The Essentials of Poker Hands

Have you ever tried playing poker? If yes, you are probably familiar with the
term poker hands but if not, well this is your chance to learn the truth about
poker hands.

Poker hands are the term used whenever a person or someone has 5 cards dealt in
their deck. There is a certain ranking for these poker hands and not the usual
ranking like one, two, and three. There are different rankings used for poker
hands just like in a regular card game.

Here are some of the rankings of poker hands. The first ranking would be the
high card. These are the type of poker hands that are ranked by the value of
their highest card. For example, your poker hands are 7, 6, and 5, then 7 would
be the highest and so forth. If your poker hands have the same value, it is then
ranked as the next highest. The next type of ranking for poker hands would be
pairs. As the word implies, 2 out of the 5 cards in the poker hands must have
the same value. The next type of ranking for poker hands would be two pairs.
This type of ranking for poker hands consists of two different pairs. The next
type is called three of a kind wherein three out of the five cards in one's
poker hands are the same. Another type of ranking is called a straight wherein
the cards in the poker hands contain 5 consecutive values which is ranked
according to the rule of the highest card. The next kind of ranking or
classification of poker hands is called flush. This kind of flush is not
related to the ordinary flush that we know. A flush is formed when all the
cards (five cards) in the poker hands are of the same suit or classification
(e.g. five hearts or five spades). The next type is called a full house wherein
three out of the five cards in the poker hands are of the same value while the
remaining two are a pair. The next kind of ranking for poker hands is called
four of a kind. As the name suggests, four of a kind is when four of the five
cards in the poker hands are of the same value and it is also ranked by the
value of the 4 cards. The next type of ranking or classification of poker hands
is called a straight flush. It is a combination of straight and flush hence the
name. Sounds confusing? It is actually easy; here the cards of the poker hands
have the same suit with consecutive values. The last and the best
classification of poker hands is called the Royal flush wherein all the best
cards which is comprised of Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 are all in the same
suit.

Is it still hard to grasp? Well, a little visualization could help you envision
the different ranking of poker hands. Take a look at the following examples:

* High Card -- 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7

* Pair -- 4, 4 and 6, 6

* Two Pairs -- 3, 3 and Spade, Spade

* Three of a kind -- 7, 7, 7 or King, King, King

* Straight -- 9 of diamonds (5, 6, 7, 8, and 9)

* Flush -- All king of Spades (4, 5, 6, 7, and 8)

* Four of a Kind -- 8, 8, 8, 8 or Queen, Queen, Queen, Queen

* Straight Flush -- 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Diamonds

* Royal Flush -- Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of Diamonds

Now that you know the essentials of poker hands, with a little luck and
discipline, you could find your way to the road of a winning streak!

Rules and Tips You Need To Know Before You Play Poker

There are many forms and varieties of poker. Some of these include Texas
Holdem, Omaha High-Low, 7 Card Stud, and many others. Although these might
appear difficult to play, they aren't especially when you get to know the rules
before you play poker. Despite the varieties in the games, they share common
rules aside from the common goal, which is to win money from the other players
by placing strategic bets with your dealt cards.

The general rules you need to know before you play poker are:

* The standard 52-card deck is used when you play poker. The ace is considered
as the high card except in High-Low games wherein, it can either be high or low.

* Aside from the hand rankings, study the terms used before you play poker.

* When you play poker, you and the other players will be each dealt with a
"hand", a term used for cards. You make a bet based on the strength of your
hand in every betting round. You should know the ranking of the hands when you
play. This ranking is applicable to all poker games.

* When you play poker, the game moves clockwise around the table. When you play
poker online, a disc or a small button in the screen represents this. The bets
and the cards are placed and dealt this way.

* The most preferable position when you play poker is the "late position" --
the position who bets last from among the group. This is an advantage when you
play poker because you can, more or less, gauge the strength of the cards of
the other players. To ensure that each player gets this advantage, the dealer
button will rotate each hand.

* When you play poker, options like check, bet, raise, call or fold are some of
the options you can do during your turn.

* The pot always starts with blind bets.

* When you play poker, betting also makes rounds in order to make the amount of
money placed even. Aside from this, each round can have additional cards to be
dealt which makes betting more intriguing.

* During every start of a hand, you and the other players who play poker with
you are allowed to chips. You can get more of these in between hands but not in
the middle of a hand.

* When you are interested to seriously play poker and its different varieties,
it is best to get all the explicit game rules of each game. It is best to start
first with low limits and then make yourself go higher in those games that
involve higher stakes after improving your skills.

* Bluffing is one of the key strategies of winning when you play poker. It is
usually used by players to throw off their opponents into thinking that they
are holding the best hand. This is what makes the game exciting and
interesting. The important point to remember here is for you to use your
judgment when to take action when you bluff or when other players are bluffing.

Aside from these rules, here are some tips you have to remember when you play
poker:

* When you play poker, remember that the play proceeds clockwise so it is wise
not to take any action until it is your turn.

* It is good to be aggressive or a "bettor" than a "caller" when you play poker.

* It is important that you pay attention to your co-players when you play
poker. Try to observe those players who are loose/aggressive and those who are
tight. Poker experts recommend that it is generally better to play with the
aggressive players unless you have a strong hand.

* When you play poker, pay attention to the other player's chip count. Play
with those whose chip count is lesser than yours.

* Check your cards if they match the community cards. If they don't, throw your
cards when there's a bet.

* A card should always be played with a 10 or higher or another card of the
same suir.

* When you are one of the first players when you play poker, you are at risk
from other players so it is best to play few hands.

* The most important thing you should remember when you play poker is to take
your time and consider everything -- the betting and the cards of your opponents

After reading all of these, it is important for you to checkout the specific
guidelines and rules of the particular poker game you want to play. Good luck!

Poker rules: Play it fair or be square

Anybody who hasn't heard of the poker game? Anybody who hasn't played a round
of poker game?i think not. Even celebrities nowadays participate in celebrity
poker games. But who knows how poker came about? In truth, there is a dilemma
as to who can lay claim for the birth of this card game. The French have it
'poque' which descended from the Germans' 'pochen' which means "to knock".
However, it can be contested that it could have originated from the Persian
game of 'as nas' that could have been taught to the French settlers by Persian
sailors in New Orleans. However poker came about, everybody is playing it and
loving the challenge. Poker rules therefore are extremely important since you
might be betting your car keys already, for all you know. The poker rules
guides the green horn on how to lose graciously the first few deals. Thus
learning to play a good game of poker is expensive.

We need to know the basics on how to play poker, the poker rules according to
the poker variant, poker etiquette and poker hands to be able to passably play.
Winning is everything in poker since this is a mind game more than anything else.

First off, we need to clarify the different poker game variants to know which
poker rules need to be in play. There are many variants to the poker game but
the more universal poker game variants are: draw poker, stud poker, widow poker
game, and miscellaneous poker games (which include Stud Horse poker, Oxford
stud, Billabong (and Shanghai), Guts, and Blind Man's Bluff). However, the most
commonly played poker games for the first three variants are the five-card draw,
seven-card stud, and the Texas hold 'em.

Since this is the most played poker game variant, poker rules for the five-card
draw are generally easy to remember. It is assumed that you basically know the
general poker game play, the hand values and the betting system. Poker rules
differ from the home-style games to the more formal games as played in the
casinos. For formal games blinds are commonly used while for home games, it is
more typical use an ante. Ante is where the first betting round starts from the
player to the dealer's left, then the second round betting begins with the
player who opened or made the first non-zero betting in the preceding round.

A common house rule in playing five card draw in home or social games is that a
player can not replace more than three cards, unless he holds an ace or a wile
card so that the deck stub will not be easily depleted. Another common house
rule is that the last card in the deck stub is not dealt anymore to ensure that
anybody who might have seen it will not use that information.

In the seven card stud, poker rules are a bit more complex than the five card
draw since two to eight players can play. The only poker rule to remember,
(better make it your mantra) is two down, four up, one down. This is the lay of
the cards and not meant to mean something else.

The third most commonly played poker game is the Texas hold 'em. The poker
rules here are the same with the first two but what makes this different is the
introduction of lipstick cameras where spectators were able to view each
player's cards.

Definitely, we've seen that poker rules changes a bit depending on the game of
poker being played. Now that we've learned the different poker rules, playing
it like the pros would be as easy as pie.

Poker Strategy: A Way to Win the Game

Like any realistic card games in the society today, poker is indeed the most
multifaceted conglomeration of skill, luck, strategy, scheme, and personality.
The theories involved in the playing of the game may not be applicable to
everybody. There are instances that things might have worked for a certain
group of people but may have undeniably failed with the others. However, most
poker experts still contend that feasible poker strategies and tips are still
critical elements of winning the game.

Most poker players assert that they face a lot of strenuous choices on many
situations. Normally, they have to deal with checking, betting, raising, or
folding. Because of these, most players believe that they need to equip
themselves with practical poker strategy and tips so as to establish the
appropriate expectation for every probable move of the players. By doing so,
they will know how to act correctly in return.

Generally, psychological poker strategy is a decisive move basically because
playing poker involves more psychological activities. A player should know how
to read cards of the other players and must be well adept in reading the
actions and reactions of his playmates. The best poker strategy is to know how
to interpret body language and talk of the players. Both of these things can
divulge a lot of the strengths and weaknesses of the hands.

A good poker strategy also requires a player to vary his poker approach. This
means that there should be times that you know how to tactically bluff a game.
This, in turn, will make other players have a hard time reading your cards or
predict your next moves.

However, bluffing should never be a permanent poker strategy. This should only
be used when the need arises. Constant and consistent bluffing may eventually
lead to large losses.

A good poker strategy is also about considering the hand strength. A player
must not only master the rank of hands but also their relative strength during
a poker game. For example, a full house may be a good hand that will be far
more likely to be the best hand compared to a 7 high or the lowest possible
hand.

Consequently, certain poker strategy may vary depending on the poker variant
being played.

Like in a stud poker game, it is advisable to choose a seven-card-stud poker
instead of a five-card poker. Here, five-card can give you limited opportunity
to use your skill as it is significant if you have a strong first hand.

In a Caribbean Stud Poker, a nice poker strategy deals with when to bet timely
and appropriately. A good poker strategy will require you to maintain a pair or
better. In the event that the dealer showed 10 or less and matches one of yours
and you have and Ace-King or better, don't hesitate to bet. You can also bet
confidently whenever the dealer's card is less than your fourth highest card
and you have an Ace-King or better; or if the dealer's card is an Ace-King and
you have a pair of six or better.

