Following lengthy beta testing, PKR was launched for real in August 2006 on the back of some of the loudest publicity the online poker world has ever heard. Phrases used to describe the PKR experience have included "cutting edge" and "a revelation". Even normally staid poker magazines have been falling over themselves to talk about PKR.

But what is all the fuss about? And are the gushing press comments about PKR mere hype, or honest praise for a poker site that really has managed to break the mould? We decided to find out once and for all…

PKR is a poker room which has decided to make the online poker gaming experience as realistic and immersive as possible. Visit the home page and you will see screen shots that give you just a taste of what to expect: 3D rendered players that you can tailor to look pretty much exactly how you want them to, poker chips that look like real chips and an environment that oozes style.

To play here you need to download the special PKR software. This is a hefty download which will take several minutes even on broadband, though there is the option of requesting a free copy on CD ROM. The download is large simply because of the complexity of PKR experience. Players speak with different accents, different games have different environments (for example, some games take place on a cruise ship, some in a casino and some in a bar, to name just three) and virtually everything that takes place is animated real-time in 3D. Some players have likened the PKR experience to playing an Xbox game, but with the advantage of having real money at stake. Once you have downloaded and installed the software, you can open an account. This involves entering your personal information and takes just a minute more. That done, you're ready to play.

The main game lobby offers you more features than you've ever seen at an online poker site before. The first one most new players will be interested in allows you to design the character who represents you on screen. If you've ever designed a character in a console game such as Tiger Woods 2006 then you'll have a good idea of what to expect - you select a face, adjust the features, add a hairstyle, eye colour and make several other choices (including accent, outfits and accessories) to define a character you're truly happy with.

For those of you who want your on-screen persona to be even more accurate, you can e-mail PKR three photos of your face and profiles and a new 3D head will be modelled from that information. All of this is great, but players aren't yet able to adjust their build below the neck. Whether or not this will change in the future, we don't know. If all of this character creation sounds like too much hard work for you, simply click on the Random button and the software will create a persona automatically.

PKR offers Hold'em, Omaha and Omaha H/L games in single games, sit n go tournaments and mutli-table tourneys. You can play for real money, play money (all new players start with $1,000, and more can be obtained) and - in the future - for PKR points. The latter are awarded for playing real money games, and can be used to buy more expensive items for your character. There is also a very good PKR Poker School for those who want to improve their game.

As you might expect, game play here is extremely immersive and as realistic as it's possible to get using current technology. However, that may not be all good news to experienced online players. One of the main advantages of the online game is that they tend to be fast and furious, and allow you to play quite a high number of hands per hour. Whilst there are the usual time-limits on decision making here at PKR, animations for dealing the flop, turn and river all take time of their own, and slow the game down more than some players might be comfortable with. The "game" environment can also tempt players into adopting a much looser approach than they might normally adopt at a more "nuts and bolts" online poker site.

Overall, anyone playing here for ten minutes or so will see what all the PKR fuss is about. The environment and immersive experience is truly second to none. Whether or not you can make as much profit here as you do at other sites will depend on whether you are able to maintain your discipline in such an "entertaining" place, and also on how many hands you need to play per hour to make your online poker a worthwhile investment of your time.

It's still very much early days for PKR, and how much of an impact this new approach to the online poker game makes remains to be seen. For now, however, it's a site that every player should experience at least once. We did, we liked it, and we even made some cash at the same time!

Money & Security:

You can fund your account using credit cards, debit cards or Neteller. PKR's payment processing center uses the highest levels of SSL data encryption to ensure the security and privacy of your data, and is licensed and regulated by The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC).

Contact:

Customer Services are available 24/7, 365 days a year by e-mailing support@pkr.com or by talking to the customer services team via the PKR online chat system. You can also call:

• US (Toll Free): +1 866 3646104
• UK (Toll Free): +44 (0) 808 2381301

Callers from outside the US or UK are advised to use the online chat facility to ask the customer service team to call you, otherwise international call charges will apply.

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