Thursday, June 05, 2008

Learning To Play Poker Online

There’s a big difference between playing poker online today and the typical 5 Card Draw games we learned to play as children, with pennies or even candy as the prize. If you’ve ever seen the World Series of Poker, you know the games have changed significantly, consistently mostly of Texas Hold’em, with the occasional Omaha and 7 Card Stud, plus their Hi-Lo variations.

Learning how to play poker online is actually the easiest step in the process of becoming a skilled online poker player. There are plenty of web sites developed with the intention of teaching beginners how to play poker, including the rules of Texas Hold’em and other variations, as well as limits, blinds and betting structures.

When we think of a poker game, we think of a group of friends sitting around the kitchen table, sharing stories and tossing chips into the pot as a way to relax and unwind from the week’s difficulties. However, when it comes to online gaming, simply knowing how to play poker isn’t enough. There is another aspect that draws an average of 66% of all online poker players – tournaments.

Poker tournaments come in all varieties; from sit’n’go tournaments and guaranteed prize pools to Freeroll competitions and satellites to bigger events. It is important to understand the difference between each poker tournament before attempting to enter one, giving the player a much better chance of claiming a prize.

Freeroll tournaments are generally the favorite of beginner poker players, as they do not cost anything to enter, but offer a real prize pool to the winners. Freeroll tournaments are a great way to compile a decent bankroll without investing much, if anything, in the process. They are also a great way to gain experience in poker tournaments without risking anything.

Sit’n’Go poker tournaments are also quite popular, when compared to multi-table tournaments. The biggest difference is that a Sit’n’Go tournament begins as soon as enough players are seated, where as a multi-table has a specific start time scheduled, leaving registered players waiting for the onset of the poker tournament. Sit’n’Go poker tournaments also have less participants, usually 9, 27 or 45 at most (9 per table). A multi-table can allow for 100, 500, 1,000 or even more participants to register. Obviously, for a new poker player especially, it is easier to win a Sit’n’Go – not to mention less time consuming.

Guaranteed prize tournaments (known as GP) have a preset prize pool that will be distributed amongst the top finishers, no matter how many players enter. For example, a GP may have a prize pool of $5,000, and a buy-in of $10. This means it would take 500 entries to pay off the $5,000 prize. If only 200 participants register, the prize is still $5,000. However, should 1,000 players register, the prize is trumped to $10,000. GPs are also a common favorite among online poker players.

With a full understanding of how to play poker, in cash games and tournament style, the final step is to practice your new-found knowledge at an online poker room. There are literally thousands to choose from, but to make it easier, but it is recommended to read unbiased reviews to help assist in finding the most suitable site to play poker online.

PokerSense.com - No Nonsense Poker Portal Leaves No Stone Unturned

Press Release
Pennsylvania, June 5, 2008 – PokerSense.com proudly announces the release of its updated online poker portal, developed with the soul intention of providing an all-encompassing resource for online poker players, new and old. The webmaster of PokerSense has left no stone unturned, supplying valuable, in-depth facts concerning the game of online poker, and a number of today’s most reputable operators.

New online poker players will find a comprehensive poker school that teaches users how to play poker, starting with the basics and fundamentals, then delving further into pot odds and bluffing tactics. The Poker School covers the three most popular games in the online poker industry, Texas Hold’em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud, including the ‘Hi-Lo’ versions of the latter two.

Considering the probable course of events, a poker enthusiast who has just learned how to play poker will next need to know where they can test their new-found skills. PokerSense provides a full list, including detailed reviews, of the best online poker rooms to play poker. Rooms can be viewed by three categories– best overall, poker bonus and reviews.

Each unbiased poker review come complete with a rating system of 1-5 Spades, 5 being best. Poker reviews cover everything from bonuses, traffic, software and network, to rake, customer support, payment methods and US player acceptance. From a poker room’s review page, visitors will find quick-links offering up a full schedule of upcoming tournaments and Freerolls at the online poker room.

Going one step further, PokerSense has developed a searchable poker tournament schedule, also available in two categories, regular tournaments and poker Freerolls (tournaments with a prize pool, but not entry cost). There are a lot of options here for sorting through tournaments. Users can search all poker rooms or a particular site, by game type, limit/blind structure and by the size of the prize pool.

PokerSense also provides frequent poker news updates, detailing all of the latest happenings in the poker industry, both online and offline. A separate page is supplied for World Series of Poker (WSOP) events and news, complete with a 2008 WSOP schedule of events, top prize and bracelet winners, video footage from the 2007 WSOP and a thorough history of today’s most prestigious poker series.

As a fresh online resource, PokerSense has already surpassed the average online poker portal. With the WSOP underway, resulting in an influx of new online poker players from around the world, there was no better time to announce the comprehensive resource guide that is PokerSense.com.

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About PokerSense
PokerSense.com is an online poker portal dedicated to the provision of constructive resources in the online poker industry. It is the mission of PokerSense to help poker fans learn how to play poker, where to find the best online poker games and poker bonuses, as well as sorting through a plethora of poker tournaments and Freeroll tournament to find the best value. At the same time, users can keep up with industry news and live events, including the WSOP.

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For more information
http://www.pokersense.com