Top 3 Online Multiplayer Poker Sites For 2011

De CidesaWiki

There can be a bewildering variety of choices in terms of poker online. I hope this short article helps just starting out poker fan to acquire a smooth begin in the concept of online multiplayer poker. Each of our Top 3, not only is it an innovator, offers something unique. I will make sure to point those unique features over the article. As in any young industry situation is very fluid and relative standings change often. That is why I specifically review poker sites since they are next year. Next year I must revisit rrmprove my conclusions.

What It Takes to Get On The List

What criteria should we use to pick our Top 3? Here are factors that largely separate leaders through the rest of the field:

Game Selection: Availability of cash poker games at the same time free multiplayer poker games. Free games are critical for training and becoming confident with the application. Texas Holdem is king of poker. However other, less popular poker games, like Omaha, Razz can also add appeal and variety to your poker site.


Table Selection: Full Multiplayer - 9 handed tables at the same time as short-handed and heads-up tables


Availability: Solid Client software for both Windows and Mac with frequent updates. Bonus points if site now offers good browser based, no download poker online game. You might not think it is much initially but no download poker client really shines when you are away, accessing site from your mobile device or otherwise are "on the move".


Playability: This is important in the event you play poker online a whole lot. Here we rate factors like responsiveness of the software. Whether it hangs a good deal or runs smoothly day in day out. Visual layout and how cluttered screen is. Whether controls are situated conveniently. Do not underestimate these "soft" factors. All together playability is the greatest proxy for software quality. It can either turn your poker session in a struggle or make computer almost disappear allowing you immerse yourself into poker action.


Social features: Capability to chat we other players and invite others to learn a specific game or table. Remember that people that play poker online in many cases are in it just for fun as much as for thrill of winning money. If you play a whole lot, you'll get to know people and also make some friends.


Tournaments: Offering Tournaments in several formats including single table (Sit-n-Go) and multi table (MTT).


For the record, I do not feel that beginners should play tournaments. Poker tournaments, especially poker online tournaments, require different poker strategy from regular ring games because tournaments will often be played short-stacked and employ antes. To an untrained eye a tournament often seems like extremely loose even reckless game.


Traffic: Sufficient player numbers. We are speaking about players that are currently logged to the site. High traffic sites are wonderful if you like to sample different games or maybe become bored easily. On the other hand, in case you prefer playing poker online with the same people because you played yesterday, then traffic just makes no difference. Note that high traffic sites are often individuals with large promotional budgets. To recoup marketing expense their rake structure can be less favorable.

PokerStars

Run by way of a European company, Rational Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., this is certainly the greatest poker site today. It has grown enormously throughout the last a few years and pulls as much traffic as 3 of the company's largest competitors combined. Due to lots of players loitering the site, game and table selection are very good.

I have no first hand experience with their Customer Service. That said, I have never heard persistent or widely spread complaints about PokerStars. Unlike another sites which generate constant outcry from abused and disgruntled players.

Software

They recently revamped their software client to further improve online multiplayer poker game experience. In its last software update they clearly modeled themselves after FullTilt poker client. Their lobby provides a streamlined navigation, helping to find desired games in just 2-3 clicks of the mouse. They also significantly reduced screen clutter. Current version of software program is stable and runs smoothly. Unfortunately they do not offer a no download poker client. PokerStars houses the greatest pool of players seated in free multiplayer poker tables at any hour with the day.

Best Feature

PokerStar prides themselves on running largest poker online tournaments. They cleverly use offline poker events like WSOP to entice online players to go in by providing them to "qualify" for WSOP as well as other high-profile live poker events. Being one with the most sophisticated promoters, PokerStar turned even free online multiplayer poker tournaments (called freerolls) into marketing gold.

PartyPoker

One of the oldest online poker sites on the Internet. Behind PartyPoker site is Party Gaming, a world's largest internet gambling company publicly traded on London stock exchange. It was once the most important online poker site before 2006. However due to not enough focus and anti-gambling regulatory actions in US it has fallen behind few of its more nimble competitors. Party Gaming operates a network of gambling websites and aggressively cross promotes them. Its flagship online multiplayer poker network draws traffic from its other properties, that are mostly Europe based.

Software

Software client is playable, though not to how much other sites with this review. A word about PartyPoker's color theme. There was once a time when every casino or gambling related site on the Net must be green. Since then most sites shifted to develop their particular color qqpoker palettes. PartyPoker is one from the holdovers still presenting you which has a sea of green on its site too as on its software client. Every year they revamp site's main page to tone down the green but to this day it's a major color.

They recently announced full support for Mac and indeed their Mac poker client is pretty good. The graphics certainly are a bit cartoonish to my taste but that simply stylistic preference. They have a browser based, no download poker client as well. Ironically right off the bat the truth is after launching that no download poker client is really a download progress bar.

There a variety of free multiplayer poker games, including Limit Holdem, No Limit Holdem and Omaha. Cash games and tournaments can also be present in sufficient numbers.

Best feature

A defining feature of PartyPoker is its soft and loose poker games. I mean softer plus more loose than other sites. This is probably as a result of constant influx of gamblers from their other properties. As always, high is fish you can find sharks as well. Still the web page is beginner friendly, providing good poker educational material both written and video.

FullTiltPoker

2011 is very likely the last year when FullTiltPoker can be considered an important force in online poker. Pocket Kings, the organization behind the site, has run into serious legal and financial difficulties. Our mention of FullTilt is within a method honorary yet well deserved. FullTilt was obviously a solid number 2 in traffic before they lost their gambling license.

Software

Their software client is better in the industry. Striking an account balance between feature rich yet playable and uncluttered User experience. Site and client design inspired all kinds of other online multiplayer the poker room, including others among out Top 3. Over the years FullTilt created many innovations, for example aptly named Rush Poker. That is really a system that immediately transfers that you another table when you're away from a hand minimizing your recovery time and allowing you to learn a lot more hands each hour. Regardless of what it might seem of actual Rush Poker experience, that has been very creative move. They offer the widest number of poker including such rare games as HORSE, usually played mostly by professionals.

Best Feature

Marketing angle chosen by FullTilt ended up being assemble the top team of sponsored professional players, then convert their personal celebrity in a powerful marketing weapon promoting your website. In fact, FullTilt is partially belonging to some in the biggest names in poker today. Among other promo tricks they included possible ways to find and use those professionals live on your website. Due to their good software and smart promotions FullTilt attracted many good online multiplayer poker players. Thus level of competition on FullTilt is among the most highest among our Top 3. The choice will be your, now go a play some poker.