New to Poker, US player, Multiple questions about sites.

#1 2nd August 2012, 11:59 AM

Alright, so Ill start off with a little introduction and say hello.

I am new to poker, in fact I made my first buy in on CakePoker without doing much research, which I have now learned was probably a mistake. I did this while I had a friend over who said he enjoyed the site. I was very fortunate and turned my deposit into something I could cash out, once I did some research I read that it seems to be very common for cake to take up to 6 months to payout.

So I have a few questions, now that I am trying to do some research I am reading about networks, if I understand these correctly that means that the sites are linked, so you play the same players, and the way they cashout and speed is the same as well?

What sites have you guys had good experiences with fast cashouts with? I understand that with everything going on, I cant expect it to be a few days in the sites really, but are there any sites that are consistently within a month? All in all, what sites would you give a good opinion on?

Alas, has anyone in the US here recently cashed out on Cake, if so have you gotten your cashout and how long did it take?

I greatly appreciate any answers that may be given, and apologize if I asked some noobie questions, I am trying to research these topics. Everytime I seem to read something good about a site though, I find 25 bad things to follow.

Thanks for your time!

#2 2nd August 2012, 3:50 PM

Welcome to CC!

First off, some sites are linked together but I don't think you really understand it. Cake and Lock poker are both on the Revolution software. The games they offer are about the same, but it is not the same players. I don't think you can actually load up Cake and Lock at the same time, and its not like if you play in a tournament on Cake there will be people at your table that is playing on Lock.

Carbon, Blackchip, and RPM poker is all on the Merge software (and more.) They all offer close to the same games but like I said earlier, its not the same players playing against each other.

Also, don't put too much into the people with 50 post or less that complain about a poker site. Now-a-days, everybody that finds a problem with a site or a issue that there having will take it to the poker message boards.

If I was picking where to play, I would choose carbon. I personally like the Merge software more than Revolution. Carbon also has the most traffic out of the Merge skins (maybe the most out of all US sites?) I did withdraw with Carbon last summer. It was a annoying process...but once my information was cleared it took 3 weeks - a month to get my check, and that's what they said it would be. My only compliant about Carbon is there support team...you have to go through email, and they take 10-24 hours to get back to you.

Betonline has great support team. They have live chat, so any problem you have gets fixed in just a few minutes. Also, I had a very easy time getting money out. I did a moneygram on Betonline about 3 months ago, and got my money that day. There tournament selection though is awful. Just nothing to play. If you was a cash game player then maybe...but as for tournament they really don't offer much.

I have played on Cake some, really like there tournaments. There support team is solid, you have to go though email but they usually help you with-in a hour. I haven't did a withdraw on there.

Hope this helps!

#3 2nd August 2012, 4:09 PM

Just to clear-up a couple things..... I can't speak to the Cake/Lock thing because I've never played there. All the sites on the Merge Network, however (Carbon, Hero, BCP, and many, many other "skins") ARE linked and share the same player pool.

Also, I'd be VERY careful before depositing with BetOnline. I've never played there, so I'm not going to bad-mouth them, but do a little research first. A LOT of players have had issues with them, especially over payouts.

#4 2nd August 2012, 4:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebigdawg

Carbon, Blackchip, and RPM poker is all on the Merge software (and more.) They all offer close to the same games but like I said earlier, its not the same players playing against each other. (wrong) they share player pools

Play on merge, no reason to play elsewhere imo

#5 2nd August 2012, 4:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xdeuceswild81xx

Play on merge, no reason to play elsewhere imo

I stand corrected.

Shows how much I know.

Edit: to it be linked together that is.

#6 2nd August 2012, 4:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_Rudy

Just to clear-up a couple things..... I can't speak to the Cake/Lock thing because I've never played there. All the sites on the Merge Network, however (Carbon, Hero, BCP, and many, many other "skins") ARE linked and share the same player pool.

I concur about the merge part. I logged into one, logged out and opened another skin. And I could see my other account logged in to the tournament.

Does this apply to tables as well? or sng? that I do not know.

#7 2nd August 2012, 4:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdooley72

I concur about the merge part. I logged into one, logged out and opened another skin. And I could see my other account logged in to the tournament.

Does this apply to tables as well? or sng? that I do not know.

Definately applies to SnGs as that's mostly what I play. Just getting back into cash tables, but I assume it applies there as well.

