Black Chip Poker is follows the quintessential “skin” online poker site formula: share tables and tournaments with the flagship brand in America’s Cardroom and reap the benefits. My poker site review shows their bonus at 100% with a large cap at $1,000 if using a bonus code. High-stakes players will see a lot with micro-stakes players.

• Upswing Poker is among the new breed of well-designed Texas Holdem training sites started by Doug “Wcgrider” Polk and Ryan Fee – for those of you who have never heard of Doug he is a high stakes crusher who has become a poker superstar in the last few years.
• By consensus CardRunners is the largest of all online poker training sites, having also merged with former competitor StoxPoker. CardRunners serves up an extensive library of thousands of poker training videos, with a heavy focus on cash-game play.

888 Poker is one of the big players in the online poker world.

They have been around for almost 20 years which gives them a stellar trust in my book.

888 Poker is especially suitable for new and amateur players.

Why?

Firstly, because they offer a no deposit bonus of up to $88 – this is unmatched in the industry. T&Cs apply.

Secondly, since they have a reputation for attracting just new and amateur players, it is easier not to lose your money, but rather win some while playing on 888 Poker.

In my 2020 case study of 888 poker I managed to turn $50 into $600, see screenshot below.

Hands: 20,699 Won: $600

Poker Education Sites Games

888 Poker will offer you state of the art gameplay on practically any device you want to play on (PC, MAC, Android, iPhone, etc.).

The main drawback of 888 Poker is that they are quite strict on which players are allowed to play. US players are for example not allowed, but for you guys, we have Americas Cardroom.

You can now read my in-depth full review of 888 Poker or jump right into the action yourself.

Americas Cardroom is one heck of a cool poker site.

I will tell you why:

This poker site accepts US players playing poker with real money. And, if you are not a USA player, there is nothing to worry about. Americas Cardroom is open for players all over the world with no restrictions.

It has one of the absolute best first deposit bonus systems I’ve ever seen.

You will receive $2 to $6 free real money cash EVERY DAY for 20 consecutive days.

This means that even if you lose all your money the first day, you will receive a steady stream of real money for the next 20 days.

If you enjoy playing on your mobile device, you have great options, on both Android and iPhone through their web app.

I would say that for new players who can take advantage of the incredibly generous bonus, this is site is your best option.

In my 2020 case study of Americas Cardroom I managed to turn $25 to $430, see screenshot below.

For more information and thoughts about Americas Cardroom check out my in-depth review or go crazy and play there right now.

Unibet is one of the big poker players out there. They have been around since 1999 and that long history gives them a stellar trust in my book.

Their first player bonus package is really nice and offers you free cash in the form of tournament tickets, in addition to a nice €200 play-through bonus.

They support players from almost all over the world and you can play on any device, be it on your computer or mobile phone. That way you never miss out on poker when the urge sets in.

In my 2020 case study of Unibet poker, I managed to turn $50 to $515, by playing 20,707 micro cash hands.

For more information and thoughts about Unibet Poker check out my in-depth review or go crazy and play there right now.

Top 50 Best Online Poker Sites

Training to Be a Pro But Need Help

Hey, there, fledgling poker player! So you’re tired of not winning at the tables, you’re looking to improve your game, and you’ve heard a lot about these online poker training sites? Lots of your opponents seem to be subscribing to them and improving their games. Can joining one or several of these sites improve your game as well? And if so, which sites give you the best bang for your buck? Below are a few of the best and most well-known poker training sites on the market today, and what each of them has to offer.

For a quick start we have also put together some basic tips to playing poker to help you get on your path to becoming a poker professional, or just saving a couple bucks.

DEUCESCRACKED

A top-tier site for those players seeking ways to improve their cash-game play. DeucesCracked’s videos are better edited than many of the site’s competitors, and with a library now in excess of 1,200 videos, there’s plenty to choose from. Cash-game action is the site’s focus, though tournament play and other poker variants in addition to Texas Hold’em also receive some attention.

Site instructors include noted online pros Emil “whitelime” Patel, Joe Tall, Vanessa Selbst (female pro), Ariel Schneller and many others.

See more details about Deuces Cracked and if its worth it.

CARDRUNNERS

By consensus CardRunners is the largest of all online poker training sites, having also merged with former competitor StoxPoker. CardRunners serves up an extensive library of thousands of poker training videos, with a heavy focus on cash-game play. The site’s professional tutors include Cole South, Michael “timex” McDonald, Brian “sbrugby” Hastings, Taylor “greenplastic” Caby and many others. Many of these players were the original high stakes players in online poker whom moved onto the business side. The massive library needs better organization, but the overall quality of the videos are among the best in this category.

See more details about Cardrunners and if its worth it.

POKERXFACTOR

While many of the training sites listed here focus primarily on cash-game play, PokerXFactor’s focus is on tournament action instead. Led by the legendary online duo of Cliff “JohnnyBax” Josephy and Eric “Sheets” Haber (who are also among the largest backers of other players in the industry), the site also includes instructional offerings from Kevin “BeL0WaB0Ve” Saul, Eric “Rizen” Lynch, Scott “BigRissky” Clements and many others. The site offers a library of several hundred videos, and includes an interactive hand-history viewer allowing members to review and share their own questionable or interesting plays.

Here is the full review of PokerXfactor’s tournament training site.

BLUEFIREPOKER

BlueFirePoker is one of the best sites for cash game strategy and videos. The site has a massive list of professional players including Niman “Samoleus” Kenkre, Martin Fournier Giguere (a/k/a “Giggy”) and others in assembling one of the most impressive catalog of videos to date. The guys that run that coach on the site have some interesting reads that most pros follow, plus a forum where professionals discuss hands with players. The price of training will run you $30 a month and they whack you with a $100 upfront initiation fee as well. It’s worth it when you’re getting tips from Phil Galfond, arguably one of the most consistently recognized high stakes pro.

Read more about Bluefire the training site.

GRINDER SCHOOL

More geared to beginning and intermediate players, Grinder School is a newer site centered on several hundred videos that emphasize the core concepts of basic play, with a target audience of micro-, low- and mid-stakes players. The site offers both cash-game and tournament tutorials but focuses heavily on NLHE action, though other games and topics are showing signs of receiving attention. I think this will be a great site for when the US is legalized for the average player. Cost is only $20 and there is no beginning initiation fee but you get what you pay for. I wouldn’t personally use them but their library of videos is greater than 1000 comparable to similar training sites…

Read our full review about our featured best site for low stakes training.

POKERSTARS POKER SCHOOL (POKER SCHOOL ONLINE/PSO)

Several of the largest poker sites now offer their own basic tutorial packages, free of charge, with PokerStars among the sites doing so. Stars’ PSO offerings are free (account registration required), though they are geared toward beginners; intermediate and advanced players won’t pick up much new here. Still, the groundwork covered here is a solid start for playing poker. Please note that PokerStars now owns Full Tilt Poker Academy, but they are two separate entities. The problem with poker sites offering their own training is that it dwindles the experience for casual players and is usually not in their best interest, thus the ‘basic information’ you get for free.

You can read more on the Pokerstars School here.

Conclusion

Poker Education Sites For Real

The above-listed training sites are some of the best online but depending on your skill level, stakes, bankroll, and preferred game type, the best site for your game can wildly differ. Most sites allow players a free trial, or at least, the ability to view their video library and lessons before signing up. Take advantage of this and be sure to look for information that will suit your skill level. For my money, DeucesCracked is the best training site for poker players of all stakes.

Author:Joseph Falchetti (twitter)
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