Drag the Bar Review

DragtheBar is one of the newest entries into the ever growing poker training scene. Offering a variety of videos in all genres, cash games, tournaments, sitngo's, Hold'em, Omaha, and even Backgammon training videos, Drag the Bar is looking to become one of the top all around poker training sites. Dragthebar has since acquired the training site PokerSwat and its 240 poker training video library. Announcements on how the videos will be integrated will be detailed shortly.

Membership Options

**No Sign-up Fee on all Memberships!**
7 Day Free Trial
1 Month: $29.99
3 Months: $89.97
(Buy 3 months get 1 month FREE!)
6 Months: $179.94
(Buy 6 months get 3 months FREE!)
1 Year: $359.88
(Buy 12 months get 6 months FREE!

Payment Methods:

Credit Card, Paypal, PIC-Club, Poker Site Transfer
(contact for options)

Videos	Streaming?	Downloadable?	Hand Replayer?	Forums?
85+

Instructors

Dusty ‘Leatherass’ Schmidt
Hunter "BeachJustice" Bick
Owen “QTip” / “BigOwen” Gaines
David "HeyImDro" Rowan
James "JamesD282" / "hellopuppy" Davis
Ross "Milwaukee2" Hartung
Bill Robertie
Charles "Rakes" Lei
Jeremy "Chipsteela" / "EndlessJ" Menard
Brent "El Rubio" Sheirbon
Ian "IggyMcfly" Gordon
Matt "Mbolt1" Bolt
Paul "GiantBuddha" Hoppe
Stosh "Hatebicycles" McConnell
Matt "forcewithme9" Amen
Greg "zerosum79" Jones
Jake "7delux7" Wilkins
Jared Tendler

Guest Pros

Video Variety (updated January 22, 2010)

NL Holdem:	40 videos
Limit Holdem:	0 Videos
Tournaments:	28 Videos
Sit-N-Go:	8 Videos
Omaha:	3 Videos
Horse:	0 Videos
Other:	9 Videos
Release Schedule:	Averaging about 5-6 video releases per week

Notes:
Looking like a mixed variety based training site at the moment, with a good diversity of pros instructing each field. Currently all are viewable through streaming media, but there are select videos which are downloadble in either WMV or ipod format. 3 Backgammon strategy videos. Note this does not include the pokerswat library yet, will provide an update when everything has been fully integrated.

Rating:

Cash Games

NLHE - 6 Max

Pro: Hunter Bick, QTip, Milwukee2, James Davis, Leatherass

Notes
Mostly midstakes here to start off with of mostly 100 & 200NL. One high stakes video.

NLHE - Full Ring

Pro: James Davis

Notes:
Currently 6 full ring tables, so looks like there will be an effort to provide various cash game videos

NLHE - Headsup

Pro: Hunter Bick

Notes:
Currently 11 HU videos here including a Hunter Bick vs Barny Boatman series. Very promising section

LHE - 6 Max

Pro:

Notes:
None at the moment

Rating:

Multi Table Tournaments (MTT)

Pro: ChipSteela, HeyImDro, Brent Sheirbon

Notes:
Currently an assortment of MTT videos including freezeouts, rebuys, and various strategy videos differentiated by various stages of a tournament (early, mid, late, final table). From initial viewings this will probably be the bread and butter of this training site. Each instructor describes a synopsis of the video to be played and goes through their thought processes very well when play begins. There are mixed hand replayer and live recording videos.

Rating:

Sit-N-Go's (SNG)

Pro: Rakes

Notes:
Several videos right now, including a sample video, and 2x two-tabling mid stakes sit & gos. One is a 10man double or nothing sng and hopefully Rakes continues to make more of these as they are getting very popular. Also a very sick Rakes 30 tabling series.

Rating:

Other Games (Stud Omaha, Razz, etc)

Notes:
IggyMcfly has 2 omaha videos out including one 6max mid stake PLO video. How DragtheBar differentiates from other poker training sites is with the addition of Backgammon training videos. Bill Robertie, co-authour of the popular Holdem on Harrington series, has now provided a full series of backgammon lessons. Staring off with Backgammon basics, Robertie is releasing about 2 videos per month on backgammon strategy.

Rating:

Weaknesses

As with any launch site, the biggest weakness would be content. Drag the bar is planning on releasing another 20 videos during the first month of launch, and if they can keep up that pace, their library size will not be a weakness for very long. One other struggle that Dragthebar.com will face is the lack of mega poker superstars. Though they do have quality poker players and instructors and each earn much more than the average poker player on the tables, the lack of big names might keep you from signing up. But then again, the site is still brand spanking new, and there's plenty of time to add to their roster.

Strengths

The poker training videos on Dragthebar are all excellent quality. The production value is top notch, you will notice it right away when you watch your first video. Site navigation is simple, choose your game type, choose your limits, and choose your table size. So far the instructors have all done an excellent job in poker training. No noticeable audio or video qualities, and are all professionally presented. The addition of 240 videos from PokerSwat will definately be a bonus for both Dragthebar and Swat members.

Expected Value: Is DragTheBar worth it?

If your looking to tryout a new poker training site, give it a shot. A low price point without any sign-up fees is very attractive. Also prepaying for a year and getting a half year free is not too shabby as well. As long as they follow their release promises of approx 20 per month, that should be more than enough and worth while to subscribe. Even if you try it out for a month, that's only a little less than $1 a video. A full review and ranking when be completed at a later date when it would be fair to do so.

Overall Rating:

7.5/10

Sample Video

Please follow the above link to the DragtheBar home page and press play on the sample video. While your there click join and become a registered guest for free access to the video library, instructor blogs and forums.