Top 3 Online Multiplayer Poker Sites For 2011

There is often a bewildering amount of choices in terms of poker online. I hope this short article helps a beginner poker fan to get a smooth come from the joy of online multiplayer poker. Each of our Top 3, not only is it a leader, 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 rooms because they are next year. Next year I must revisit and update 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 in the remaining field:

Game Selection: Availability of cash poker games as well 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 can add appeal and variety to the poker site.


Table Selection: Full Multiplayer - 9 handed tables too as short-handed and heads-up tables


Availability: Solid Client software for both Windows and Mac with frequent updates. Bonus points if site also provides good browser based, no download on-line poker game. You might not consider it much initially but no download poker client really shines when you're on vacation, accessing site from the mobile device or else are "on the move".


Playability: This is important if you play internet poker a lot. Here we rate factors like responsiveness of the software. Whether it hangs a whole lot or runs smoothly day in day out. Visual layout and the way cluttered screen is. Whether controls are placed conveniently. Do not underestimate these "soft" factors. All together playability is the better proxy for software quality. It can either turn your poker session in to 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 play a unique game or table. Remember that people that play domino poker online are often in it for fun just as much as for thrill of winning money. If you play a whole lot, you'll get to understand people as well as have friends.


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


For the record, I do not feel that beginners should play tournaments. Poker tournaments, especially internet poker tournaments, require different poker strategy from regular ring games because tournaments will often be played short-stacked and make use of 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 who're currently logged in the site. High traffic sites are great if you like to sample different games or maybe lose interest easily. On the other hand, in case you prefer playing poker online with the exact same people while you played yesterday, then traffic just matters not. Note that high traffic sites are generally individuals with large promotional budgets. To recoup marketing expense their rake structure may be less favorable.

PokerStars

Run with a European company, Rational Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., that is by far the greatest poker site today. It has grown enormously throughout the last a few years and pulls all the traffic as 3 of the company's largest competitors combined. Due to a great deal of players loitering the website, game and table selection have become good.

I haven't any quality knowledge about 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 gives a streamlined navigation, making an effort to find desired games within 2-3 clicks. They also significantly reduced screen clutter. Current version of software programs are stable and runs smoothly. Unfortunately they don't provide a no download poker client. PokerStars houses 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 internet poker tournaments. They cleverly use offline poker events like WSOP to entice online players to get in by giving these phones "qualify" for WSOP along with 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 from the oldest internet poker sites on the Internet. Behind PartyPoker internet site is Party Gaming, a world's largest gambling online company openly traded on London currency markets. It used to be the biggest on-line poker site before 2006. However due to deficiency of focus and anti-gambling regulatory actions in US it's got 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 network draws traffic looking at the other properties, that happen to be mostly Europe based.

Software

Software client is playable, though not to the degree of other sites in this review. A word about PartyPoker's color theme. There was once a period when every casino or gambling related site on the Net must be green. Since then most sites moved to develop their own color palettes. PartyPoker is one from 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 even now this is a major color.

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

There are many free multiplayer poker games, including Limit Holdem, No Limit Holdem and Omaha. Cash games and tournaments may 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 the majority of sites. This is probably due to constant influx of gamblers off their other properties. As always, high is fish you'll find sharks also. 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 could be considered a significant force in online poker. Pocket Kings, the company behind the website, has come upon serious legal and poverty. Our mention of FullTilt is at a means honorary yet necessary. FullTilt would have been a solid number two in traffic before they lost their gambling license.

Software

Their software client is best in the industry. Striking an equilibrium between feature rich yet playable and uncluttered User experience. Site and client design inspired many other online multiplayer poker sites, including others among out Top 3. Over the years FullTilt came up with a number of innovations, including aptly named Rush Poker. That is really a system that immediately transfers one to another table when you're away from a hand minimizing your quiet time and allowing you to play a whole lot more hands per hour. Regardless of what you may think of actual Rush Poker experience, that was 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 was to assemble the best team of sponsored professional players, then convert their personal celebrity in to a powerful marketing weapon promoting the web page. In fact, FullTilt is partially belonging to some with the biggest names in poker today. Among all the other promo tricks they included possible ways to find and play with those professionals survive 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 is your, now go a play some poker.