested.
Our feeling is that we are bothering them in their slumber
so not impressed. |
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - LOYALTY PROGRAMME |
|
There is now a new loyalty programme where there used to
be none. Based upon raked hands, loyalty points are accummulated
which can then be turned into real money. Presume they are
still developing the loaylty scheme as it does nothing to
excite us to take our pants off. |
VIRTUAL
CITY POKER - MEMBER COMMENTS |
|
| MEMBER |
DATE
POSTED |
COMMENTS |
| Eurobonus |
2 Dec.
2005 |
One of the best user interfaces
by a poker room on the Prima Network. Yes, the tables
are very dark, but the cards and money in play are very
clear. One of my preferred poker rooms on the Prima Network.
Customer support could improve. |
|
| |
| 
|
| |