Bear in mind to calculate the odds against you such that if the profit is
greater than the odds, make the bet. So to speak, when the odds are in your
favor, bet as heavily as you can.

But the most important poker strategy of all is: never form a pattern of play.
Being able to disguise your play may be the most valuable poker strategy you
could have but then you must remember to apply them as varied as possible. This
way, you avoid being known to your opponents thereby lessening the chances of
losing big bets.

The Bible of a Poker Game

What comes first in your mind when you see posters with dogs gathered around in
a table with card in hand or a typical Western scene wherein cowboys smoke while
playing cards at a saloon?

These kinds of scenario only points to one classic game of cards, nothing else
but the poker game. No game could be visually described as that of a poker
game. It is almost everywhere. In the United States, it's like it is already a
part of the American way of living.

Poker game is one game everybody loves. It is played in every card rooms across
the world. And with its growing popularity, it even invaded the Internet.

Basically, a poker game is the most popular in a class of games known as the
vying game wherein players who fully conceal or partially conceal their cards
then make bets into a central pot. Poker game ends when the player with the
best combination of cards wins.

Like any typical vying game, one or more players are asked to put a primary
amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. And like most card
games, the cards are shuffled, and then cut, and the correct number of cards
are dealt facing down to the players.

The rotation of the players is usually done on a clockwise manner with a button
marking the next player who will have to deal and bet next. It is usually after
the initial deal that several rounds of betting will commence.

However, the poker game players will be able to develop a strategy in some way
in between rounds, by being dealt additional cards or replacing cards that were
previously dealt. During every betting rounds in a poker game, a current bet
amount will always be present. This refers to the total amount of money bet in
a particular round by the player who bet last on that same round. For some
tracking reason, the players are required to not place their stakes directly
into the pot. This is known as slashing the pot. The poker game players are
asked to place the stakes in front of them instead. When the betting round is
over, the stakes will be gathered and placed into the pot.

At the end of the last betting round of a certain poker game, in the event that
there remains one player, there will be a showdown. This means that all the
players will disclose their previously hidden cards and evaluate their "hands"
or card combinations. The player with the best combination wins the pot.
Though, this rule depends on the poker game variant being played.

In a poker game, the combination of cards are the essential part of the game.
This will determine if you can win the pot or not.

The highest card combination in a poker game is the straight flush. This means
that you have five cards in suit and sequence in your hand. Next to that is the
four of a kind combination wherein you have four cards of the same rank and one
idler.

The third highest card combination in a poker game is the full house. Here you
must have three cards of one rank and two of another. Flush card combination
comes next having five cards in suit but not necessarily in sequence. Then the
straight card combination with five cards in sequence but not in suit.

The three of a kind combination, threes, triplet, trips, or in any way you want
to call it as long as it is a combination of three cards of the same rank plus
two of two different ranks are considered the next highest card combination in
a poker game.

Two pair, one pair, and a high card, meaning no combination, ranks the lowest
in a poker game.

As much as the poker game has its variety of card combinations, it has also its
variety of poker games. The most common of these poker game variations is the
Draw Poker variations. Here, the players receive a full hand during an initial
deal but eventually discards some of those cards and will be replaced with new
cards from the deck.

Stud Poker variations differs from the draw poker game in terms of card dealing
and betting. In this variety of poker game, after the players are dealt with
initial amount of cards, they are given one more card on each completed betting
round until seven cards are dealt. This, however, varies when playing a five
stud poker game variation.

On the other hand, Shared-card Poker Game variations deals with small amount
cards on each player. After which, the cards are placed in the center of the
table that are common to every players.

The last two poker game variations are the miscellaneous poker variation and
the non-poker game variation. Miscellaneous poker game variations are poker
games that use the standard ranking of card combinations though not being dealt
in the same way as the other poker game variations. While the non-poker game
variation does not use the standard ranking of poker hands so as to verify the
winner.

Whatever poker game you play, it is still a poker game, so addicting yet so
gratifying. It just takes a combination of skills and luck to outwit the other
players. As most veterans in poker game contends, if you cannot spot the lose
within the first hour at the table, then, with outmost probability that you are
the loser. So better be equipped with money and skills in playing a poker game
than to have money without even a single skill about poker games.

The Many Faces of Live Poker

Adrenalin rush, heart thumping, watchful eyes, and inevitable feeling of
entertainment...nothing comes close when playing poker games live!

Unlike the on-going fad nowadays by switching to more convenient ways of
enjoying a poker game, playing live poker is still the best. There are lots of
players out there who would attest to the fact that the laxity of games most
people will find in live poker rooms in the casinos creates an enticing
phenomenon. Most casinos with live poker offer more lenient ways of playing
games creating less stress but adding more pleasure.

Most people have high regards on players who play in a live poker room than
those who play online. Some contend that most online players use books and
other information so as to enhance their game. While in live poker rooms,
players get to show their skills by playing the game face to face with other
players, no books and no extras.

On the other hand, some people have observed that live poker rooms have a
predominant number of older people. Maybe, these live poker players cannot get
themselves online primarily because they do not have the means to do so. Or
maybe they are too old and rich to gamble more and so playing live poker games
are just their way of relaxing and having fun.

Also, most poker players still prefer live poker games because they believe
that in online poker games players do not get to commit mistakes compared to
people who play live. Online players have the chance of using different
equipments that will help them play well without letting the other players know
about it. And because many players make big mistakes when playing live poker,
one thing is for sure: more mistakes of your contenders would mean more money
for you!

Face-to-face interactions are also the best reasons why live poker is better
than an online poker. In live poker, you get to see your playmates, their
reactions, their strategies, how they behave, and how they handle their poker
money. By doing so, you can easily detect one's playing mechanics from which
will be advantageous on your part in the long run. These things can help you
predict their playing styles thereby giving you greater edge in winning.

Unlike live poker games, playing online poker will not enable you to see the
real player; you only have their name and the amount of their money to know you
are playing with the same player. In so doing, you won't even notice when one
player leaves and another player sits down.

Another advantage of live poker games is that you get to socialize with
different people and have a little more fun than being online. Live poker lets
you have more excitement when seeing happy and satisfied people. Live poker can
also entertain you more by providing you scenes where people get irritated when
losing a game. The tirades and the rants live poker creates is enough to entice
people to play.

In live poker, the ardor of being a part of a combat generates an event that
most players would want to watch every day. There are those players that no
matter how many times they have experienced winning the game, they still feel
uncontrollable heartbeats in every game.

Colorful chips, dashing lights, and innumerable people displaying different
poker faces are perfect concoctions of money, luck, and skills making life
unusually entertaining. And even great colorful graphics of computers would be
no match for enormous citadel of chips lying in front of every player. Live
poker is an ultimate source of live action and absolute fun and excitement.

Texas Hold'Em Poker: Get your game in shape

Play Texas Hold'Em Poker with your family and friends either for real money or
for fun.

If Texas Hold'Em Poker is a new-fangled game to you, don't worry about being
confused, because it is such an easy thing to learn compared to other poker
games such as 7 card stud or Omaha High. Texas Hold'Em Poker can be learned and
mastered by anyone in just a quick few minutes, because unlike any other poker
games, you don't have to calculate and compute odds and try to count cards.
Remember, in playing, you must always play fairly.

Playing Texas Hold'Em Poker

1. Texas Hold'em Poker blinds and antes The betting structure is not always the
same. Sometimes they use antes, but most games begin with two players
positioned on the left side of the dealer placing out a pre settled money so
then there is a primary fund or amount to get things started. This step is
called the posting of the blinds.

2. The Texas Hold'em Poker dealer completely shuffles a deck of 52 playing
cards.

3. Each Texas Hold'em Poker player holds and is dealt with two cards facing
down. These two cards are called you're the hole cards or pocket cards.

4. After which, there is a one round of betting beginning with the player on
the left of the two other players who posted the blinds. In Texas Hold'em
poker, this round of betting is usually called and associated with the poker
term 'pre flop'.

5. The primary fund or amount betted varies on what type of game is played, or
what kind of betting structure is used.

6. In Texas Hold'em Poker, like any other poker games, players can also raise,
fold or check.

7. After the end of the first betting round, the dealer cast offs the top card
of the deck. In Texas Hold'em Poker, this card is referred to as the burn card.
This step takes place to avoid cheating among poker players.

8. The dealer will then flip the next three cards and place them on the table,
face up. In Texas Hold'em Poker, these cards are called flop. The flop cards
are shared so any of the players in the table can use them with their two
pocket cards to shape up a poker hand.

9. Then the 2nd round of betting will begin with the player on the left of the 
dealer.

10. After the betting concludes, the dealer will again cast off another burn
card and flips one more card into the table. In Texas Hold'em Poker, this card
is called the turn card. Then, The players will now use this sixth card to
create a five card poker hand.

11. The player to the left of the dealer, again, starts another round of
betting. Like the other types of poker games, this is also the part of the
Texas Hold'em Poker where the amount of bet is doubled in size.

12. And to end the game, the dealer will burn a card and position the final
card on the table, face up. This card is referred to as the river. Texas
Hold'em Poker players will now use any of their five cards on the table or the
two cards in their pocket to create a five card poker hand.

13. The last and final round of the betting will again begin with the player to
the left of the dealer.

14. Then, all the remaining players in the table will have to reveal their
hands, beginning with the player on the left of the dealer. This is called the
Texas Hold'em Poker showdown.

15. And of course, the player with the best cards on hand wins. In cases where
players have equal hands, will have to share in the winning.

Take note, to learn Texas Hold'em Poker means to play it. Enough of this, take
me to the game room!

Easy Steps in Playing Holdem Poker

Many people say that to successfully play holdem poker, it takes a long time to
practice and master but I believe that anyone could actually be a master of
holdem poker in just a short time, if you really have the determination to do
so. Are you ready to be a master of holdem poker? If the answer is yes, read on
to know more about holdem poker.

Let us first define holdem poker; holdm poker is played with the standard 52
card deck. Though holdem poker utilizes the standard card deck, it differs from
other card games through the use of five community cards which are cards dealt
face up on the table that all players share. For the starting hand, each player
receive two face-down cards each -- hole or pocket cards. The winner is
determined at the end of the game wherein after several betting rounds, the
winner could still use his hole cards together with the five community cards
and make the best ranked five card poker hand.

