Empire Poker

Empire Poker is run by the gambling company Empire Online, which has an affiliation with PartyGaming; it is their software that powers the Empire Poker website.

The first thing that will strike players when landing on the site is the apparent lack of information on the front page.  The link to the client software download is in a large panel, however, so there is no need to search the site to locate this section.

The navigation is simple, but while there is some tournament information on the front page, visitors are required to go down various levels to find out about most promotions and tournaments.

The poker client software is for Microsoft Windows-based computers only and has an attractive look, with avatars representing the players around the table.

Don’t let the apparent lack of information on the landing page deter you – people new to online poker can study the tutorials in the ‘how to play’ section, which provides an easy to follow format consisting of both text and graphics, covering the basics of the client software and the rules of the various games on offer.

The site also offers an excellent choice of games, including Texas Hold’em, two forms of Omaha, two versions of Stud and three types of blackjack.

As an affiliate of the PartyGaming poker network, Empire Poker takes part in many of the gaming giant’s promotions, most of which can be viewed in the ‘News’ section on the menu.

The site also features regular promotions including the ‘Monthly Million’ and the Empire Poker Tournament Leader Board, for those players who prefer to chase the big pot.

Empire Poker is a superb site for tournament play, with a host of different options to suit your poker preferences.  As well as scheduled ‘multi-table’ and ‘sit and go’ tournaments, there are ‘shootout’, ‘time-based’, ‘heads-up’ and ‘bounty’ events.  The site has a guide to pay-outs in the various tournaments to help you to calculate how a prize pool is divided.

The scheduled events include freerolls and buy-ins between $1 and $530.  ‘Sit and go’ tournaments start regularly throughout the day and you won’t have long to wait to get a seat.

Empire Poker may seem to be a no-frills poker site, but it is ideal for players who simply want to play poker without the unwanted complications that some sites are fraught with.  The client software is attractive and easy to use, and there is plenty of help available to new players.

The clear guide to pay-outs is a superb resource for anyone trying to understand how online prizes are calculated, and with a wide range of games available players will find new challenges on a constant basis.

The affiliation to the PartyGaming network guarantees a fine choice of promotions and tournaments to compete in.  This is certainly a must-try site for both beginners and seasoned poker pros.