SwC Poker Review

Created by a group who are mostly the same people behind the old Seals with Clubs, SwC Poker is a bitcoin-only gambling site that puts emphasis on anonymous gambling and fast cashouts. In just a matter of days after Seals with Clubs closed down operations in February last year, SwC Poker emerged. It can’t be a coincidence. There should be little doubt that this is indeed the rebranding or relaunching of Seals with Clubs.

SwC Poker is being run by one of the founders of Seals with Clubs, Bryan Micon. The base of operations has been moved to Antigua. With this relaunching also comes a new software as well as a new affiliate program. The many great features of Seals with Clubs, though, were retained or slightly tweaked or improved.

One of the most enticing things about SwC Poker is its low rake, at 2.5% average. It’s at the low end of the typical range of rakes in poker games, which is at 2.5% to 10%. Even better, SwC Poker has a rake back system that provides players up to 50% in rakeback.  We did some research on this and learned that this extra low rake is being compensated for by the fact that this casino does not need to deal with banking and customer ID fraud concerns.

Learn more about what this online bitcoin gambling site has to offer in our SwC Poker review.

Registration

Registering for a SwC Poker account is rather quick and easy. There are no personal information required for the account registration process. A valid email address will be sought. This is different from the setup before. Users of the discontinued Seals With Clubs may not be accustomed to and be a bit surprised with this new registration policy but the SwC management is saying that the old method was easily attacked by scams.

Again, no personal information will be required. This seems to be repeatedly emphasized by SwC as it highlights its advantage of being able to provide online gamblers the chance to enjoy playing without revealing their identities. If you encounter an instance when your personal information is required, you must be wary as it could be a phishing attack. Also, bear in mind that account registrations are only done through the PC client. There is no online registration available at the moment.

The Games on SwC Poker

If there’s one thing we find easy in doing this SwC Poker review, it’s this section on the games. Unlike the full casino reviews we do, there’s no need to count numerous games in grids that take time to load. With SwC Poker, we just have a few to count.

These games are Holdem, Stud (H/L, Razz, Triple Stud, and Dealer’s Choice), Chinese (OFC, Standard Chinese, and OFC Pineapple), Omaha (H/L, NL, Courchevel, and Big O), Draw Games (Badacey, Badugi, Badeucy, 5 Card Draw, and 2-7 Single or Triple Draw). These should provide enough variety for all players.

SwC Poker Game Rules and Guidelines

The rules can be divided into two categories: Cash Game Rules and Tournament Rules.

For Cash Games, it is compulsory that each player should only one hand. If there are multiple players who share the same Internet connection, they are welcome to play but not on the same table. The rathole timer should not be evaded by shifting to a second SwC Poker account. Moreover, the limit games in SwC Poker have a cap of only 4 bets when the actions made are multi-way but there is no limit imposed if the actions are heads up.

When it comes to tournaments, it is possible to unregister and get back your buy-in as long as the tournament has not started yet. A player or person should only use one SwC account when entering tournaments. If the tournament is interrupted or a problem occurs that prevents the proper completion of the tournament, all of the players can claim their buy-ins.

The Poker Software Used: Goodbye Mavens, Hello Bitcoin Poker 2.0

SwC Poker decided to abandon its old software as it relaunched. This means no more SealsWithClubs or Maven. The new poker software being used is uncreatively referred to as Bitcoin Poker 2.0.

Unfortunately, SwC Poker is not a web-based game. You really have to download the PC client to be able to play.

Nevertheless, Bitcoin Poker 2.0, the downloadable PC client, has the look and feel that is reminiscent of the old Seals with Clubs interface. Reminiscent–not the same. There are enough new features in this new client to make it easily distinguishable from its predecessor. This game software or platform is mostly responsive. There’s nothing special about the graphics or the overall presentation but the software serves its purpose well enough. It looks just like most other poker sites and it’s not really a bad thing.

There’s an uncensored/unmoderated chat room for all players. It is not required for everyone to use English. However, spamming comments are bound to be revoked and the respective players suspended or banned if detected. We are not convinced, though, that SwC Poker’s staff would be that enthusiastic in identifying the offending chat users.

Additionally, this software features player to player transfers, table statistics, cascade tabkles, hand history, as well as a four-color deck.

No Mobile Apps, Non-Mobile-Friendly Website

This SwC Poker review of course will not be complete without the mobile-friendliness test. Sadly, we have to report that this poker site is not mobile-friendly. It’s aimed at desktop or laptop users. After all, it involves the downloading and installation of a PC client. Signing up for an account is also done through the client, not the website. The website is basically just created to provide information about SwC Poker.