There are also rules that are applicable to holdem poker; in fact, there are 3
basic rules in holdem poker. Here are the 3 rules in playing holdem poker:

1. Starting hand Value -- Always remember that in holdem poker, the two pocket
cards or hole cards is the one which separates you from the other players
therefore you must really pay attention to it. An AA (ace-ace) combo has a much
greater chance of winning than other combination like a 7-3 kind of combo. One
more thing, in holdem poker, it is better to play good starting hands and fold
the bad ones.

2. Position Play -- In holdem poker, a person's place and position could help a
person win thus being seated in a "late position" is a very huge advantage
because one could see all the moves of your opponents before you do. A little
observation and a keen eye would help a lot so if ever you are seated in the
"late position" when playing holdem poker, better grab the opportunity.

3. Fold -- Always remember people that holdem poker is all about the cards and
of course, the bet. If the betting round is getting higher and higher but your
cards are always on the low and can't draw to anything, fold faster baby! It's
as simple as that.

Now, enough of the basics of holdem poker and let us talk about strategy, yes,
that is right! Even in holdem poker, strategies still exist. First things
first, as a player, you should know what type of game would be suited for you,
though this may take time, it is worth it. Once you find your game, stick to
it! Another thing, holdem poker is also focused on the odds so do not ever play
against impossible odds because it is like playing with the devil himself.
Reading your opponent is also a good strategy when playing poker, and when I
say reading your opponent, it doesn't mean that you go and conduct a background
research of the person. Just notice the way the person plays like is he
aggressive or does he takes his time? These observations could actually lead
you to a winning streak if you know how to utilize this strategy in holdem
poker.

Another thing in playing holdem poker, do not be afraid to commit. The ace, ace
(AA) and king, king (KK) are typical starting hands that very seldom should be
played passively therefore be aggressive yet cautious! Go and explore your
fortune in the cards of holdem poker.

Poker Chips and Tricks

Are you a poker addict or maybe just a beginner? If you are serious with poker
then you will need lots of poker chips. Poker chips have transcended the poker
game itself into a different game altogether. Poker chips are used nowadays in
poker chip tricks. These, my friend, are not cheap tricks, mind you! Poker chip
tricks have been developed through long rigorous hours of playing poker. Poker
addicts have developed a method killing waiting time. Also, poker chip tricks
are used to intimidate other poker players. You might have seen a player
randomly rotate his stack of poker chips using a single hand. Some poker
fanatics also employ magic coin tricks using poker chips. Not only is watching
this very fun to look at but it is also a very serious discipline. Learning
these poker chip tricks needs hours to master. A serious poker player is
different from a serious poker chip tricks master. Often, the poker fanatics
are also the trick players, but poker chip tricks have surpassed the mere poker
game. There are even poker chip trick tournaments in the US!

Poker chips can vary from one to another. Moreover, poker chips come in all
sorts of shapes and sizes. The weight of poker chips is also standardized, and
there are heavier pieces and lighter chips. There are two basic poker chip
weights -- the 11.5 grams and the 13 grams. However, there are many variations
of these, depending on the maker of your poker chips. There are also 10 gram
chips. The most popular types of poker chips are made of clay and plastic. Some
chips are made of mahogany and oak, and there are even graphite chips that are
still rare in the market today. Most of the chips available for your poker
needs are actually bought in sets that range from 200 to 600 pieces, depending
on how many players will be playing them. Traditionally, a player will need 100
pieces. So a 2 player game will need 200 to 300 poker chips. A 400 chip set can
be used by up to 4 poker players.

There are many poker companies that provide poker chip sets. Some even offer
customized poker chips. Have you ever seen a Mc Donald's logo in a poker chip?
Or a picture of someone else's face printed in another? These are just some of
the possibilities in a custom poker chip set. They are often used for
advertising products, while some of them are specifically designed by poker
fanatics. Some poker chips are numbered while some others have flags or emblems
imprinted on them.

Poker chips, apart from the game have become a lucrative business and a
lucrative fanaticism. There are also rare poker pieces that are collector's
items! Because it is both a hobby and an addiction, there are also slick poker
chip set cases. These are often made of aluminum, while some more expensive
ones are made up of graphite. Other popular poker chip cases are also made up
of carbon fiber, wood, vinyl and leather.

Another interesting thing to note about poker chips is that they sound
differently. Expert poker players and/or poker chip tricks masters have their
own preferences of chips. The best chips are those that have a sharp, crisp
sound when they fall. These types of chips are the most common chips that are
found in casinos worldwide.

Poker tricks and poker chips will stay with us for an indefinite period of
time. Poker is a very exciting and interesting game that had been with us for
many, many years and will be with us for a very long time. It is played from
the time of kings and queens, and until now, a royal flush is the best way to
have all the poker chips at your side!

Strip Poker: Adding Zest to a Boring Game

Strip poker is just like any other poker game. The difference in playing strip
poker is that players strip items of clothing when they lose a bet. Strip poker
has been with us for ages, and contrary to popular belief, strip poker is
originally not a sensual, erotic game. Poker developed hundreds of years ago,
and strip poker originated from the basic game of poker. Because poker enables
one to win while others are losing, the losers then can bet their clothing.
This is to take back their cash from the winning opponent. Before, items of
clothing are considered of special value.

Strip poker is played like a regular poker game. But strip poker sometimes
entice non-poker players to get hooked in the game, a feat that cannot be done
by regular poker games. Strip poker adds zest to a dying party. It can bring
fun back to your poker games. There are as many strip poker variations as
regular poker game variations.

Sometimes, strip poker is used as a kind of foreplay and sometimes it is
considered as a way of flirting. Strip poker games can have speedy, medium or
slow stripping modes. Excitement can either be withheld or let loose. Speedy
strip poker games can start like a regular poker game, but everyone (except the
winner of course) removes an item of clothing. This is a very fast way and very
good excuse for stripping naked, not to mention this will give you great
motivation in playing poker. Medium mode stripping in a strip poker game means
that the winner is the only person who is not stripping, but the losers have
the option to buy back clothes in the coming rounds. The slowest way of
stripping via a strip poker game is when only the person with the lowest poker
score will be the one who will strip.

There are countless variations of this game. One variation even makes use of
poker chips and that when you lose all your poker chips, you will be required
to bet your clothing. This is yet another slow method -- if your only objective
is to strip. However, stripping in a strip poker game will most likely be for
the benefit of the game only, and not just about the stripping per se.

Some strip poker games have been popular. In Jamaica, there is even a strip
poker international competition! They employed 4 super models to play strip
poker, and the winner takes on serious money. However, this is a for adults
only event. And it is very unlikely to see strip poker in the Olympic games!
Although, we all know that you'd love to see strip poker players from all over
the world battle out for the gold medal.

Because of strip poker's popularity, there have been thousand of sites
dedicated to the game. It can range from intimate poker play, to party poker
type games. Also, because of the advent of cyber online technology, strip poker
is already available online. Some strip poker games have poker chips, money bets
and stripping all combined in the touch of a button, or click of a mouse. Some
strip poker sites even has strippers available online. Through a hefty credit
card application and registration, one can avail of hours of online strip poker
gaming. Some online strip poker sites have pictures that strip as you win, but
some have real time strippers that you can view stripping via a web camera.
Strip poker, just like any other adult game or enterprise, is regulated in most
parts of the world. Some more liberal nations, such as those in Europe have
strip poker TV shows! The difference between that and American strip poker
shows is that the Euro version allows total nakedness via a TV broadcast!

Whether you are playing strip poker for your foreplay, or as a form of a sexual
tease, whether you are playing strip poker party version or just adding the
element of stripping to a rather boring game, no one can contest the hours of
enjoyment that can only be attributed to poker: Strip poker that is!

Get that Poker Table ready!

Friday nights are the best since your poker buddies are coming over and you are
going to finish them off on your poker match. Get that poker table ready. Get
the popcorn. Get some food ready. Ready the beer. Better make your provisions
in large quantities as this poker game might stretch onto the next day.

But wait, the poker table can't be found. Somebody might have borrowed it and
not yet returned it? Maybe call up the neighbor and ask him to return the poker
table now? Or ask one of your poker buddies to bring his poker table with him?
Is there still time left? How about making an improvised poker table with that
banquet table folded up in the garage? That is a great idea!

Better get your tools and materials ready because we are transforming that old,
run-down banquet table into a semi-professional poker table for that big event.

Poker tables are mostly rectangular that are 30 inches high and 40 -- 42 inches
wide. Poker table lengths vary ranging from 84 inches to 110 inches. Most poker
tables are 28 -- 29 inches high. If there is a full table, remember that it is
difficult for a player seated at the opposite end to be the dealer since the
player at the other is too far away and the chips would also be difficult to
maneuver into the pot. Thus it is but logical to make a dedicated dealer or a
dealer player to be seated in the middle of the poker table. For these reasons
a dedicated dealer, or dealer/player, usually sits in the middle of a
rectangular poker table.

When transforming that banquet table into a poker table, allot, at the least,
two feet of floor space between each player. If you have a minimum three foot
wide table, the seating dimensions should be seven feet width by ten feet
length. Knowing the floor space requirement of each player, you would have an
idea of how many players the poker table can accommodate.

BUt if your poker buddies insist, they can squeeze into that poker table
anytime. However, we must make sure that the poker table can withstand the
abuse it would be easily getting. If the banquet table you are transforming
into a poker table is very much scarred, try adding a sheet of plywood to level
the table. Then put on the padding and felt. These materials can be bought in
your local department store just go to the linen/tablecloth section.

The padding and felt are taped, tacked or stapled underneath the table top. The
padding is supposed to make it easier to lift the cards from the table while the
plastic guards the table from spills. You can also make a portable poker table
top. Just by a sheet of plywood with the following dimensions: four feet by
eight feet. Staple the padding and the felt and you're ready to bet your
Franklins away. The portable poker table is easy to maintain since you can keep
in the basement or in the garage. Just make sure to guard it against moisture
and heat as the wood may warp. When you are ready to play, just place the
portable poker table top onto the dining table and it's time to play.

Poker tables are not that difficult to make nor to maintain. Although proper
care and use can extend their usable life longer.

Poker: From the Kitchen Table to the Casino

Nowadays, gambling has become so popular it's gone digital. That's right, it's
possible that everywhere you click there's gonna be a banner or popup ad with
sparkling chips enticing you to enter the world of gambling online. The most
popular game of all could easily be casino poker. In fact, it has become so
popular that it has been a usual complaint for many bloggers to be recieving
comment spam on casino poker.

What is casino poker exactly, and how do you go about it? You may have played
the game before in the comfort of your own home but keep in mind that casino
poker is very different in the actual cardroom. It is a game of skill where you
compete against other players instead of the house. The stakes don't have to be
sky-high. In fact, if after reading this article you feel like playing your way
to the World Series of Poker, we won't stop you. Just remember that luck comes
and goes, but knowledge stays forever. A fitting adage to the world of casino
poker.

