The Quick Summary
The numbers speak for themselves: CD Poker is an outstanding poker room for both beginners and seasoned players. Part of the large iPoker network, CD Poker has plenty of loose games (thanks to fish swimming in from their casino), stable software and an eye-popping variety of Sit & Gos.
CD Poker does not accept US players, but it more than makes up for it with its software and they provide support in 16 languages.
Popularity: 8 of 10 – Very Good
iPoker is one of the largest networks around, which makes for very high traffic at CD Poker – as of July 2008, there were reportedly 55,000 tournament players and 10,000 ring-game players at peak hours. CD Poker is well-known for their tournaments, especially Sit & Gos and jackpots, which make both new and veteran players, flock to its tables.
Security: 9 of 10 – Excellent
CD Poker’s website has a lengthy section on security, which is very comprehensive (and also very hard to read over a busy background) and explains their policies on confidentiality, game integrity and fraud. CD Poker combines software with human experts to detect and prevent cheating and colluding, and has stern exclusion policies in place in case fraud is confirmed.
CD Poker also has a solid reputation for financial stability and transparency.
Player Competition: 8 of 10 – Excellent
Competition at CD Poker is reportedly very soft, with flop-view percentages sometimes reaching 60%. This could be due to the influx of new players from territories that are relatively new to poker and therefore not as exposed to poker television, literature and training.
Site Software: 7 of 10 – Excellent
You can expect the highest standards of software from CD Poker, since it belongs to the large and well-established iPoker network and runs on Playtech software. Graphics are attractive and easy on the eyes, the software is smooth and stable, multitabling is supported up to 8 tables (with a mini view option for tiling several tables into a monitor) and hand histories are compatible with PokerTracker.
Unfortunately CD Poker offers no version for Mac users at the moment, but as compensation they offer integrated Casino and Blackjack games – good for a break from poker or for scouting fish.
Customer Support 8 of 10 – Very Good
CD Poker’s support is outstanding: via phone, email or live chat, players can expect swift, friendly, informative answers.
Company Ethics: 9 of 10 – Excellent
A very attractive aspect of CD Poker is its relatively low rake: on most tables the rake is the industry standard, but several types of tables (including Limit up to $1/$2 and tables with few players) have a lower cap than the standard $3, going sometimes as low as $1; the micro-stakes tables have no rake at all. CD Poker also operates an attractive “no flop – no drop” policy, ideal for players at higher levels
CD Poker seems put together with care with the serious poker player in mind, while also remaining attractive for rookies who want to dip a toe in poker waters.
Site Promotions: 9 of 10 – Excellent
CD Poker offers an attractive 100% up to $600 sign-up bonus, which is all the more attractive because it is released as you accumulate the points, $10 at a time. They also have the industry standard $50 referral bonus, along with some more exciting perks for existing players: plenty of high-hand and bad-beat jackpots, countless jackpot Sit & Gos and satellites for the Grosvenor UK Poker tour, along with a 6-tiered VIP program that offers players accelerated point accumulations and entries to exclusive freerolls along with enhanced reload bonuses.
Overall Review: 6.9 of 10 – Good
Skilled players are advised to give CD Poker a try for its money earning facilities: from the soft tables to the many jackpots and enhanced bonuses, CD Poker is an excellent hunting ground for a seasoned player.
Final Result: We give CD Poker a final overall score of 6.9 out of 10
