I've about had it with Party Poker

[heybrad]

This is the 2nd time in 2 days that I've signed up for a tournament and right when its about to start.... disconnect. I have no other problems with the rest of the internet world. Then I read their policy on disconnections. Basically, its my problem. Even if its their problem, its my problem. They have a nice business going there. Take my money and kick me off.

Anybody want to recommend a different site?

[Chubby]

Ultimate Bet

Use Chubby3434 as a referral, you'll get bonus money and will love the site!

[jaeenox]

This is the 2nd time in 2 days that I've signed up for a tournament and right when its about to start.... disconnect. I have no other problems with the rest of the internet world. Then I read their policy on disconnections. Basically, its my problem. Even if its their problem, its my problem. They have a nice business going there. Take my money and kick me off.

Anybody want to recommend a different site?

I joined PP about a month ago and have been able to play one night due to their constant server problems. I have never had a problem with PokerStars. I just wish PS would do the quick tourney format that PP does.

[sabotai]

Disconntects is one of the reasons I stopped playing at Party.

[SirFozzie]

PokerStars has sit and go's jaeenox..

[GoldenEagle]

So they take yor money? You can not get it back?

[jaeenox]

PokerStars has sit and go's jaeenox..

Thanks SirFozzie, I've been playing on PS for about a year now and had never clicked on the S&G tab.

Just to follow up, Party Poker in my 3 week experience is just plain thievery. They stole over $25 dollars from me today and $162 from a friend of mine. Non-refundable entry fees to tournaments that never materialize is just stealing. The response was read the fine print and shut up. The last straw was holding KJ, flopping QT9, going all in at a cash table, having my hand folded because the server timed out and losing my money to someone with a pair of 9's. I tried to go to the cash out website to cut my losses and of course that is just a dns error page.

[Chubby]

Thanks SirFozzie, I've been playing on PS for about a year now and had never clicked on the S&G tab.

Just to follow up, Party Poker in my 3 week experience is just plain thievery. They stole over $25 dollars from me today and $162 from a friend of mine. Non-refundable entry fees to tournaments that never materialize is just stealing. The response was read the fine print and shut up. The last straw was holding KJ, flopping QT9, going all in at a cash table, having my hand folded because the server timed out and losing my money to someone with a pair of 9's. I tried to go to the cash out website to cut my losses and of course that is just a dns error page.

Are you serious??? Damn, that sucks :( Makes me glad I started out on UB and have stayed there. They sponsored the Aruba Tourny which I saw on tv and that was how I started playing.

[jaeenox]

So they take yor money? You can not get it back?


Well not exactly, first you dial the 800 number a thousand times before getting thru to the customer support people in New Delhi, then they give you a telephone number for risk management and credit, then you call that number a thousand times before someone in Calcutta answers and then they tell you that your money is gone in a cute little bit of British accented broken English.

[heybrad]

I've never come close to getting somebody to actually respond to their "24 hour live help".

[Chubby]

UB emails you right back within an hour (every time for me at least)

The servers crashed, of about a week ago. I was in a $5 sit and go in 2nd place with only 1 guy remaining. I emailed them when everything froze, it had been locked up for like 15 mins. They emailed me back and refunded my account the $5. Luck would have it that eventually the game restarted up and I blinded out a win (since they other guy must have shut down the UB program, it HAD been like an hour). So I'm sure he got his $5 + the winnings too.

They've always given GREAT CS. I know I'm a UB shill but I love em!

[Huckleberry]

I noticed a few of the poker sites were having serious connection issues tonight. Must have been something big that went down.

[SackAttack]

I wonder how many of those sites are tied to larger 'gambling-in-general' sites. I know there were several sites getting a shakedown from some organized crime folks in the days and weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. Stuff like "pay us a protection fee, or watch as a DOS attack takes your site down and keeps it down until you pony up."

[SirFozzie]

Plus Mydoom.C (Doomjuice) is wreaking havoc once more

[cthomer5000]

I wonder how many of those sites are tied to larger 'gambling-in-general' sites. I know there were several sites getting a shakedown from some organized crime folks in the days and weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. Stuff like "pay us a protection fee, or watch as a DOS attack takes your site down and keeps it down until you pony up."
This is believed to be the cause. Most poker sites had problems last night, and they did a week or two ago as well.

[SplitPersonality1]

I have had server problems at PP as well, but getting my money back due to server issues has never been a problem. I was in two multi-table tourney in the past two weeks that were cancelled due to server issues. All remaining players split the prize pool evenly, so I still came out slightly ahead.

The couple of days have been rough, connection-wise, but there are so many fish over there that it is well worth the trouble.

Has anyone else noticed a huge dropoff in play quality in the last week on the other poker sites? Vegas Vic mentioned a play that he came across a few days ago, and I am seeing the same thing.

Quality players like Vic and Quiksand must be cleaning up right now.

[rkmsuf]

I have had server problems at PP as well, but getting my money back due to server issues has never been a problem. I was in two multi-table tourney in the past two weeks that were cancelled due to server issues. All remaining players split the prize pool evenly, so I still came out slightly ahead.

The couple of days have been rough, connection-wise, but there are so many fish over there that it is well worth the trouble.

Has anyone else noticed a huge dropoff in play quality in the last week on the other poker sites? Vegas Vic mentioned a play that he came across a few days ago, and I am seeing the same thing.

Quality players like Vic and Quiksand must be cleaning up right now.

I've noticed that as well. I'll bet some people tend to get impatient the more they play...

[SplitPersonality1]

I've noticed that as well. I'll bet some people tend to get impatient the more they play...

That must be it.

If that is the case, I hope it continues. At this rate, my entire vacation this summer will be paid for by mid-March.

[QuikSand]

Maybe the NBC coverage of the World Poker Tour has bumped even more people to come online and play? And wasn't Party Poker a promient sponsor of something on SB weekend? (Maybe that dreadful lingerie football thing?)

[heybrad]

I have had server problems at PP as well, but getting my money back due to server issues has never been a problem. I was in two multi-table tourney in the past two weeks that were cancelled due to server issues. All remaining players split the prize pool evenly, so I still came out slightly ahead.
Heres the problem today regarding cancellation. Last night I left the connection attempt open so that it was continually trying to connect. About 1.5 hours after the tournament was supposed to start, I got in. It seems there were 2 people at the table who had managed to get in from the start and they were basically splitting the blinds of all the disconnected players. I had about 50 chips left. I quickly lose my 50 in a couple of hands and I'm out. Apparantly because I got in and played a hand or two I'm considered as having participated and I'm not entitled to get my money back. Why the hell they continued a tournament with only a few connected players is beyond me.

[Vegas Vic]

The couple of days have been rough, connection-wise, but there are so many fish over there that it is well worth the trouble.

Has anyone else noticed a huge dropoff in play quality in the last week on the other poker sites? Vegas Vic mentioned a play that he came across a few days ago, and I am seeing the same thing.

There's no question that the volume of players at Party is steadily increasing. At peak hours, they're now hitting 35,000, compared to the high 20,000 range for the end of year 2003. I expect this number to hit 50,000, possibly by the end of spring (with a new season of WPT and the WSOP starting in April).

As for the play quality, it's horrible as always. I wouldn't say it's any worse, but the sheer volume of players makes the game selection a little better. The downside is having to suffer through poorer connections. When I'm playing my "speed poker" (4 low-limit tables simultaneously), the lag is noticeably getting worse.