PokerFox.net

PokerFox.net

Site Layout

PokerFox is one of the easier to navigate poker instructional sites out there.  For non-members visiting the site for the first time, basic information, signup instructions, and sample content are all readily accessible right from the home page.  The page is clean and attractive.

Once logged in as a member, there is more to see, but the folks at PokerFox.net have still kept things simple.  The most recent announcements and content additions are posted front and center in a blog-style format, making it easy to find what’s new.  Site navigation is found in a menu on the left side of the screen.  The main content, such as videos and articles, are grouped on the content page.  Again, it is all very easy – there is no way to get lost in this site.

Instructors

PokerFox.net is run by three primary instructors: Chris “Fox” Wallace, Adam Stemple, and Mark Scellato.  Wallace, the founder of the site, has published numerous articles in Poker Pro and Poker Pro Europe magazines, as well as on pocketfives.com and twoplustwo.com.  He has been playing professionally for six years, primarily online, and is well known for his poker coaching. 

Adam Stemple is the Omaha high/low expert of PokerFox.net.  Like many “older” poker players, he started playing live, but now plays primarily online.  He built his online bankroll by turning fifty bonus dollars on PartyPoker into ten thousand dollars in less than half a year.  Not your typical poker player, he also plays in a band and has written five novels.

Mark Scellato is the resident tournament expert of the site.  He plays primarily at PokerStars and has had several big tourney wins there.  While he plays in high stakes tournaments, he is more than happy to instruct players at all levels and enjoys seeing his students succeed and move up in limits.

Videos

The instructional videos at PokerFox are top-notch.  All of the instructors, particularly the three main guys, do a fantastic job.  Their narration is clear, their points are well-made, and they have the ability to not take themselves too seriously.  Wallace, Stemple, and Scellato are able to admit their mistakes and weaknesses and don’t just upload videos of hands where they found success.  Sometimes the best lessons can be learned from mistakes, and they understand this better than most.  The videos are not simply churned out to get content on the site; care is taken to be sure each provides valuable lessons to PokerFox.net subscribers.  If there is a flaw with the videos, it is that there have not been many added recently (as of the very end of 2007).

Most of the videos focus on hold’em, but Stemple has contributed a good number of Omaha high/low lessons, as well.  Other games do have their place, though.  PokerFox also has numerous lessons on non-game subjects, such as bankroll management and Poker Tracker use, all of which should be quite helpful to any player.

A unique feature of PokerFox is the ability for members to upload their own videos to share with fellow poker enthusiasts.  PokerFox does not screen the videos, but believes that its subscriber base is responsible and skilled enough to only upload quality material.

Articles

Written articles, of which there are over sixty, are excellent companions to the videos.  These tend to focus more on narrow topics, allowing the authors to go much more in depth than they can in the videos.  Everything from strategy to psychology to bankroll management can be found in the articles section of PokerFox.net.  Videos are the focus of most poker instructional sites, but articles, especially in the case of PokerFox, should not be overlooked.

Other

PokerFox.net has a message forum where members can discuss all things poker, including the site’s videos.  The site recently changed its forum software, so there are not many threads in the new forum as of the time this review was written.  The old forum archives are available for a limited time.

PokerFox has a sort of pseudo-live chat on the right side of the member home page, where users can type messages to each other in almost real time.  It is not like the typical internet chat room, where a bunch of people are all typing in a window simultaneously, but rather, it is almost like a mini message board used solely for the purpose of live chat.  PokerFox pros host their own live chats every week, as well.

Price

Two month trial membership costs $39.95.  A full year membership costs $129.95.  Payments can be made with PayPal.  Alternative payment options (ex: site transfer or personal check) can be discussed with PokerFox management.