Top 3 Online Multiplayer Poker Sites For 2011

De CidesaWiki

There is a bewildering number of choices in terms of online poker. I hope this article helps a novice poker fan to get a smooth begin in the world of online multiplayer poker. Each of our Top 3, and also being a pacesetter, offers something unique. I will make sure you point those unique features with the article. As in any young industry situation is very fluid and relative standings change often. That is why I specifically review poker rooms since 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 decide on our Top 3? Here are factors that largely separate leaders from the remaining portion 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 comfortable with the software. Texas Holdem is king of poker. However other, less popular poker games, like Omaha, Razz will add appeal and variety to any 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 now offers good browser based, no download internet poker game. You might not think of it much to start with but no download poker client really shines when you find yourself on vacation, accessing site coming from a mobile device or otherwise not are "on the move".


Playability: This is important should you play internet poker a good deal. Here we rate factors like responsiveness of the program. Whether it hangs a good deal or runs smoothly week after week. Visual layout and just how cluttered screen is. Whether controls are located conveniently. Do not underestimate these "soft" factors. All together playability is the foremost 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 try out a specific game or table. Remember that individuals who play poker online tend to be within it just for fun as much as for thrill of winning money. If you play a great deal, you'll get to understand people as well as have the friends.


Tournaments: Offering Tournaments in a number of 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 internet poker tournaments, require different poker strategy from regular ring games because tournaments tend to be played short-stacked and use antes. To an untrained eye a tournament often appears to be extremely loose even reckless game.


Traffic: Sufficient player numbers. We are talking about players that are currently logged to the site. High traffic sites are fantastic in case you like to sample different games or just get bored easily. On the other hand, in the event you prefer playing poker online with the same people when you played yesterday, then traffic just matters not. Note that high traffic sites are usually those that have large promotional budgets. To recoup marketing expense their rake structure might be less favorable.

PokerStars

Run by way of a European company, Rational Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., that is definitely the most important poker site today. It has grown enormously over the last a few years and pulls as much traffic as 3 of their largest competitors combined. Due to lots of players hanging around the site, game and table selection are incredibly good.

I have no quality exposure to their Customer Service. That said, I have never heard persistent or widely spread complaints about PokerStars. Unlike some other sites which generate constant outcry from abused and disgruntled players.

Software

They recently revamped their software client to boost online multiplayer poker game experience. In its last software update they clearly modeled themselves after FullTilt poker client. Their lobby offers a streamlined navigation, assisting to find desired games in mere 2-3 clicks. They also significantly reduced screen clutter. Current version of software program is stable and runs smoothly. Unfortunately they don't give a no download poker client. PokerStars hosts the most important pool of players seated in free multiplayer poker tables at any hour in the day.

Best Feature

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

PartyPoker

One in the oldest internet situs poker online sites on the Internet. Behind PartyPoker site is Party Gaming, a world's largest gambling online company publicly owned on London currency markets. It was previously the largest internet poker site before 2006. However due to insufficient focus and anti-gambling regulatory actions in US it has fallen behind few of their more nimble competitors. Party Gaming operates a network of gambling websites and aggressively cross promotes them. Its flagship online multiplayer poker site draws traffic looking at the other properties, that happen to be mostly Europe based.

Software

Software client is playable, though to never the degree of other sites in this review. A word about PartyPoker's color theme. There was previously a period when every casino or gambling related site on the Net must be green. Since then most sites managed to move on to build up their own color palettes. PartyPoker is one in the holdovers still presenting you having 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 really are a bit cartoonish to my taste but that merely stylistic preference. They have a browser based, no download poker client as well. Ironically very first thing you see 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 can also be seen in sufficient numbers.

Best feature

A defining feature of PartyPoker is its soft and loose poker games. I mean softer plus much more loose than other sites. This is probably due to constant influx of gamblers from other other properties. As always, and then there is fish you'll find sharks at the same time. Still your website is beginner friendly, providing good poker educational material both written and video.

FullTiltPoker

2011 is incredibly likely the last year when FullTiltPoker may be considered a major force in online poker. Pocket Kings, the company behind the web page, has come across serious legal and financial hardships. Our mention of FullTilt is a means honorary yet necessary. FullTilt would have been a solid 2 in traffic before they lost their gambling license.

Software

Their software client is the most suitable 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 rooms, including others among out Top 3. Over the years FullTilt invented many innovations, like aptly named Rush Poker. That is really a system that immediately transfers one to another table when you're from a hand minimizing your recovery time and allowing you to learn a whole lot more hands hourly. Regardless of what you might think of actual Rush Poker experience, which was 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 was to assemble the best team of sponsored professional players, then convert their personal celebrity right into a powerful marketing weapon promoting your website. In fact, FullTilt is partially belonging to some of the biggest names in poker today. Among all the promo tricks they included possiblity to find and have fun with those professionals continue to exist the web page. Due to their good software and smart promotions FullTilt attracted many good online multiplayer poker players. Thus level of competition on FullTilt is just about the highest among our Top 3. The choice will be your, now go a play some poker.