In learning to play the game, there are a few essentials to acquire. First a
book to teach you the basics. The thing to get next would be a video you can
watch and help back up what you learned from words. Finally, for practice, a
tutorial software program. After all, you need to gather some skills before you
can start risking your money in the casino. Better yet, if you have a cardsharp
for a friend, ask him to help you out with your game, and hopefully in the
process you may get to pick up some invaluable tips and tricks.

Also, it is wise to take advantage of the free casino poker lessons, if any,
offered by your friendly neighborhood casino. Games are played using non value
chips, and lessons are started with a brief overview of the game (in this case,
casino poker) before you start playing. The instructor points out any mistakes
you make which helps you gain confidence and get a feel of the game before
actually entering the poker room.

For beginners there are two low-limit casino poker games that are often played:
Seven-card stud and Limit Texas Hold'em Poker. These might be good places to
start should you decide to step into the arena , the actual gamble, of casino
poker. The minimum bet requirement is usually 3$-6$ per game which makes those
games popular choices for beginners.

Feel ready for your own game of casino poker yet? You tired of being a mere
spectator from the sidelines? Then get on up, off your seat, to the nearest
casino! But if there's no casino in the vicinity right now, not to worry.
Casino poker's gone digital, remember? There are several casinos online to
cater to your every pokerish whim. All you need is your shiny plastic credit
card and the legal age to join. A few sites I would suggest are Golden Palace
Casino (goldenpalace.com), Poker Stars (pokerstars.com), Paradise Poker
(paradisepoker.com), and Party Poker (partypoker.com).

Casino poker is more than just a game with stakes to play for. It involves
skill and sharpness of the mind, involving every emotional high -- the
adrenaline rush of a fold, the excitement of a win, not to mention the deepest
pits of emotional hell when a the stakes are high and the game is lost. This is
definitely something to try out if you need some action of your own.

Gambling Poker at Stake

Poker is a true American classic game with diverse ways of playing it. Today,
there are numerous varieties of poker games to choose from. Nevertheless, it
all pertains to the same thing -- you are engaging yourself to gambling poker.

Gambling poker is the game for poker players who want to bet their money so as
to earn a living. Because of this, most people who do gambling poker put their
money at high risk.

So as to avoid gambling your money, try not to exceed your limit. Before
engaging into gambling poker, establish first a limit so as to guide you all
throughout the game.

Do remember also that in gambling poker, you should never drink and gamble or
do not gamble if you are tired. These things will lessen your ability to
concentrate on the game. After all, gambling poker is not all about luck; it
also requires greater deal of skills.

Also, try to remember that in gambling poker, you should never lose your
winnings. Try to leave the area when you are already finished. Do not stay
longer than you can afford. You might just end up gambling more money and
risking more money.

The most important thing when doing gambling poker is knowing the betting
system of the game. You could be in real danger when gambling poker if you do
not know the system unless you play for fun and does not care at all whether
you lose money or not.

In gambling poker, there are different betting systems used. They range from
the most simple to the most complicated systems.

The most common is the Positive progression betting systems. Using this in
gambling poker, the player usually increases the bet whenever he or she wins.
This kind of betting system in gambling poker requires less capital and usually
engaged to take lead of winning streaks.

However, there is also the Negative progression betting systems in gambling
poker. In this betting system, the player increases the bet whenever he or she
loses. Unlike the positive progression betting systems, this one requires
additional capital and is more engaged to shove a winning outcome next to a
losing streak. It is more nerve-wracking and can be very painful whenever
somebody loses in gambling poker.

Lastly, there is the Insurance betting systems wherein you can decrease the
amount of your bet in the event that you win which normally follows a high
preliminary bet.

Whatever betting system is available, it is a must to know these things so that
you will know what things are happening when gambling poker.

Aside from those things, it is a must for every player who engages in gambling
poker to know the basic rules in playing the game. Without knowing them may
mean gambling more than what you can allow.

In gambling poker, a player must know the basic rules and procedures of the
game, the numerous card combinations and its values, and the rules about
betting limits. Aim to know also the equipments uses. By doing so, you will not
be focusing much in doing gambling poker but more on enhancing your skill of the
game at the same time more on having fun.

Bear in mind that gambling poker should not be considered as something to tide
you over while figuring out how to find a more gratifying work. It should
always be for reasons that will bring you more satisfaction than frustrations.

As Amarillo Slim once said, "Poker is a game of people. It is not the hand that
I hold, it is the people I play with."

Poker Tournaments

Poker has evolved through the decades into a very exciting game. By 1970 the
World Series of Poker spawned off the modern poker tournaments. Today major
tournaments are being held all over the country and the world. Poker tournament
are becoming more popular and are being televised and watched by millions of
people around the globe.

Check out the Top 10 Poker Tournaments in the US:

* World Series of Poker, Las Vegas Nevada 
* Orleans Open, Las Vegas Nevada 
* Shooting Star, San Jose California 
* California State Poker Championship, Los Angeles California) 
* 5 Star Classics 
* Legends of Poker 
* Five Diamond 
* World Poker Finals 
* L.A. Poker Classic 
* Showdown at Sands

There are two (2) ways of participating in a poker tournament. First the
traditional venue, these are the casinos, poker rooms and even your dining
table where you sit across the other players trying to keep the so called poker
face despite having full house. The second is on-line, where you connect to a
gambling site using your PC and an Internet connection and can play by yourself
or with a hundred players where you can grumble all you like in your underwear.

Online poker tournament players concentrate more on betting patterns and
reaction time. They can also view statistics of their game being flashed on the
monitor. While traditional venue poker tournament players focus more on the
other players reactions and body language and keep track of the card play in
their heads.

Another difference is the rate of play. Online poker tournaments are much
faster than traditional tournaments. The computer at blazing speed does all
dealing, shuffling and collecting cards. You also don't have to worry about the
dealer picking on you and other players hiding their cards.

Traditional venues are more often than not for the big-time gamblers, high
rollers and celebrities. Except when you're playing on your dining table with
your buddies. While on-line poker tournaments are usually for novice players.
Bets can go as low as one cent but can also get as high as thousands of dollars.

On-line poker tournaments are quite common and almost anyone can join. Anyone
wanting to join should however know that gambling sites might have different
set of rules. They may need to understand these rules and try out the site
first before making any actual betting. They should check that the venue they
want to join has a capability to detect fraud like collusion between players
and other security features. Customer support service should also be available
in these poker tournaments.

Online tutorials or online poker schools are also features that should be
considered especially if you're a novice player dreaming about making it big or
wanting to impress someone. This is one way of learning poker for free, at your
own pace and without annoying anyone.

Some on-line venues also provide novice players a chance to gain entry into big
money traditional poker tournaments. A virtually unknown guy named Chris
Moneymaker did this feat in the 2003 World Series of Poker and eventually went
on to win the tournament.

Poker tournaments can be very exciting to watch on television. But it can be
more exciting if you were playing instead of just being the spectator.

Some say poker originated from the Persian Empire and some say the French
Monarchy. Let's leave that for the historians to debate about. All I about
kings and queens is a Royal Flush.

World Series of Poker: How World Series of Poker begun

Though the World Series of Poker made its official debut in 1970, the idea of
the Horseshoe's annual tournament was actually conceived more than two decades
earlier.

In the summer of 1949, as the story goes, inveterate gambler Nicholas "Nick the
Greek" Dandolos approached Benny Binion with an unusual request -- to challenge
the best in a high-stakes poker marathon. Binion agreed to set up a match
between Dandolos and the legendary Johnny Moss, with the stipulation that the
game would be played in public view.

During the course of the marathon, which lasted five months with breaks only
for sleep, the two men played every form of poker imaginable. Moss ultimately
won "the biggest game in town" and an estimated $2 million. When the Greek lost
his last pot, he arose from his chair, bowed slightly, and uttered the
now-famous words, " Mr. Moss, I have to let you go." Dandolos then went
upstairs to bed.

Though significant in its own way as a chapter in poker history, the five-month
marathon took on added importance to Benny Binion. It wasn't until 1970 that
Binion decided to re-create the excitement and stage a battle of poker giants
-- dubbed the "World Series Of Poker" -- to determine who would be worthy of
the title "World Champion." Johnny Moss came out on top. The decision was
democratic in that the champion of the World Series of Poker was decided by
popular vote.

The following year, Moss again was declared the World Series of Poker Champion.
In 1972, when Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston won the title and went on the
talk-show circuit, the World Series of Poker began to gain a wider following.

It was only a year later that Binion participated in the Oral History Project
at the University of Nevada-Reno and discussed the World Series of Poker with
interviewer Mary Ellen Glass. "This poker game here gets us a lot of
attention," he told Glass. "We had seven players last year, and this year we
had 13. I look to have better than 20 next year. It's even liable to get up to
be 50, might get up to be more than that." Binion then paused, and as if gazing
into the future, prophesied, "It will eventually."

In the early 1980s, Binion's prophesy came to fruition and the popularity of
theWorld Series of Poker soared.

Today, the legacy Benny Binion left the poker community ranks as the oldest,
most prestigious, and most media-hyped gaming in the world. The World Series of
Poker has touched thousands of lives over the years.

Five World Series of Poker Rules

1. Hold 'em

* Each player is first dealt two cards down. 
* A round of betting occurs as players decide for the first time if they are in 
  or they're out. 
* Then five community cards follow with betting after the flop, the turn, and 
  the river. 
* In the end, the best five card combination wins the hand and takes the pot.

2. Omaha

* Instead of being dealt two cards, each player recives four down cards. 
* A round of betting occurs as players decide for the first time if they are in 
  or they're out. 
* Then five community cards follow with betting after the flop, the turn, and 
  the river. 
* Those still in reveal their cards. But here's the catch: A player must use two 
  and only two of their down cards along with three of the community cards. And 
  as always, the best five card hand wins the pot.

3. Seven card stud

* Each player is dealt three cards. The first two are down and the third is up
  for everyone to see. 
* Players must then decide for the first time whether they're in, or out. 
* The next three cards are all dealt face up, with more ounds of betting after 
  each card. 
* The seventh and final card is dealt face down. 
* After one last round of betting, players still in will reveal what they have. 
  As always, the best five card hand wins the hand and takes the pot.

