Top 3 Online Multiplayer Poker Sites For 2011
De CidesaWiki
There is often a bewildering number of choices in terms of online poker. I hope this article helps a newcomer poker fan to obtain 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 be sure to point those unique features over the article. As in any young industry situation is incredibly fluid and relative standings change often. That is why I specifically review poker sites as they are in 2011. Next year I must revisit and update my conclusions.
What It Takes to Get On The List
What criteria should we use to choose our Top 3? Here are factors that largely separate leaders from your rest of the field:
Game Selection: Availability of cash poker games too free multiplayer poker games. Free games are critical for training and getting confident with the program. Texas Holdem is king of poker. However other, less popular poker games, like Omaha, Razz will add appeal and variety to your poker site.
Table Selection: Full Multiplayer - 9 handed tables also as short-handed and heads-up tables
Availability: Solid Client software for both Windows and Mac with frequent updates. Bonus points if site also offers good browser based, no download internet poker game. You might not think it is much initially but no download poker client really shines when you find yourself on holiday, accessing site from a mobile device you aren't 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 program. Whether it hangs a great deal or runs smoothly week in week out. Visual layout and just how cluttered screen is. Whether controls are placed conveniently. Do not underestimate these "soft" factors. All together playability is the greatest proxy for software quality. It can either turn your poker session into a struggle or make computer almost disappear by allowing you immerse yourself into poker action.
Social features: Capability to chat we other players and invite others to try out a specific game or table. Remember that individuals who play poker online will often be inside it for fun up to for thrill of winning money. If you play a whole lot, you're going to get to know people and even develop friends.
Tournaments: Offering Tournaments in several formats including single table (Sit-n-Go) and multi table (MTT).
For the record, I do not believe beginners should play tournaments. Poker tournaments, especially on-line poker tournaments, require different poker strategy from regular ring games because tournaments tend to be played short-stacked and employ antes. To an untrained eye a tournament often looks like extremely loose even reckless game.
Traffic: Sufficient player numbers. We are talking about players who're currently logged in to the site. High traffic sites are excellent if you like to sample different games or maybe become bored easily. On the other hand, should you prefer playing poker online with the exact same people when you played yesterday, then traffic just is not important. Note that high traffic sites usually are those that have large promotional budgets. To recoup marketing expense their rake structure can be less favorable.
PokerStars
Run by a European company, Rational Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., that is certainly the largest poker site today. It has grown enormously over the past a few years and pulls just as much traffic as 3 of its largest competitors combined. Due to a lot of players loitering the website, game and table selection are extremely good.
I have zero upfront knowledge about their Customer Service. That said, I have never heard persistent or capsa 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 enhance online multiplayer poker game experience. In its last software update they clearly modeled themselves after FullTilt poker client. Their lobby gives a streamlined navigation, helping to find desired games in just 2-3 clicks. They also significantly reduced screen clutter. Current version of software packages are stable and runs smoothly. Unfortunately they don't offer a no download poker client. PokerStars houses the largest pool of players seated in free multiplayer poker tables at any hour of the day.
Best Feature
PokerStar prides themselves on running largest internet poker tournaments. They cleverly use offline poker events like WSOP to entice online players to go in by offering these phones "qualify" for WSOP as well as other high-profile live poker events. Being one from the most sophisticated promoters, PokerStar turned even free online multiplayer poker tournaments (called freerolls) into marketing gold.
PartyPoker
One with the oldest internet poker sites on the Internet. Behind PartyPoker web page is Party Gaming, a world's largest gambling online company publicly owned on London currency markets. It used to be the largest internet poker site before 2006. However because of deficiency of focus and anti-gambling regulatory actions in US it's 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 room draws traffic from its other properties, which can be mostly Europe based.
Software
Software client is playable, though to never the level of 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 needed to be green. Since then most sites managed to move on to produce their very own color palettes. PartyPoker is one with the holdovers still presenting you using a sea of green on its site at the same time as on its software client. Every year they revamp site's main page to sculpt the green but even today this is a major color.
They recently announced full support for Mac and even their Mac poker client is rather good. The graphics really are a bit cartoonish to my taste but that just stylistic preference. They have a browser based, no download poker client too. Ironically first thing the truth is after launching that no download poker client can be a download progress bar.
There are lots of free multiplayer poker games, including Limit Holdem, No Limit Holdem and Omaha. Cash games and tournaments are also contained in sufficient numbers.
Best feature
A defining feature of PartyPoker is its soft and loose poker games. I mean softer and much more loose than most other sites. This is probably on account of constant influx of gamblers off their other properties. As always, where there is fish you can find sharks also. Still the web page is beginner friendly, providing good poker educational material both written and video.
FullTiltPoker
2011 is extremely likely the last year when FullTiltPoker may be considered a significant force in on-line poker. Pocket Kings, the business behind the website, has encounter serious legal and financial difficulties. Our mention of FullTilt is within a way honorary yet deserved and needed. FullTilt would be a solid number two in traffic before they lost their gambling license.
Software
Their software client is best in the business. Striking an equilibrium between feature rich yet playable and uncluttered User experience. Site and client design inspired all kinds of other online multiplayer poker sites, including others among out Top 3. Over the years FullTilt invented quite a few innovations, including aptly named Rush Poker. That is often a system that immediately transfers you to another table when you are out of a hand minimizing your quiet time and allowing you to learn a lot more hands per hour. Regardless of what it may seem of actual Rush Poker experience, that has been very creative move. They offer the widest collection of poker including such rare games as HORSE, usually played mostly by professionals.
Best Feature
Marketing angle chosen by FullTilt ended up being to assemble the top team of sponsored professional players, then convert their personal celebrity in a powerful marketing weapon promoting the web page. In fact, FullTilt is partially of some of the biggest names in poker today. Among all the other promo tricks they included possiblity to find and play with those professionals go on the site. 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 is your, now go a play some poker.