#8 2nd August 2012, 4:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xdeuceswild81xx

Play on merge, no reason to play elsewhere imo

you are 100% correct xduesces, nothing beats any Merge room for US players.
Your money is pretty much safe with Merge and cashouts are not a problem. Also, there is no shady corporate history of any sort that I'm aware of. I think you can transfer your funds between different Merge rooms if you meet the proper criteria. Player traffic is high and you can find just about any kind of game you want. Good luck with you game!

#9 2nd August 2012, 4:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quintass

you are 100% correct xduesces, nothing beats any Merge room for US players.
Your money is pretty much safe with Merge and cashouts are not a problem. Also, there is no shady corporate history of any sort that I'm aware of. I think you can transfer your funds between different Merge rooms if you meet the proper criteria. Player traffic is high and you can find just about any kind of game you want. Good luck with you game!

If you from the US, your money isnt safe on any online poker site.

Better to keep the amount you keep online small, and amounts that you would be prepared to lose. If you do manage something decent like winning a bit MTT cash it out straight away imo.

#10 2nd August 2012, 5:01 PM

Play on Intertops. Quickest cash outs from what I've seen and heard.

#11 2nd August 2012, 5:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfpack43ACC

Play on Intertops. Quickest cash outs from what I've seen and heard.

Don't think they are any longer accepting new US players. Unless they've changed their stance again, I think about a month or two ago now they decided to not allow new US players, but if you have an existing account you can still play there.

#12 2nd August 2012, 5:21 PM

DOH! I knew that, dumbass me. Fortunate I have an existing account.

#13 2nd August 2012, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebigdawg

Welcome to CC!

First off, some sites are linked together but I don't think you really understand it. Cake and Lock poker are both on the Revolution software. The games they offer are about the same, but it is not the same players. I don't think you can actually load up Cake and Lock at the same time, and its not like if you play in a tournament on Cake there will be people at your table that is playing on Lock.

Carbon, Blackchip, and RPM poker is all on the Merge software (and more.) They all offer close to the same games but like I said earlier, its not the same players playing against each other.

Also, don't put too much into the people with 50 post or less that complain about a poker site. Now-a-days, everybody that finds a problem with a site or a issue that there having will take it to the poker message boards.

If I was picking where to play, I would choose carbon. I personally like the Merge software more than Revolution. Carbon also has the most traffic out of the Merge skins (maybe the most out of all US sites?) I did withdraw with Carbon last summer. It was a annoying process...but once my information was cleared it took 3 weeks - a month to get my check, and that's what they said it would be. My only compliant about Carbon is there support team...you have to go through email, and they take 10-24 hours to get back to you.

Betonline has great support team. They have live chat, so any problem you have gets fixed in just a few minutes. Also, I had a very easy time getting money out. I did a moneygram on Betonline about 3 months ago, and got my money that day. There tournament selection though is awful. Just nothing to play. If you was a cash game player then maybe...but as for tournament they really don't offer much.

I have played on Cake some, really like there tournaments. There support team is solid, you have to go though email but they usually help you with-in a hour. I haven't did a withdraw on there.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the responses everyone! Just to clear some questions up again:

So I can basically pick from Carbon, BCP, and RPM and they will all have the same # of players in cash games as they are linked together? So essentially I can install all 3, and find which Skin I enjoy using the most and am good to go?

Next question, when I logged into Carbon on my laptop and just clicked on the cashout function to see what options were listed there was only a check. How do you set up a WU or Moneygram cash out? Also, really noobie question but how do those work even? Do they just take a fee and tell you which Western Union to drive to a few weeks later and you drive there and pick up your check?

Also, will all BCP, Carbon, and RPM have the same cashout options since they are on the same network?

Thanks again,

Scott

#14 2nd August 2012, 10:41 PM

Not 100% sure about the cash outs but the Merge software (Carbon, Black Chip etc.) and their network seems the most reliable.

Just my 2¢

#15 3rd August 2012, 4:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo 50

Not 100% sure about the cash outs but the Merge software (Carbon, Black Chip etc.) and their network seems the most reliable.

Just my 2¢

Generally speaking, I concur with this. Right now there just isn't much to choose from for US players, and Merge seems to be the best/safest choice pretty-much by default. Do expect slowish cashout times though. That, right now, is mostly unavoidable if you are a US player.

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