4. Razz

* This game is a lot like seven card stud except of course the low hand wins. 
* To begin, three cards are dealt to each player. 
* The first two are down cards the third is up for everyone to see. 
* A round of betting follows, as it does after each of the next three up cards 
  are dealt. 
* The seventh and last card is dealt face down. 
* One more round of betting before players still in will reveal what they have. 
* Now remember the low hand is the winner and flushes and straights don't count 
  as high hands so ace to five is a good as it gets.

5. Lowball

* Basically, it's five card draw and the low hand wins 
* The point of the game is to have the lowest hand possible. 
* But unlike razz, straights and flushes count as high hands. 
* So the best possible hand a player could have is 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. 
* Each player receives five cards face down. 
* After a round of betting a player is allowed to draw up to five new cards. 
* Once a player receives their new cards, a final round of betting follows. 
* Players then reveal their cards and since the lowest hand is the best - 
  2,3,4,5 and 7 off suit is as good as it gets.

The History of Poker

The origin of a certain thing depends heavily on the written or verbal recorded
account of events. There are cases of things that do not have formal accounts of
history and origin primarily because nobody thought it is important to take note
of during that time. The process of origination rarely takes place except when
the event becomes notably important in the long run.

Just like the case of poker, wherein it does not have a distinct origin and
time frame due to lack of records about when it took place and who developed
the game. There were speculations that Poker might have started from a single
table or from a group of players in a certain area but may have eventually been
passed on to some groups of a different locality such that no one knows for sure
who really started the game.

However, there have been some facts regarding poker, though based on surmise,
which can at least take into account the historical background of the game.

The history of poker was said to have originated from a former French territory
based on New Orleans some time between 1810 and 1825. This game of gambling
started out from gambling saloons and famous floating saloons know as the
Mississippi steamers.

During those times, poker was known to be a game with four players having five
cards each from a deck of 20 cards. Because of its name, early players of the
game thought they were continuing the habit of playing a similar game known as
Poque, a French card game. Though, most historians claimed that poker's
ultimate antecedent is the German game called Poch or Pochen, which started
during the 15th century.

Unlike poker, poque was played by a maximum of 6 players with 32 or 36 cards in
the game. The transition that took place, changing from 32 cards to 20 cards
played with four players, might have been influenced by the French vying game
of Bouillotte or by the contemplated Persian game of As-nas.

Hence, from 1830s onwards, poker had adopted its anglicized name and eventually
spread from all parts of the United States. With a growing number of players,
the game adopted the idea of having 52 cards so as to accommodate a larger
number of players.

In the earliest form of poker, there was no draw, and bets were usually made on
a limited series of combinations. These varieties of combinations can be one
pair, two pair, triplets, four of a kind, and full, which is the only
combination that has five active cards.

During those times, the adaptation of a 52-card poker gave way to the
introduction of another kind of combination known as flush, though straight was
yet unknown.

Between 1830 and 1845, Poker was more and more played by an increasing number
of players. It was during this time when the draw was then introduced. However,
the term draw was already known in poker's English counter-part, Brag. The
addition of the draw and the flush combination boost the pleasure of the game,
thus, a second betting interval was made. Another great development of poker
was the introduction of "Jack Pots." In the old poker, jack pots refer to the
condition that a player is not allowed to open unless he has a pair of jacks or
better, at the same time the player is obliged to open if he already has it.

The purpose of introducing jack pots on poker was primarily to enforce control
on the game by lashing out rowdy players who would bet on anything. This
eventually killed the idea of bluffing or bluff from which poker was originally
known.

It was in 1864 when the combination of straight sequence or rotation was
introduced when playing poker. With the addition of straight, an additional
rule was mentioned wherein a straight and a flush combination will undeniably
outranks a full combination. The addition of straight in poker was an
exhilarating development because, as experts say, without straights and
straight flushes, the only highest possible hand is four aces or four kings and
an ace kicker. In the poker world, this type of combination at hand is not just
unbeatable but cannot even be matched or tied.

Because of these developments, poker consistently progressed and rapidly
expanded by popularity. This, in turn, made poker as the greatest American
pastime. Consequently, poker evolved from gambling to a game of skills.

And so, even with so many outrageous allegations regarding the ancient times of
poker and its origin, poker is undeniably an ultimate classical relic of the
American history.

Video Poker 101

If you have been into a casino, chances are, you have seen or played with a
video poker machine. For those who do not know what video poker is or for those
who haven't stepped inside a casino, video poker is one of those casino games
that looks like and has a similar size like that of a slot machine. It is
usually played on a computer console.

The earliest video poker machines were in the market in the mid 1970's. It is
basically a combination of a monitor that resembled that much of a television
and a CPU or Central Processing Unit. In 1979, video poker came into the
mainstream with the introduction of "Draw Poker". Video Poker became popular in
the 1980's and up to now, different video poker machines are still being played
in many casinos and gaming floors.

A game of video poker begins when a player inserts money or ticket into a video
poker machine as a bet of one or more credits. After this, a "deal" button found
in the machine should be pressed. This action draws the cards in the video poker
machine. At this point, the player has an option to keep or exchange one or more
cards for a new one from the deck of cards. After this, the video poker machine
evaluates the hand. A pay schedule of winning hands is usually posted. If the
hand matches one of those, then the video poker will offer a payout.

A pair of jacks is usually the minimum hand when a video poker machine starts
the payout. The bases of payout allocations in pay schedules are the rareness
of the hand and the overall speculated return offer of the game operator. Other
players play more and bet more boldly for video poker machines that offer
progressive jackpots for royal flush and other rare hands.

There are many kinds of video poker machines. Most of which that were created
are variants of the original 5-card draw. These video poker games can be
categorized into 2 kinds. These are the standard video poker and the multi-line
video poker.

Standard video poker include Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, 10's or Better, Aces
& Faces, Joker Poker, Megajacks and 2 Ways Royal. These video poker games are
usually characterized with the use of terms that have some adjective in the
title such as "double", or "triple" or "bonus". Deuces Wild, which is the most
popular among standard video poker machines, can be played where a two can
substitute as a joker. In this video poker game a jackpot is paid as a natural
royal or for four deuces.

Multi-play poker games, on the other hand, are video poker games where the
player starts with a base hand of five cards. In this game, different set of
cards with the base excluded from the set will be used to draw additional
hands. Some of the multi-player video poker games offered include 4-Line Jacks
or Better, 4-Line Deuces Wild, 4-Line Aces & Faces, 10-Line Jacks or Better and
25-Line Aces & Faces

The following are tips that can help you play and win in video poker games.

* For players who want to play progressive video poker, it is best to look for
jackpots over 250 dollars on a nickel machine, 2,500 dollars on a quarter
machine and 10,000 dollars on a dollar machine.

* You should play on a video poker machines that pay 6 coins for a flush and 9
coins for a full house

* Jacks should be reserved when playing video poker and you should remember
that it is more valuable than the Ace.

* A strategy to get royal flush bonuses when playing video poker on progressive
machines is to bet the maximum amount of coins.

* And lastly, like in all poker games, take your time. Study the hand dealt by
the video poker machine before you act.

The Color of Poker Money

"What's that father?" a little boy once asked his father. "Can I play with
them?"

The father replied, "No, son, it is not a toy! It is money, my boy!" The boy
hurried off to play outside, though, wondering why his father considered those
colorful chips as money.

Most children in America grew up with different kinds of colored chips. This
colored chips represents money in the casinos. For example, a player who wants
to play poker has to buy some chips to be used when betting. And because this
is the kind of money that is being used during a game in the casino,
particularly poker, others eventually call it poker money.

Poker money comes in various shades of blue, red, and other colors usually seen
in the casinos.

In a particular poker game, a player's poker money account is comprised of real
cash and real chips. Normally, players could convert their cash to chips and
vice versa. This can be done any time the player wants to do transactions
except during a game.

Poker money arrives after a player settles down on a table and is ready to play
poker. This poker money, in terms of chips, is being laid out in front of the
concerned player.

However, before proceeding into playing poker, every player must make a deposit
for his poker money.

In a live poker game where players get to play facing each other, the poker
money are converted easily from cash to chips and vice versa on counters
provided in the casino.

On the other hand, online poker games have different ways of managing poker
money. Most of the online poker websites require their players to have their
poker money accounts through deposits. Generally, these can be done into two
categories. One category of depositing poker money is through direct methods
wherein players use a credit card or draft in order to deposit money. The other
category of depositing poker money is through a 3rd party services like NETeller
or prepaid ATM which acts like Internet banks. Here, players can do transactions
such as depositing poker money and transferring funds to online poker Web sites.

There are six deposit methods usually used when dealing with poker money by
means of a 3rd party.

First of its kind is the Neteller. This method of depositing poker money is
usually available on many Internet sites. Neteller offers players the choice of
cashing out directly poker money into their account. Opening a Neteller account
is like having an online wallet.

The other method you could consider is the MyCitadel wherein online poker
players need not check their mails for drafts. MyCitadel is a payment system
that manages US and Canadian customers mostly catering to poker money related
matters. Here, poker players can have their poker money by purchasing chips
online.

Then there is the FirePay, a Web based cash account. FirePay is great site
wherein players with fund accounts from a United States bank can directly open
a poker money account with them. Funds can be transferred directly from a U.S.
bank account.

You also have the option in using a prepaid ATM. The difference with prepaid
ATM is that players get to deposit their poker money to an ATM card and not
just a Web site. When doing cash outs, it goes directly to your card. And the
good thing about it is that the prepaid ATM works with most local ATM machines.

If you are not so convenient in using ATM, you could opt for credit cards.
Poker money deposits can be easily managed without having a 3rd party. Or
better yet, you could use the bank draft or check wherein your poker money
deposits are better secured. Plus most Web sites offer 10% bonus when you
deposit poker money through this method.

Last option would be the UseMyBank method wherein it also guarantees secured,
fast, and easy transactions. Though, only those who have Canadian online bank
accounts can be eligible.

And after you are through making poker money deposit, and maybe playing some
hands of poker, there are online poker Web site that will give you a choice if
you want to cash out your poker money at once or remove your funds at the site
if in case you still want to come back and play. With the six deposit mode
mentioned, you can be assured of having your poker money, whether chips or
cash, remain exactly like you left them.

So, when the time comes you have finally decided to play poker online or in a
live poker room in the casino, try to think of ways how to manage your poker
money. After all, those chips are not just plain plastics. Poker money is
exactly the reason why you have played poker in the first place.

Online Poker: A Good Alternative in Poker Games

With the vast expansion of information technology nowadays, the Internet has
become more and more viable means of recreation. Most people get to do the
usual things they do off line. From watching television shows to playing games,
the Web is definitely a feasible source.

