Just a couple of years ago it was impossible to imagine that you can play poker with real people all over the world sitting at home. But now you have a real chance to compete with thousands of players and to participate in large tournaments. No matter, what do you want: to become a professional player and to earn money with gambling or just to relax after a working day with your favorite game – all you need is only a computer connected to a game server on internet?
There are few steps that you need to pass to get acquainted with this unique world. The first one is to install the poker client – the program with a graphical display of the game. It will automatically connect you to the poker game server when you run it. All the further communication between players is provided by the game server: you can easily find a seat and start playing and betting. It is your choice to play with real money or with so-called play online poker real money.
Definitely the main question is how to choose the most attractive poker room between thousands of them. There are certain factors that you may take into consideration when deciding. The first one is popularity because it ensures that you can find hundreds of players and a large choice of games at any time day or night. It is also important to mention that larger sites are usually more stable and you will be guaranteed to enjoy playing far into the future. Moreover, skilled players aim to participate in large tournaments and if you are among these lucky guys visit well-known poker sites to chase the biggest prizes.
Also don’t forget that poker sites have different promotions used to attract more customers. More generous ones hold free tournaments and have high jackpots. And, finally, the safety of your money is a key factor. Although poker sites activities are controlled by numerous commissions and organizations some of them are still more trustworthy than others. Online poker guides or even experienced poker players can help you to get valuable information on this point.
Over the last 5 years there has been an exponential rise in popularity of poker; in particular Texas Hold’Em. With the game achieving regular television coverage and the proliferation of websites offering players the option to play online at any time more and more people are becoming interested in playing. One of the most commonly asked questions by beginners is” What is Poker”?’ Below is a list of each of the possible 5 card hands ranked from the weakest through to the strongest. In poker the value of cards ranges from 2 (the weakest card) through to Ace (the strongest).
High Card
The lowest ranking hand that can be achieved in poker is simply a high card. In this situation the player has failed to make any of the hands below and they are relying on the value of the highest card in their hand.
Pair
A pair is fairly self explanatory; it is achieved when a player has 2 cards of the same denomination in their hand. For example 2-2 or Q-Q. If 2 or more players finish the game holding pairs the winner is the player whose pair is comprised of the highest cards.
Two Pair
The two pair hand is when the player manages to secure 2 pairs of cards in a single hand: for example if their hand contained 5-K-4-K-5 the player would have pairs of 5’s and Kings.
Three of a Kind
This is when the player has 3 cards of the same value in their hand. For example J-J-J or 6-6-6.
Straight
A straight is when all of the cards in the hand are sequential in value ie. 5-6-7-8-9. In a straight the suit is irrelevant and the strength of the straight is based on the value of its highest card (9 in the above example).
Flush
A flush is a hand where all of the cards are from the same suit. If two players both achieve straights the winner is the player who has the highest card in their flush.
Full House
A full house is a hand that contains both a 3 of a kind a pair. For example A-A-A-7-7. If two players both make full house the winner is the player with the highest value 3 of a kind.
4 of a Kind
This occurs when a players hand contains all four cards of a particular value such as 10-10-10-10.
Straight Flush
The straight flush is the highest ranking hand in poker. It is achieved when a player creates a straight where all of the cards are of the same suit. The highest possible single hand therefore is 10-J-Q-K-A all of the same suit; this hand is commonly referred to as a Royal Flush.