Top 3 Online Multiplayer Poker Sites For 2011
De CidesaWiki
There is really a bewildering quantity of choices in terms of internet poker. I hope this article helps just starting out poker fan to get a smooth begin in the field of online multiplayer poker. Each of our Top 3, and also being an innovator, offers something unique. I will make sure to point those unique features from the article. As in any young industry situation is extremely fluid and relative standings change often. That is why I specifically review the poker room as they are in 2011. Next year I must revisit increase 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 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 software program. Texas Holdem is king of poker. However other, less popular poker games, like Omaha, Razz may add appeal and variety to the poker site.
Table Selection: Full Multiplayer - 9 handed tables as well 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 online poker game. You might not think of it much at first but no download poker client really shines when you're on vacation, accessing site coming from a mobile device or else are "on the move".
Playability: This is important should you play poker online a lot. Here we rate factors like responsiveness of the software program. Whether it hangs a whole lot or runs smoothly day after day. Visual layout and how cluttered screen is. Whether controls can be found conveniently. Do not underestimate these "soft" factors. All together playability is the foremost proxy for software quality. It can either turn your poker session right into a struggle or make computer almost disappear by letting you immerse yourself into poker action.
Social features: Capability to chat we other players and invite others to learn a certain game or table. Remember that those who play poker online are often in it for entertainment as much as for thrill of winning money. If you play a great deal, you will get to understand poker88 people and even have 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 on-line poker tournaments, require different poker strategy from regular ring games because tournaments are often played short-stacked and rehearse antes. To an untrained eye a tournament often seems like extremely loose even reckless game.
Traffic: Sufficient player numbers. We are speaking about players who are currently logged in to the site. High traffic sites are wonderful should you like to sample different games or just become bored easily. On the other hand, if 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 with large promotional budgets. To recoup marketing expense their rake structure could be less favorable.
PokerStars
Run by the European company, Rational Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., this is undoubtedly the biggest poker site today. It has grown enormously over the past a few years and pulls just as much traffic as 3 of the largest competitors combined. Due to plenty of players hanging around the web page, game and table selection have become good.
I have no top notch knowledge about 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 improve online multiplayer poker game experience. In its last software update they clearly modeled themselves after FullTilt poker client. Their lobby gives a streamlined navigation, making an effort to find desired games in just 2-3 mouse clicks. They also significantly reduced screen clutter. Current version of software program is stable and runs smoothly. Unfortunately they cannot give a no download poker client. PokerStars is home to the biggest pool of players seated in free multiplayer poker tables at any hour with 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 providing these to "qualify" for WSOP along with 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 from the oldest poker online sites on the Internet. Behind PartyPoker site is Party Gaming, a world's largest gambling online company publicly operated on London stock exchange. It had been the most important internet poker site before 2006. However due to not enough focus and anti-gambling regulatory actions in US it's fallen behind few of the more nimble competitors. Party Gaming operates a network of gambling websites and aggressively cross promotes them. Its flagship online multiplayer poker room draws traffic looking at the other properties, which can be mostly Europe based.
Software
Software client is playable, though never to the degree of other sites on this review. A word about PartyPoker's color theme. There had been a time when every casino or gambling related site on the Net must be green. Since then most sites moved to build up their own color palettes. PartyPoker is one in the holdovers still presenting you using a sea of green on its site also as on its software client. Every year they revamp site's main page to tone down the green but today it is just a major color.
They recently announced full support for Mac and even their Mac poker client is fairly good. The graphics can be a bit cartoonish to my taste but that just stylistic preference. They have a browser based, no download poker client also. Ironically first thing the thing is after launching that no download poker client is 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 within sufficient numbers.
Best feature
A defining feature of PartyPoker is its soft and loose poker games. I mean softer plus more loose than most other sites. This is probably because of constant influx of gamblers off their other properties. As always, high is fish there are sharks as well. Still the site 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 an important force in poker online. Pocket Kings, the organization behind your website, has come across serious legal and poverty. Our mention of FullTilt is in a way honorary yet deserved and needed. FullTilt was a solid 2 in traffic before they lost their gambling license.
Software
Their software client is best available. Striking an account balance between feature rich yet playable and uncluttered User experience. Site and client design inspired a number of other online multiplayer poker sites, including others among out Top 3. Over the years FullTilt developed a number of innovations, including aptly named Rush Poker. That can be a system that immediately transfers you to another table when you're from a hand minimizing your quiet time and allowing you to play a great deal more hands hourly. Regardless of what you may think of actual Rush Poker experience, that's very creative move. They offer the widest choice of poker including such rare games as HORSE, usually played mostly by professionals.
Best Feature
Marketing angle chosen by FullTilt would have been to assemble the best team of sponsored professional players, then convert their personal celebrity into a powerful marketing weapon promoting the web page. In fact, FullTilt is partially of some from the biggest names in poker today. Among other promo tricks they included possibility to find and have fun 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 has become the highest among our Top 3. The choice will be your, now go a play some poker.
