Black Chip Poker Review
Black Chip Poker Review
Black Chip Poker is a nice looking internet card room that focuses on players from the United States and from Canada. It is on the Winning Poker Network so it has pretty good traffic for casual poker without having to worry about sharks at the tables. If you are looking for a place to enjoy low stakes poker online, Black Chip is a solid contender for the best choice.
Being on the large network means that it has access to promotions and special races. The very popular weekly event The Beast is very exciting and the action will start with a welcome bonus on the first deposit. There are a handful of banking options for Canadians to make payments and cash out with ease.
- Sleek design for the lobby and tables
- Casual players make for soft competition
- The customer support team is always on call
Software and Features Available
Like the other skins on the Winning Poker Network, BlackChip uses software from Yatahay and it has been styled to fit the design. The software is available only by download and is limited to Windows as the only compatible operating system. This does limit players a bit but users from Canada should have no issues enjoying their time here. Special features include resizable tables, displaying different avatars, changing the details at the tables and taking part in special jackpot games, such as The Beast. This progressive race is hosted by the operator and awards a growing prize pool at the end of the week to the top users. The graphics at Black Chip Poker are well made and make for a great looking environment.
- Good action for Texas Hold'em at low stakes
- The welcome bonus is easy to claim
- It is part of the WPN and has its special races
- Only works on Windows
- Limited banking options
Mobile
Mobile play at Black Chip Poker is not available. The software is limited to Windows computers and since there is no instant play version of the card room, there is no way to get the action going on other operating systems or devices. However, we expect this to change given the popularity of mobile poker in Canada and in the United States.
Bonuses and Promotions for Players from PokerSites.ca
Black Chip Poker and PokerSites.ca are offering some nice bonuses to new players. Joining the poker room through this website will result in a welcome bonus of 100% on the first deposit. The offer can go all the way up to $1,000 and not only are you entitled to the monthly progressive rake race called The Beast, but you also get other rewards as well. The bonus funds will be released at a rate of $1 for 27.5 Award Points racked up by playing poker. Players from Canada will also get a free seat on the remaining New Depositor Freerolls of the month and each one has a prize pool of $250. Sit & Crush is another special promotion on the network and while it is similar to The Beast, it is available every week for designated Sit & Go tournaments. Elite Benefits add to the rewards with benefits across six levels.
Black Chip Poker Images
Deposit Options
Black Chip Poker may not have as many deposit options as other online poker rooms but it does offer fast processing to make sure that players from Canada get the money in their online accounts very fast. As for the actual methods to choose from, there are cards from Visa, e-wallets like Skrill and NETELLER and even Bitcoin. It is also possible to send a cheque to the online card room but this can take a while to reach by mail. Most players prefer the following deposit options at BlackChip:
- Visa: $10 minimum
- Skrill: $10 minimum
- Bitcoin: $20 minimum
- Cheque: $100 minimum
Game Selection at BlackChipPoker.eu
While most of the cash tables and tournaments at Black Chip Poker are for Texas Hold'em, there are also games for 7 Card Stud, Omaha and 32 Card Draw. Hi/Lo variants are included as well and they make for nice alternatives although it can sometimes be difficult to find action at some of the stakes. These formats can come in different shapes and sizes, such as No Limit, Fixed Limit, Pot Limit, Short Handed and more. You can easily find what you are looking for by selecting the preferred filtering options in the lobby to display only the games you want. Stakes start at the micro range and go up to the mid and even high levels.
Customer Service/Security
Even before you decide to join Black Chip Poker, you can use the customer service to talk to the team and maybe learn more about the different aspects of the poker room. This is usually a great way to get the details for promotions and the lines are open 24/7. The toll free phone number can be used from Canada but live chat is usually the go-to option nowadays. There is also a web form for email customer support. The operator has a good presence on social media networks as well. For security, SSL encryption is used for the registration and banking pages, while the downloadable app is safe to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Despite its name, Black Chip Poker is not designed for high rollers and instead is a place where beginners can learn how to play and have fun doing it. Those who already have some experience with the game will also find it to be a good choice but it is best to get some questions out of the way before downloading the application and registering. Here are the ones we get asked most often:
Is Black Chip Poker legit?
It was founded in 2008 and although it doesn’t get as much traffic as other poker rooms, Black Chip Poker is very reliable and completely legit. It operates in the United States but is licensed in Costa Rica, which also makes it great for those from Canada who want to join.
What poker variations do they offer?
The big four are Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 32 Draw Poker and 7 Card Stud. BlackChip also adds Hi/Lo versions for Omaha and 7 Card Stud to make sure that it covers its bases when it comes to the most popular poker variations on the internet. With that being said, only Texas Hold'em has good traffic around the clock.
Do I need to download any software?
Yes, you need to download the Black Chip Poker software from the website. The app is pretty small and it has an installation guide to set things up very easily. Keep in mind that it only works on Windows.
Do they support mobile or tablet play?
Not at this time, no. The online poker room is not mobile-friendly and this is bad news for fans from Canada who like betting from smartphones but the casual experience is good on personal computers.
Can I play in Canadian Dollars?
Black Chip Poker uses USD and it doesn’t have the option to change currencies based on location. As a result, you will not be able to play in Canadian Dollars here but getting used to United States Dollars should be very easy.
How fast do they payout?
Payouts are generally very fast and it doesn’t take more than a few days to get the money out of the poker account and into your wallet. Cashing out using Skrill, NETELLER or Bitcoin will take between one and two days, while an extra day may be required for Western Union and MoneyGram. The withdrawal option that takes the most time is by cheque and it can take up to two weeks for the mailing service to deliver it in Canada.
Can I trial their platform for free?
Black Chip Poker offers freerolls on demand so when enough players have registered, the tournament will begin. These events don’t have any fees and can thus be played for free. There is also a tab for Play Money in the lobby which is perfect for a trial run of the platform.
Do they offer tournament play?
Yes, there are tournaments of different types and they take place very often. Sit & Go, Re-buy, Bounty, Re-entry, All in or Fold, flip and Satellites are just some of the tournament types available at Black Chip Poker and they can attract a good amount of players, especially during the weekends.
