Cash game poker is the purest form of poker. In fact, before the 70′s there was no such thing as a poker tournament. All poker games were cash games. Many of the biggest poker pros in the world make their living at the cash tables as opposed to the tournament circuit. The online poker world is ripe with cash games at all levels and all games. If you want to play cash games online, start by checking out the following sites.
Full Tilt Poker is by far the largest site in regards to cash games. Part of the reason is due to the fact that they spread nearly every variant of poker imaginable on the site. The other is due to the fact that they sponsor a high number of live and online professionals. Full Tilt also goes out of their way to accommodate the largest stakes in online poker. Games as high as $2,000 and $4,000 Limit, $500 – $1,000 NL, and $500 – $1,00 PLO are spread on the site. Of course, for those of us without a $1 Million bankroll, any limit is available starting as low as .01-.02 NL.
PokerStars is the other major online site that goes out of its way to try and spread games for any bankroll. While Holdem has the largest following, PokerStars has a large focus on non-Holdem games and mixed games. They offer all of the typical poker variants, but in addition they offer games you will not find on Full Tilt or other sites. Those games include, 2-7 Lowball, 5 Card Draw, and Badugi. There are also mixed games that you will not find on other sites such as mixed Holdem or mixed Omaha. If you are new to mixed games, there are always low stakes games to try out and if you really are tight fisted with your bankroll, there are even free money games you can play in.
If Texas Holdem is your main game of choice, check out Doyle’s Room. It goes without saying that any site sponsored by the Godfather of Poker will be home to mostly Holdem games. While Omaha and Stud games are indeed spread on the site, most of the traffic will be at the low and middle limit Holdem games. Doyle doesn’t just lend out his image to the site. He actually plays at the site. It is not uncommon to see him playing $5 – $10 NL on the site.
Of course, the anti-Doyle would probably be Phil Hellmuth. If you want to mess with the poker brat, then you will want to head over to UB. UB, formerly known as Ultimate Bet, has a strong selection of Holdem cash games and games in other variants at poker in the lower limits. Low and middle stakes Holdem games are pretty common on this site and you will find Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, and other UB pros regularly playing at the tables. If you are a mixed cash game player, this may not be the best choice for you as the traffic in games outside of Omaha is somewhat lax during non-peak hours.
For those outside of the US, Bwin is a strong option for anyone playing cash games. With one of the best looking interfaces in the industry, Bwin offers a great spread of games, especially in Holdem and Omaha. Stud and Draw games are offered by the site, but outside of peak hours, you aren’t going to find a large spread of games. However, if Holdem and Omaha are your game, this is a great site. The lower limits have lots of action and there are lots of income potential here. The middle limits play a bit stiffer, but the better players should do well at this site. For a site that does not accept US players, Bwin has a strong traffic base. They are 5th in the world for overall traffic and have nearly 3,000 cash game players daily on the site.
Another site that is a solid choice for those outside of the US is Party Poker. Party Poker is well know for its soft competition at lower stake games. They offer Holdem, Omaha, and Stud games. Party Poker has a very user friendly system that attracts new players like moths to a light. As such, those looking to make a solid profit will want to check out the site. If the US ever gets their online legal matters straightened out, this site will become a feeding ground.
If you are looking to play cash games online, the above sites are all great places to start. Of course, there are other sites out there and if you see a different site that interests you, check it out. You can read some tips also in poker guides such as internetpokerguide.com or holdempoker.com Odds are you won’t find sites much better than the ones above. Once you make a decision on where to play, signup for an account and take your seat. With any luck, you will soon grow your bankroll and start moving up the limits.