In the midst of the new era in playing games, the web had been a perfect host
of such activities. And one of the most popular and most sought-after games
online is the all-time American classic game -- poker.

Online poker is a poker game played over the Internet. Through this great
innovation, more and more players were attracted to play poker.

However, to play online poker one must recognize first how to get things
started. In order to play online poker, you must download software and Java
applet into your computer.

Downloadable software requires longer time to download and install it on the
hard drive of your computer. However, the graphics and value of the game are
absolutely fine. Java-based programs are, on the other hand, poorer in quality.

Moreover, one must also be well adept of online poker's rules and regulations
so that poker players may play online poker. There are the usual do's and
don'ts that has to be observed so as to play online poker.

First, in order to play poker online one must set a budget limit and stick to
it. This will help the player avoid unnecessary expenses due to uncontrolled
money management. In the event you are already losing, try not to borrow money.
Also, try not to lend some money to a friend who is losing terribly. Chances
are, losing people who continues to play online poker ends losing more and the
worst scenario is that the money you lent is losing too.

Try to learn money management. In most cases, it is far more important than
developing your skills in order to play online poker. Establish some set limit
regarding your gambling money. In the event that you have already reached your
limit, get off and log out.

Next, when you are about to play online poker, try to equip yourself with the
rules, the terms on bonuses and cashing out. Knowing all these things will most
likely enable you to have a greater edge on the game.

Also, try to check if the online poker site is a member of a recognized
organization. This will lessen the possibilities of online frauds. Try to check
the customer service response before you commit yourself to play online poker.
Ask them questions through phone calls or send them emails and observe how long
will it take them to answer.

On the other hand, do not try to impress people online by betting more than you
can present. To play online poker does not literally mean to gamble and show off
at once. Do not think of getting rich just by playing online poker with outmost
convenience. Try to play online poker more for fun and entertainment and not to
make money. You will end up finding yourself losing the game.

Best of all, always remember that to play online poker is to be smart. Try to
let your common sense take over. You should learn how to think with your mind
and not with your money if you want to really play online poker.

Just take it easy. After all, online poker games do not have face-to-face
interactions; hence, you have more time to think of a good strategy so as to
win the game.

Online Poker: Is It Worth Your Money?

With the advent of information technology, everything seems to be online these
days. From newspapers to card games, nothing can beat the convenience online
interactivity could bring.

Yes, you have heard it right. Even card games are now being exposed
electronically through online gaming. And one of the most popular online card
games is the online poker.

Online poker is a poker game played over the Internet (of course!). The dawn of
a new era for playing poker in the Web has brought vast increase on the number
of poker players throughout the world.

Online poker, contrary to the traditional poker game, are said to be economical
because they require cheaper maintenance cost. For example, in online poker
adding another table to accumulate other players will not take up valuable
place like it would for a typical casino and poker rooms.

Besides, in online poker rooms there are no tips you have to pay. Usually,
players have to pay a dollar or two as tips for the dealer and waitresses
whenever you win a large pot at stake in live poker rooms.

Moreover, because of the interactivity feature of all online activities, online
poker likewise offers more player-oriented features. The software that is being
used on online poker reminds the player whenever it is his or her turn to take
steps. And the greatest thing about online poker is that it allows players to
play for very low bet, as low as 1 cent. For beginners, online poker offers
free roll tourneys whenever there are no entry fees. By doing so, online poker
is able to attract more beginners to play the game.

The other reasons why online poker rooms are more practical ways of playing the
game are its security. Online poker games have collusion detection abilities.
This software enables the online poker room security moderators to examine the
"hand history" of the previously played cards of any player in the site. This
enables them to detect the behavioral patterns of the online players easier, so
to speak.

Also, online poker game sites responsibly checks on the player's IP address so
as to avoid players on the same home or on some unknown proxy servers from
playing the same tables. These and many other interactive safety features
provide online poker players a secured gaming experience.

The best online poker rooms that are considered to be secured on their
connections are those with Verisign or Thawte Security, a subsidiary of
Verisign. These are just two of the most trusted security certificates in the
world. Add to that, these security certificates are also the ones used to
protect the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S.
department of Defense, general Electric, and many others. So, fear no more!

There are also other features that practically lure new players to try the
game. An example of this is the so-called tournaments online better known as
"satellites" wherein the winning online poker player gets the chance of playing
to real-life poker tournaments.

On the other hand, because of the vulnerability of the Internet to online
frauds, online poker is deemed a legal online game and is being regulated in
many countries such as the United Kingdom and other nations around the
Caribbean Sea.

Though, on a more general view, the legality of online poker truly depends on
the specific laws being implemented on a certain place.

On the other hand, most people believed that online poker game is a form of an
online gambling where in fact it is not. It is because in gambling your chance
of winning depends on the casino's favor. Unlike in online poker, you also play
against other players and not machines giving the same odds as with the other
players. Also, gambling is a game of chance while online poker is a game based
on skills.

So, why would you wait for another chance or two when playing slots or roulette
when you can actually have the money worth your skills by playing online poker?
With all the things mentioned, online poker is definitely the most thrilling,
moneymaking online game in the universe today.

Think about it!

Issues and Dangers of Internet Poker

Just like any good and bad things, there are issues and dangers that are linked
with Internet poker. Gambling is a risk but playing Internet poker or any other
form of gambling online makes the risk riskier. It would not hurt for you to
know all these entirely first before playing any of these games online

The first one is centered on financial aspect. One sad probability with
Internet poker is that a player might not get his winnings. There is no
guarantee that you will get your money when you make a request for withdrawal.
Most bigger Internet poker sites can give you your winnings such as Poker
Stars, Ultimate Bet, Paradise Poker and Party Poker which are the biggest
Internet Poker sites. It is oftentimes the smaller ones, often associated with
online casinos are the worst offenders in all Internet poker sites. Many
stories of actual players who have been victimized circulate in the Internet
and it is best to take note of the names of these sites before you start
playing Internet poker

In order to avoid situations like these, try to play in more established and
bigger Internet poker rooms. This does not mean that all smaller and newer
Internet poker rooms are not reliable. Some are but more often than not, these
sites have high probabilities of suffering from bank runs.

The second danger is the shuffling. All Internet pokers should be aware that
the randomness of the shuffler is very important. This is usually determined by
the algorithm designed for the poker game and which is stored in the poker
server. Internet poker sites who want to assure their customers that their
shuffle and their practices are fair usually do the following: publish their
shuffle algorithm also known as the random number generator, have independent
auditing of the algorithm and third, obtain license from regulatory commission.

In order to show how good their shufflers are, Internet poker sites publish the
algorithm of their shuffle in their websites available for study and perusal of
interested persons. Aside from this, Internet poker sited undergo independent
auditing. This is done by independent auditing companies to inspect source
codes and the servers of Internet poker sites and are done in surprise
inspections. The third method Internet poker sites do is to obtain licenses
from Kahnawake Gaming Commission, a regulatory agency which requires Internet
poker sites to comply with regulations so that they can get their license and
maintain this to avoid it from being stripped.

The third danger you have to consider when playing in an Internet poker site is
security. This danger is not only limited to the external danger from Internet
hackers who can get information from players who enter and who can manipulate
the result of the game but from the greater internal danger from the people
inside the business who are tasked to handle the information and money.

An employee working for an online poker site can easily access player
information and their credit cards numbers and he can use these to gain access
or sell these. Insiders also have greater opportunities in eavesdropping on the
players' actions and could use and sell this information so that other players
can cheat.

The fourth danger is addiction to Internet poker. It has been proven that some
people do get addicted with Internet poker. Even if the action is virtual, much
of the thrill and excitement is the same as being in a "physical" game. If you
are prone to gambling addictions, it is best to stay away from Internet poker.

Playing the Online Poker Game

Playing poker online? Does it sound absurd? In all honesty, no because this
trend has been happening all over the world and yes, even the wide, wide world
of internet.

Poker games are not a new thing but online poker game is a different thing all
together. Online poker game utilizes the same rules and regulations of a
regular poker game plus a whole lot of benefits from playing it online. The
best thing about this is the website or web host of online poker game is not a
casino thus the house does not win the money. Once you play an online poker
game, you are automatically playing with other players from the different parts
of the world. The web host of online poker game just receive compensation for
hosting the games in the form of a small percentage of the pot.

There are many advantages of playing online poker game than the traditional
playing of a poker game. One would be in terms of convenience. A person would
not have to go through the hassle of dressing, grooming, and travelling all the
way to a casino because one could play in the convenience of their homes. Heck!
A person could still play even if they haven't taken a bath yet. Just don't
mention it to your other virtual players though. Aside from that, transactions
that underwent in an online poker game are guaranteed safe and protected
because web hosts of online poker game is usually protected from security
softwares and companies. The probability of somebody cheating would also lessen
because your opponent couldn't possibly hide nor cheat the cards dealt in the
table because it is a virtual world. Your opponent couldn't possibly mark the
cards in the deck that would ensure him/her of a winning deal. In an online
poker game, a person is guaranteed of a safe and cheat-free environment. So, if
you are the type who's going to cheat whenever you feel like you are losing
better think again.

An online Poker game also caters to the needs and demands of each and every
player (so long as it is reasonable). A person could have an option of playing
with virtual players, if you're the type to be challenged by the ability of
computers or you're a person who wants to prove to the world that humans are
still smarter than computers-whatever your reason maybe, your wish is their
command. If you are tired of the computer way of handling things, there is also
an option in the online poker game to play with real players, in layman's
term-humans. This type of game could present as a challenge for a person
because in an online poker game with real players, it is guaranteed to be a
game of adventure and excitement. One of the highlights of an online poker game
is the tournaments which could be offered in a daily basis depending on the web
host. The tournament is really a chance for poker players to exhibit their
skills and abilities in a poker game.

There are also a variety of games available for everyone in an online poker
game. There are other games like Texas Hold'em (a fast and fun variation of
Seven Card Stud), Seven Card stud (the most well-known of all poker games),
Seven Card stud (8 or better) (a fast-action online poker), Omaha (a kind of
poker dealt the same way as Texas Hold'em but starts with four cards), Omaha (8
or better) (dealt the same way as Omaha except that the highest and lowest hands
are the winners), and Draw (an old-time traditional poker game).

An online poker is as easy as 1, 2, and 3. Just remember, download, install and
play!

