As poker's popularity keeps increasing inside america and overseas, players new to the game itself, and also experienced home game players, continue sidle up to the trusted safe online casino poker tables asking to be dealt in.
Poker originated within the saloons of the Wild West and has probably the most game variants. It is played player against players and not only 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 may be high or low. There are four suits; spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs, but no suit is higher than another.
There are actually 2,598,960 possible combinations of cards in a poker hand you may be dealt. For most games players must 'ante' a nominal amount only to possess the cards dealt. In the event the cards are dealt, the betting starts. Players bet in to the pot within the middle of the table and it's done in turn clockwise.
The player with the highest rank showing, is the first to speak and also to bet. He can either bet or check. By saying 'Check', he passes the decision to bet to the next player that can also check. If all players check, then it's the end of the round. Everyone opens his cards as well as the highest hand wins.
Say you begin with a $5 bet. If somebody else raises $10, he puts $15 within the pot. When your turn comes again you will need to add $10 difference to the pot to stay within the game, and if you want you can also raise or maybe say 'Pot'. Pot is a raise to the maximum, which means to bet the exact same amount as the total money available in the pot.
Well, I think you should now be equipped to go out there and play poker. Play intelligently and carefully. Keep an eye out for tells. Know your own limits, and even more importantly - play to win!