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[Archaix]

I'm looking to get into some online poker playing for money, but I've got no idea what sites are worth my time. I'm wondering, from people who have experience, what people think.

Some of the criteria I'm looking for:

Good number of tournaments(Sit n' Go all the way up to huge tournaments) with a variety of buy-in prices. I don't really care for ring games as much, so I'd prefer an active tournament system.

Good players(I can't stand playing poker against people who don't know how to play poker).

No problems with money(I don't want to accidentally join a site that forgets to pay people on occasion).

No commercials that make me want to stab myself in the scrotum(Sorry party poker, you're out)

Program not a resource hog(If you've played ESPN's Poker client, you'll know how bad it can get)

Speaking of which, is anybody playing the ESPN poker client? I've been trying to connect tonight, but it's just being a bitch. Was wondering if I'm alone in having problems with it this evening. The program is rather shitty

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

I play on UltimateBet.

Tons of players. I don't bother with the normal tables. You'll find a lot better games in the $5-10 and up sit n' go tournaments. Plus they're always running WPT/WSOP sattelites and other tournaments. Never had a problem with cashing out either. It usually takes 4 or 5 days for direct deposit, and if you're cashing out a couple grand or more they'll next day the check to you.

 

[Crazymoogle]

Partypoker isn't so hot, I agree, but it does have round-the-clock, single-table tourney games to join in, which is more than I can say about Pokerstars.

I'm a relatively new (but training) convert to Texas Hold'em, but if there's one thing I can say about the game, it's that it's freeze tournament style (the WPT style) or nothing for me. Pay up front, no multiple buy-ins, nobody bugging out, and a damn big focus on betting chips rather than dollars.

CP: what's the url for that? I have to say I'm also interested in trying a few low-cost buy-in tourney games...

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

http://ultimatebet.com/

 

[Archaix]

I've been looking at Full Tilt recently, since I didn't give any actual information about my search. They seem to have a somewhat decent selection of tournaments, tons of sit n go style, and a few interesting promotions for the WSOP(aside from giving seats, they also give winners a percentage of a certain player's earnings in the main event, a percentage of the whole full tilt "team" winnings for one of the smaller tournaments, and such. Also, if you happen to be lucky enough to win a spot through them and then win the main event, they match the top prize, giving you an estimated 20 mil instead of 10). I haven't heard much about the site from anybody who has used it though.

 

[keiichi]

My friend plays at absolutepoker.com they seem to have a lot of free roll/low buy in tournaments.

 

[miyuru]

Is there a site where you can play poker with fake money?

I'd like to learn before betting my real dollars...

 

[keiichi]

I think every site has sections with 'play money'. PartyPoker has a ton of rooms as someone stated earlier and I think it's the one that most people use if you wanted to try that out, or any of the other ones people have mentioned.

 

[marko]

Ultimatebet is one of my favorites for tourneys and sit n gos.

I can see wanting to play with decent players, but winning some money is also good, and pacific poker is always good for that. Their sit and gos are quite soft, although software isn't the best. Also have a decent tourney selection, although I don't like their tourney structure as much as UB.

 

[Archaix]

A bit of a warning about play money: You won't learn how to play poker very well if you use a play money site as your main source. People who use play money usually don't play as though they had real money on the line, so it doesn't give a very good representation of poker. It can be fun, but a lot of what you may learn on play money tables is only what you should avoid doing, as opposed to what you should do.

As for playing against decent players vs winning money, I tend to win more against decent players. Bad/horrible players are impossible to read, and even when you get a good hand there's always the chance that somebody called two raisers with 2-7 and catches 227 on the flop. I'm not saying I want to play against top level competition at every table, but I want to play against people who are competent.