Free Online Poker Is For Everyone

Poker is not a free game that you can just play anytime since you need seed
money to be able to get a seat at the table and play. What free poker
connotates is that you can get to play with the best and the worst of them
anytime since this is usually played over on the internet. It becomes "free"
because several websites offer poker games to internet poker game players for
free. Just sign up and get to play free poker already.

Therefore, free poker is the online poker for most players. How does this
differ from the other pokers being played everywhere else? One factor is that
in free poker, you don't know who your opponents are. You won't be able to read
their eyes or anticipate their body movements since this is being played
virtually. Of course, if you cannot see them, they can not also see you. Thus,
there is more freedom to react. Another feature of free poker in the internet
setting is that rules are more strict since nobody is seeing anybody, the
objectivity of the dealer or dealer/player is more or less not compromised that
much.

Same betting rules for free poker and the other variants of the poker game
exists. Just make sure that before you go play free poker, you are very aware
of these rules. To give you tips on how to play free poker, never forget that
five of a kind is the highest hand you can have, when the use of wildcard is
part of the rules of the free poker (such as five aces, fifth card is a
wildcard). If not, then the royal flush (where you have cards of the same suit
that go from ten, jack, queen, king, and ace) is the hand to beat. Next best
thing is the straight flush where you hold five cards of consecutive value
(such as two, three, four, five, six of spades) that only have one suit.

The following are the various hands you can make in free poker according to
their ranking. These are the four of a kind, full house, a flush, straight,
three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card. Four of a kind is when you
have the one value card of the different suits, such as the ace of hearts,
diamonds, spades, and clubs. A full house is when you are holding three suit
cards of one value and a pair, such as the king of spades, hearts and diamonds
plus six of hearts and diamonds. Flushes is the card hand when you have five
cards of the same suit at no particular order, such as two of hearts, six of
hearts, ace of hearts, nine of hearts and king of hearts. You can also have a
regular straight when you have different suits that form a consecutive ranking
of the cards (such as seven of clubs, eight of spades, nine of diamonds, ten of
diamonds, and jack of hearts).

Three of a kind is when you don't have any pair to make it a full house, while
two pair is having two sets of pair in a hand, such as holding jack of diamonds
and clubs, and another pair of two of hearts and two of diamonds. One pair is
when you only have one set of a pair. And lastly, the lowest hand is when you
only have high cards such as the ace, the king, the queen. This hand does not
form any of the better hands thus its lowly level. As in any variant of poker,
the thing to remember in free poker is that the degree of difficulty in forming
the hands determine the value it has in the chain.

Are we ready to play free poker now? You bet!

Finding a Good Poker Room

Many factors have to be considered when playing poker on online poker rooms.
Not only will you be entering monetary transactions on the Web where hackers
and intruders loom but you are also entrusting your money and some personal
information to these companies.

So how do you choose the poker room that will suit you and how will you know if
it is any good? Try looking up some of these online poker rooms using these
guidelines:

1. Does the poker room prioritize safety and privacy? When you decide to enter
your information and credit card number, does the poker room assure you of the
safety of such information and that these will not be sold? Aside from personal
information, other things you need to consider are the following - Determine
what protection they enforce such that the software being used in the poker
room cannot be manipulated and that their servers are secure.

- Check the kind of algorithm they use for card shuffling. The higher the level
of unpredictability in shuffling, the better the algorithm the poker room employs

- Determine also the security they employ on issues such as collusion, hacker
intrusion, game rigging and others.

2. Is the poker room environment appealing? This may not be important to some
but it does when you play for longer periods of time. Is it easy to play in the
poker room? Are the graphics interesting and pleasing to the eye even after long
hours of playing? Try to also assess if you can still play the game even if your
computer cannot support high-end graphics.

3. Is the poker room full of action? Determine how many kinds of offerings does
the poker room offer to players? The more players in a pool, the more action
there is and winnings. Check also poker rooms that offer the poker game that
you want to play anytime.

4. Find out the ins and outs of the cash you give and the cash you receive
should you
win in the online poker room. How much money did winners win and how easy were
they able to get these? Figure out also how much they charge and what are
applied when you cash out. A good poker room should give confirmations via
e-mail or calls on transactions that have been made.

5. How is the poker room's customer service? Is the service truly 24-7 and do
they have toll-free numbers? This is truly helpful when problems such as
computer crashes and down servers occur. It is also best if such poker rooms
answer and give solutions immediately to your concerns

6. Determine how good connectivity is from those sites offering online poker
rooms. Check how often disruptions occur on the server side of the game site.
The disruptions can either be in the form of information transfer delay, game
crashes and disconnections.

7. A good poker room should let beginners get free play action in their sites.
This feature will help you get familiarized with the poker room environment and
get used to the rules of that specific poker room.

8. Does the poker room give tournaments and promotions? These are good bases of
determining online poker rooms that are serious with their business. Determine
what incentives they give for players who frequently play in the poker room,
those who had good high hands, etc.

9. Does the poker room give other conveniences and incentives such as tracking
the best players, the best statistics, offering columns to good players, beta
testing new games, etc.

Poker Download: What you should know about online poker

Trying to download poker software is easy, many sites points to it. The real
issue is what do you do with it and how do you maximize your potential winning
in the card games thereafter you download poker?

There are some very good articles arguments for why to download poker software,
it is surely the most popular of a class of online poker rooms, the news
articles for players speak highly on the poker download software, especially
it's resource page on the game rules, odds and statistics figures, all is given
in an easy to use format for new and experienced players, outlining the chances
at playing the card games and giving some some knowledge of the equipment used
for poker downloadprocedures, there is also a reference on what is legal about
the usage and some illustrated programs for trying the play for fun and not for
real money.

This poker download for Internet betting room reviews resource and guides that
tell you all the story about this online cards game, where Texas Holdem, Omaha
hi/lo, stud 7 and other card games are being played. They try to evaluate the
poker platform to fully supply to you a helpful tool in understanding the card
games and some knowledge of the equipment used for running the online
tournaments.

A completely objective poker download and unbiased analysis of this online
vendor is a long one, it starts by a detailed review of the online manual for
the software and the unique collection of features within it, including some of
the good old fashioned ways in how to win and an online exhibition of
capabilities of the poker download software.

Play online poker with free poker downloads from top-rated internet poker
sites! In less than 2 minutes you can download free poker download games on
your computer thatwill allow you to join low limit to high roller poker tables,
and everything in between, with thousands of real poker players online! It's
free, fast, and easy to start playing poker games like texas hold'em and 7 card
stud in real internet poker rooms 24 hours a day, for fun or for real money.
With Poker tournaments every 15 minutes, this free poker download is the best
on the web.

Play real poker online

Enjoy all of your favorite poker download games including 7 Card Stud, Texas
Holdem , Omaha and more. Download the state-of-the-art online poker software
that lets you play real poker against real people.

Online poker

Online poker fits anyone's schedule because you can play 24 hours a day. There
is no traveling time involved, and there is little or no waiting to get into a
game once you are logged on. With the growing popularity of poker, if you
choose to play at a live cardroom you will most likely wait hours just to get
seated at a table. But with online poker, there's always a seat waiting for you.

Don't be intimidated by online poker download tables, even if you've never
played the game before. You can always play poker downloads for free while you
learn the basics of the game. With free poker games, there's nothing to lose.
After you get the hang of the game, you may want to open a real money account
and start playing for real pots.

Download poker games

Poker has gained immense popularity over the last few years. More people are
interested in watching and learning to play poker downloads at home, in
casinos, and even online. These days, it's not uncommon to find televised poker
games on ESPN and even a few network channels, including shows like Celebrity
Poker, The World Poker Tour, and The World Series of Poker. The most convenient
way to start playing poker is to download real poker software for free and join
virtual poker downloads online. Most online poker sites offer free downloads
that take only minutes to complete, so you can start playing real poker games
in minutes.

Party Poker: The Popular Poker

Party poker is one of the most popular poker games over the internet. What is
party poker? If you are aware of MMORPGs, (more popularly known as Massive
Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), then party poker is just like that. It
is a Massive Multiplayer Online Poker Gaming. You can say that it is a kind of
Mecca for poker players that don't have the time to go to casinos. Party poker
is played by up to thousands of online poker gamers. It can also be compared to
chatting, where you have the chance of joining chatting rooms, but in this
case, you are supposed to join poker rooms.

I recommend party poker online, although there are some differences between
playing party poker online and face-to-face poker. The difference relies on the
bluffing. Because you can't see your opponents, you will not have the tell tale
signs of their bluffs or can you have a reading of their card. Party poker
online only gives us the very basic and fundamental laws of the game. Thus, a
newbie can have a better chance of winning against a pro in an online game than
in real life.

Party poker employs the basic poker rules, although some rooms have modified
poker rules. It is good to first learn the basic poker rules and game play
before engaging in serious betting online. However, if you are truly
interested, there are party poker gaming rooms that are void of betting. These
are strictly and purely gaming only. Party poker can also be compared to online
casinos. The payments however are not chips, but are in cash. The payments, also
known as bets are placed with the use of credit cards. Most of the party poker
sites that are available recognize the standard credit cards.

What does party poker offer to a gamer? Hours and hours of fun! Whether you are
a beginner in the game, or a serious poker player, party poker will be your
poker gaming oasis. Maybe you want to learn about the intricate yet enjoyable
game of poker but have no one to play it with. Don't worry, because party
poker is actually a community in itself. It is a place where you can learn with
other beginners. Party poker sites link hundreds, and even thousands of players.
The abilities of these players also range from a complete beginner knowing
nothing about poker, to advanced and pro players. However, one needs to be wary
of your betting, because you might lose serious money in party pokers. The
benefits really far outweigh the risks that are involved. Party poker can also
reward you a lot of dollars, and might make your wallet fat.

So how does a person eager to play massive online poker do it? All party poker
sites require poker gamers to download a poker gaming software. These gaming
softwares differ from one party poker site to another. A poker gaming software
is limited to that particular party poker site. So if you plan on playing on
different sites, you will end up downloading numerous party poker softwares.
Most party poker sites will require you to fill up a registration form. All the
best party poker sites on the web are on members only basis. This membership
will also require a membership fee. In the registration form, you will be asked
your credit card number. This is how you will be deducted your losing bets. Your
winning pot is transferred to your bank account directly.

Party poker sites earn millions of dollars a year because of thousands of
patrons. Because party poker sites can operate online, you have the possibility
of playing with poker enthusiasts from around the globe. Place your bets folks!