We contacted customer support regarding this and we were told that a web-based game is not yet available. There’s a plan to eventually support online playing but for now, players will have to make do with the need to download and install a PC client.

SwC Poker Currency, Payment Methods, Deposits, and Withdrawals

SwC Poker only uses bitcoins. Unlike other online casino, SwC does not endorse or promote specific payment methods. Players just need to have their bitcoin wallet addresses and bitcoins and use their interface of SwC’s gaming software to make deposits and withdrawals.

Deposits and withdrawals are free of any charge.

Just like every other casino, SwC Poker makes use of chips. Each chip is worth 1 mBTC or 1/1000 BTC.

Since this review is about a poker game, it’s important to discuss the amounts charged for a rake. As already mentioned earlier, SwC Poker has a notably low rake at 2.5% which is basically a charge of 1 chip per 40. For limit tables, the charge is 1 chip for every 50 (approximately 2%) with a ceiling of the lesser of 2BB or 4 chips. For HU tables, the charge is at 1 chip for every 75 or a rake of around 1.33% with a ceiling of the lesser of the 1BB or 3 chips.

There will be no charge or rake collected on hands that don’t reach the flop.

OFC games, on the other hand, employ a different rake structure. It’s 2% and 1.5% for heads of OFC tables.

SwC Poker Promotions

SwC Poker offers a bonus/reward scheme that are available in two forms: the Krill Leaderboard and the Table Starter Rakeback.

The Krill Leaderboard provides free chips to the top “krillers” of each week. The amount of chips provided are as follows:

• First: 500
• Second: 300
• Third: 200
• Fourth: 100
• Fifth: 50
• Sixth: 40
• Seventh: 30
• Eighth: 20
• Ninth: 15
• Tenth: 10

Krillers are players who obtain a krill. Learn more about the concept of krills on the Promotions page of the SwC Poker site. You don’t really need to look into the detailed mathematical calculations. It’s basically a point system that grants a number of krill points to players. The more you play, the more krills you earn. Krills are also vital in the appropriation of rakebacks through krill waves, as shown in the table below.

If you had krills with your old Seals with Clubs account, it is possible to recover and move them to your SwC account. All you have to do is to request for them to be transferred by asking for a new password through the Bitcoin Poker 2.0 client. You can click on the large “Your Krill is Still Here” message flashed on the client and follow the instructions.

The Table Starter Rakeback program, on the other hand, grants rakebacks to players who help start games.  Players get to have an automatic 50% rakeback as they play two or three-handed poker at a table having at least 6 seats. This 50% table starter rakeback is paid during Mondays every week.

SwC Poker Support

One disadvantage we have to point out in this SwC Poker review is the limited support provided. This online bitcoin casino only provides email support. Your inquiries, complaints, or concerns should be directed to [email protected]. We tried this email support system and we’re satisfied with the responsiveness. It took less than five minutes for SwC to respond to our question. Still, it would have been better if there were options to contact support via telephone or a live chat.

US Players Are Welcome to SwC Poker

SwC Poker serves players from the United States, in all 50 states, and in other parts of the world. Also, similar to what other online casinos require, only those who are of legal age are allowed to play.

The website is only available in the English language. Similarly, the Bitcoin Poker 2.0 software can only be viewed in English.

SwC Poker License and Security Guarantee

We can’t find information regarding the licensing and regulation of SwC Poker. However, we are not that keen in making the licensing or regulation of a bitcoin gambling site as a make-or-break factor as we do this SwC Poker review. What matters more is the feedback of users and based on what we’ve seen so far, many players trust in SwC Poker’s system. Other reliable reviews have also been favorable.

Additionally, when it comes to securing the bitcoins, SwC employs a system that separates funds of all players in several wallets with varying accessibility. Players are also guaranteed that they will not be cheated by their opponents. Players are encouraged to send their reports (to [email protected]) in case they suspect their opponents to be cheating. For those who don’t feel assured with anonymous ring games, there’s the option to play at heads up tables.

Important SwC Poker Pages You Should Visit

Before using signing up for an account on SwC Poker, be sure to read the site’s Rules and FAQ. If you need to rehash your knowledge of playing poker, there’s a Poker Game Rules page you can refer to. Learn about the promotional offerings of SwC Poker through its Promotions page. You can also visit the site’s forum board and social media accounts:

• Facebook
• Twitter

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Fully anonymous online gambling
• Good traffic
• Fast and easy deposits and cashouts
• No charges imposed on deposits and withdrawals

Cons

• PC client download necessary
• Email-only support, no live chat or telephone support
• PC client only works on Windows