If you've never really played poker before, or you haven't played it online, you should try online poker. There's no need to play for real money, but playing online will help you in many ways.

First, for those just getting into poker, the online poker rooms are a fantastic learning tool. They deal games at their "fun money" tables all night and day, so you don't have to worry about "paying the guys for lessons". At an online card room, the computer will guide you through every step of the game. It will let you know when it is your turn to act, so you never act out of turn. It will tell you if you can "check", or if you must bet. It will tell you how much you are allowed to bet, so you bet too little or too much. It keeps track of all the little things that can be confusing when you first begin playing.

If you can already play the game of poker, online play offers a lot. In a crowded casino filled with poker tables, you still cannot get the table selection that you can at one of bigger online poker rooms. With thousands of tables going, finding a table that deals the game you'd like to play, at your preferred limits and betting style is not a problem. Pot limit holdem with a $50 buy-in, no problem. Fixed limit holdem with nickel and dime antes, no problem. $5-$10 No Limit, no problem. Not enough fish at the table, no problem, move to another table dealing the same game.

Besides table selection, online rooms offers superior player rewards and greatly reduced rakes. The first time I walked into Harrah's and made a buy-in for the poker tables, they didn't offer me a 20% bonus. In fact, I would have been shocked if they would have. At a traditional casino that kind of thing doesn't happen, but online it's commonplace. Every online card room offers at the very least a "welcome bonus" to new customers. And, many online rooms offer "reload bonuses" for their returning customers.

Online rooms also have comp systems in place, and since you're playing on a computer, no hand is ever missed. You get credit for each hand dealt at an online room. It differs from room to room, but players can usually use their comp points to buy in to special "preferred customer" tournaments. These tournaments can offer some extraordinary prizes. Empire Poker gave away a brand new porsche as top prize in one of their "player reward" tournaments.

Besides entry into special tournaments, comp points can be often be used for logo wear, poker gear like chips and card sets, and educational items like poker books and videos.

Another advantage of online rooms over traditional poker settings is that you can play more than one game at a time online. If you play solid poker, and tire of folding, folding, and folding, you can keep alert by playing at two or more tables. You are less likely to see flops out of boredom, and less likely to lose chips in hands you shouldn't be in in the first place. And for winning players, you get in more hands and increase your hourly win rate.

While texas holdem is the most popular game online, we've listed rules for various games regularly dealt online. We also have an article on the various limits you can find at the poker tables, and a set of words dedicated to making the ultimate poker decision, "going All-in".