If you are not yet hooked on the poker trend, it is probably not going to take long until you get started. Poker is a popular form of entertainment and if you manage to get really good at it, you can win big. You use your mind, your best poker face and the best strategy you can think of to succeed in this game and competition is high.

There are many poker sites to choose from and when first starting out get some advice, experts suggest going for a site that offers free games and bonuses. Free play allows you to practice without the fear of losing too much, and bonuses will motivate you when playing and can make a huge difference if you win.

Before you sign up for any tournaments or sit down at a table, you need to know the fundamentals of poker. There are different variations, but the core of the game stays about the same. You play with a 52 card deck, although some versions have multiple decks, and the cards are ranked as the King being the highest and 2 is the lowest. The Ace differs depending on the game; sometimes it is high and sometimes low. A hand in poker consists of 5 cards and whoever has the best hand wins. Most poker aficionados will list the hands from high to low as follows: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush and so on.

The players place their bets in a pot in the middle and for each round you have 3 choices. You can call, which means to match the current bets, you can raise, which means to increase the bet, or you can fold, which is when you drop out. When the betting rounds are over, the players will show their hands and a winner is chosen.