The Deal with Free Online Poker

The saying that all good things comes for free seems to be applicable in free
online poker. Before the revolution of technology particularly the internet,
poker games are played in a very dramatic scene and an amateur in the tables of
poker games are a real treat because the professional ones see them as
opportunity for wealth gain. Now, let us fast forward a bit to the period when
the internet revolution is starting. There! In the world of internet, some
things come for free and this is what free online poker offers to ordinary
people like us.

There are many sites which offer free online poker to people, the only thing
that you have to do is download their software, which is free by the way, and
after that, you are on your way to playing free online poker. There are many
reasons why people are using free online poker as a stepping stone in playing a
much more professional game of poker.

Some people might start playing free online poker just for the fun of it. Look
at this, you have internet access, a computer, and of course, time. Once you
have stumbled in the course of free online poker, all you have to do is click
to the left then type to the right and viola! Free online poker is now in your
monitors, staring back at you and almost daring you to take your first move.
It's free, convenient, and very fun to play which is why many people are now
addicted to free online poker.

Being a professional poker player entails a lot of practice and time therefore;
free online poker is the best way to make sure that a person has sufficient
practice in playing poker. Some people utilize free online poker as their
stepping stone to becoming a professional and experienced poker player.

Let us now proceed to the details of free online poker. As I said earlier,
downloading the free software would be the best way to utilize free online
poker therefore; a person must have internet access and computer (of course),
windows 98 or higher. Running time for downloading the software is usually 15
minutes for 56 kpbs. and the software takes up 6.2MB of storage in a computer's
memory.

After learning the technicalities which is boring yet essential, let us now
dwell in the fun side of free online poker. There are many features included in
the free online poker software and once you acquire it, you would also be able
to utilize these features. One of the features here is that you have the option
to play in public tables or private tables. For private tables, one must first
ask for permission or a request to join the private table. You could also have
the option to create your own private table thus making you feel rich and
powerful. Aside from these features, free online poker also offers different
types of games. These games are Texas Hold 'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Seven Card
Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, and 5 Card Draw. Any player could use from these
different types of games from free online poker. These different options for
games make the free online poker package even more attractive and tempting for
people.

Just a reminder though, free online poker does not give out money just like in
a casino because the amount that you see is not real. Though that is the case,
the top winners of the free online poker would receive a gift from the web host
like a t-shirt or other give-aways. So there you go folks! Enjoy the deal with
free online poker.

Online Poker Games in Pacific Poker

Players who play Internet poker games are no strangers to Pacific Poker, an
online poker room supported by Casino On Net, the biggest online casino.

Some of Pacific Poker's features include 24-hour customer support for its
clients. Players can choose the poker room that can fit their skills and their
budgets. Aside from this, Pacific Poker clients all over the world are assured
that they are playing against real people.

Pacific Poker offers download or no-download poker game software to its clients
such that a player has a free option on this. This software is guaranteed to
make navigation easy and includes a feature that saves the "seats" of players
disconnected from their dial up connection while playing the game.

Aside from all of these, Pacific Poker offers online poker tournaments each day
where players can participate. Players can also choose low or high limit games
in their monthly free roll tournaments. Promotions such as free rolls and money
added are also some of what Pacific Poker offers to their clients.

Should a player wins in any of Pacific Poker's games, Pacific Poker allows the
winner (from any country) to choose the form of payment he wants this to be
received.

Some of the popular poker games that can be found in the Pacific Poker website
are Texas Holdem, Omaha High Low, Seven Card Stud, Texas Hold Em and 7-Card
Stud.

The most popular game in the Pacific Poker room and in the world of online
poker is the Texas Holdem game. A maximum of 10 players can play this game of
the standard 52-deck card. Each player is given an equal chance of handing
cards with the use of a dealer button. In Texas Holdem Poker Games, the player
who assembles the best five-card hand, out of the seven possible wins the pot.

Another game that can be found in Pacific Poker is the Omaha High Low game.
This game is a form of Texas Holdem. It is a bit different from the latter with
the move prior to the flop. The initial starting hand is composed of four hole
cards dealt face down. Aside from this, 5 board cards are dealt face up in the
center of the table and are considered as community cards. Most of the time,
players who are used with Texas Holdem get confused with some of the rules in
Omaha High Low which are reverse to some of the rules in the former. But once
they get past this stage, they can already enjoy playing. Pacific Poker's Omaha
High Low is usually described as an exciting game and has bigger pot money for
players to win.

The third game that can be found in Pacific Poker is the Seven Card Stud Poker
Game. There are five betting rounds for each game of this and a maximum of 8
players can play this game. The game starts with the dealer dealing 2 cards
face down, four cards face up and the last card -- the final one -- face down
for each online player starting with the one seated on the left of the dealer.

The winner in Seven Card Stud Poker Game in Pacific Poker is the one who gets
the best five of the seven cards dealt. He has the best hand and gets to win
the pot.

The fourth online poker game in Pacific Poker is Texas Hold Em. It is played
with the standard 52-deck card and 2 up to a maximum of 11 players can play it.
It is one of the most popular poker games in the world and is usually portrayed
in television shows and movies. World Poker Tour and World Series Poker are
some of the tournaments devoted for it.

Texas Hold Em is played in Pacific Poker starts with the players dealing their
two hole cards faced down. This is done by each player starting with the one
seated on the left of the button. The player, who can make the best-ranked five
cards using the community cards with his hole cards, wins the game.

The fifth and last game found in Pacific Poker is the 7-Card Stud game. It is a
game where players have one or more face up cards. It is described as the most
played poker in public card rooms. This has three versions that can be played
in Pacific Poker. These are High, Low and High-Low Split games. In 7 Card Stud
Low, the player who obtains the lowest hand wins the pot while one with the
highest hand wins in the 7 Card Stud High. In 7-Card Stud High-Low Split, if no
one among the players qualifies for the low, the entire pot is given to the high
hand.

Reaching for the Poker Star

People are always fascinated by stars and how it shines so bright in the sky
and gives light to the night. For people that are fascinated with poker, this
could be your view when you encounter Poker Star in your life.

Poker Star is neither a chip nor a name for a new game; instead Poker Star is a
fun and safe place in the internet world wherein one could play poker with
people from all over the world either for real or play money. There are many
internet sites that offer people to play poker but Poker Star is the only place
in the web where a person is treated like a star, hence the name. Before you
think that is a hoax, Poker Star is a registered legal San Jose, Costa Rica --
based business that abides by the rules and regulation set by the state.

Poker Star is not an online casino, as most of you already assumed. In an
online casino, a player cannot play against the house but in Poker Star, you
can and absolutely free of charge. Poker star receives its compensation from
hosting games between players and through the collection of rake from each real
money pot. There is a variety of poker games that could be played in Poker Star
that ranges from $0.01/0.02 to $100/$200. After identifying thoroughly Poker
star its time to discuss how to get started in playing Poker Star.

Just like any other online poker game software, a person must first download it
and eventually install the software in the computer just like any ordinary
computer game. Always take the time to read the terms of service by the company
so that you could have a clear understanding of what the firm has to offer and
also to avoid future complains and questions. After that, you're ready to
embark on a journey in Poker Star.

Aside from the quality service of Poker star, the firm is also known because of
the different special features that the firm offers. One of its features is
called player images which allow all players to select a personalized image to
represent you in the gaming table. Instead of a text and an infernal blinking
light when playing, this image would be the one that the other players would
see. Another one of the special features in Poker star is the player
statistics. The Player Statistics shows your performance in all of the games
that you played. If a player wants to request their statistical data, it would
be delivered in their e-mail. The Player statistics is customized and only
available for private viewing which means that only that person could have
access on it. Another special feature of Poker Star would be hand histories
which enable a player to recall all the values and action taken from the past
play. Thus, you could actually see if someone called you names from the
previous hand. Next feature is the ability of having opponent notes which
enables a player to jot notes and write useful tips regarding the player that
they are competing with. These notes are saved in your system and only for
private viewing. Aside from these features, traditional options in an online
poker game such as tournament are also offered in Poker Star. Poker star made
sure that players would be able to enjoy and maximize the benefits of the
tournament in Poker star.

In Poker star, players would be treated like a VIPs because they are really the
star in the firm's heart.

The Real Deal with Poker Software

Poker software is an indispensable tool for a poker player. It could assist him
in building up his poker site, which is one of the most lucrative online
businesses nowadays, provide him the best simulation of the game to train
further with the elusive game of poker, run reports, show statistics, display
information about one's game by reading his hand histories, and even some of
one's opponents. Those are the major ways poker software may provide help to a
poker enthusiast.

To give you a more in-depth look on which poker software available in the
market does what, here is a rundown of some of the poker software and the
features they claim to set them apart from other types of poker software. Spicy
reviews for you to consider are also made available for each of these poker
softwares.

Turbo Texas Hold'em, Turbo 7 Card Stud, Tournament Texas Hold'em, Turbo Omaha
HI/LO: These are Wilson poker software that claim to produce the most realistic
simulation of poker nowadays. But users and reviewers say that their interface
could be so cranky and is hard to set-up.

DD Tournament Poker: This poker software is said to be perfect for beginners and
experienced players alike. 5000 computer opponents are available in this program
and one can choose from three skill levels. Poker aficionados also have the
choice of playing a pre-define tournament or to customize one that will meet
their specifications.

Holdem Inspector 2: This is a poker software that has this innovative feature of
allowing one to analyze his game and study a certain situation, thus the name.
It also enables players to put up various profiles to test different techniques
for many poker situations.

Seven Card Inspector 2: This is labeled as the "little brother" of the Holdem
Inspector 2 poker software. Though it has the ability to track up cards and
outs, the available profiles are not that commendable. It does not also allow
you to run complex simulations. This software apparently has bad reviews on its
belt.

Poker Pal Pro, Tellis Software: This poker software is reported to look really
good but has bad execution. Aside from losing important info as players change,
this program does not update well also.

PokerStove: This is a Texas Holdem poker calculator that boasts to fully analyze
complex preflop situations about 100 times faster than other available tools.

Crazy Pineapple: This poker software claims to have an easy installation feature
and a smart computer advisor. It has an internet play and a watch play that for
the purpose of learning.

Poker Office: This is said to be one of the most well-developed poker software
since their first versions. Its features are its ability to automatically track
stats, import old hand histories, and its giving of advice on how to improve the
game. Review has it that this poker software is worth one's money.

Mobile Poker Trainer: This poker software is a good download for the cellphone.
This is the mobile version of the Texas Hold'em poker software. It's good to
kick boredom away with this poker software in your mobile phone. The downside
of this program is its being limited to five characters that have predictable
playing strategies. Reviewers say that it does not live out its name, it's
better off as a video game.

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