As poker’s popularity continues to increase in the country and overseas, players new to the game itself, and also experienced home game players, continue sidle up to the good online casino poker tables asking to be dealt in.

Poker originated within the saloons of the Wild West and it has probably the most game variants. It’s played player against players and not just against the dealer as in Blackjack, and there’s a lot of psychology involved during play. Poker takes a moment to learn as well as a lifetime to learn.
The cards are ranked in descending order starting from the highest; Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace. Ace can be high or low. You’ll find four suits; spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs, but no suit is higher than another.

There are 2,598,960 possible combinations of cards in a poker hand you can be dealt.
In many games players must ‘ante’ a nominal amount only to have the cards dealt. In the event the cards are dealt, the betting starts. Players bet in to the pot in the middle of the table and it’s done in turn clockwise.

The player with the highest rank showing, is the first to speak as well as to bet. He may either bet or check. By saying ‘Check’, he passes the decision to bet to the next player that will also check. If all players check, then it really is the end of the round. Everybody opens his cards and the highest hand wins.

Say you begin with a $5 bet. If a person else raises $10, he puts $15 in the pot. When your turn comes again you may need to add $10 difference to the pot to stay within the game, and if you want you may also raise or even say ‘Pot’. Pot is a raise to the maximum, which means to bet the same amount as the total money obtainable in the pot.

Well, I think you should now be equipped to go available and play poker. Play intelligently and carefully. Keep an eye out for tells. Know your own limits, and most especially – play to win!