- Pay attention to the cards on the table. Don’t just think about the cards that you do and don’t have, but consider other plays also. Just because you didn’t get the card you wanted to make up that straight doesn’t mean that they won’t have. So be aware of all of this when you are playing.

- Watch out for other players trends. If some one bluffs every time then if you notice this you can use it to you advantage. A lot of people play the same style every hand so it is well worth paying attention to what they are doing.

- Remember that if you are playing a game that high limits that you are probably playing against some very good players. This isn’t a great strategy if you are new to the game because you are unlikely to win.

- Pick the right table for your skill. If you are new then you should probably start at $1 tables. Ok, so you won’t win your fortune by playing on one of these but it also means that you won’t lose a ton of money whilst you build up your skills.

- Don’t play drunk. This can seem like a great idea when you get in form the pub and can’t sleep. Put on the PC and have a few games of poker. The problem is that you won’t be able to play properly, you won’t have the concentration and this can only lead to you losing.

- Be careful with your bluffing – Bluffing is good, but you shouldn’t do it all the time. If you do people will get used to this and just bet you out of the game. This is no good because that means loser. Only bluff when you need to and it is appropriate to do so.

- Don’t stay in a hand because you already bet. This is a big mistake. The best and most successful poker players know when to walk away. Make sure you bet only when you have a good chance of winning. Even if you have bet, if the card you wanted didn’t get drawn then you should walk away.

* Don’t call just because you think some one is bluffing. Just because you think some one else is bluffing doesn’t mean that they are. So don’t bet just because you want to prove yourself right, because half of the time they won’t have been bluffing and will win your money.

If you haven’t played poker online before then there is little point in you rushing in and playing your first games for money. You probably won’t be successful because you won’t be used to have the games work and this will put you off playing again in the future.

There are plenty of gaming websites that let you play poker online for free. Ok, so in thee games you only win points and not real cash but it gives you an idea of what you are going to be up against. If you want to be a successful poker player online then it is well worth playing a few hands on a free poker site to get some practice in.

Just a simple search on somewhere like Google will bring up hundreds of these sites for you to try so you should definitely have a look. It will benefit you in the long run. They only take a few minutes to sign up for and it means at least if you lose you haven’t lost any of your own money. Once you feel comfortable with this then you can move onto playing for real money at an online casino site.

If you are a new player what you should do is make sure that the poker or casino website that you sign up to offers a new player deposit bonus.

This basically is a way to let you try out the site for little or no money; get a feel of how the tables etc work. People play differently and this tends to mean that the sites you visit will play and work different. If you just jump in with your normal playing style then you probably wont be successful.

These new player deposit bonuses usually work by giving you a percentage back on the amount that you first fund into your account. IE they give you 100^% back, so you top up $20 and you end up with $40 to spend.

However keep an eye out for casinos that give you money just for signing up to the site and you don’t even need to make a deposit. These are popular and are great ways to try out a site and not have to part with any of your own money.

The offers available on sites are always changing so they are well worth keeping an eye out for to ensure you get the best value for money.

No. You only count your five best cards in Texas Hold ‘em. So only your highest two pairs would count for any scoring.

Kickers Matter?

Yes they do if they are apart for your 5 card hand. For example if both you and your opponent have a pair of 10’s, then the one with the highest other card wins. For Pair of 10s and a King, beats a pair of 10s and a seven.

Who wins if two people each have a straight?

The person with the highest straight would win. IE 23456 is beaten by 34567. However if you both have the same straight then you have a split pot and you both win. If you have bet different amounts then the amount will be divided accordingly.

So how do I win?

Basically you need to make sure that your 5 cards are better than the person you are up against. If you don’t think you are going to beat them then you can bluff and bet high in the hope that they win fold. However that is the whole fun of poker. You never know if they re bluffing and they never know if you are.

In theory you can win poker with no decent hands just by bluffing your way through each hand. However be aware that people will soon catch on to your playing style and are likely to start betting against you. So just play it safe and be aware of the moves you are making.

Blind – This is a forced bet that takes play every new hand. The person to the left of the dealer is small blind and the next person is big blind (usually double). This amount increases at regular intervals

Board Cards – The cards in the middle that are shared by all players

Draw – Drawing is when you are hoping to improve your hand/complete a run etc with that cards that are due to be drawn on the board.

Flop – In Texas Hold’em this is the first three board cards that are laid down.

Limit Poker – A normal poker game with fixed bets meaning you could only be allowed to bet by a set amount – IE $2

Longhand – A game with at least seven people playing

Outs – Cards that can improve your hand and the odds of them being drawn

Position: Simply where you are sat at the able

Preflop – The bets that are made when you have seen your first 2 cards but none of the flop have been revealed yet

River: The final 2 cards in a Texas Hold ‘em Game

Shorthand: A poker game with six people or less

Turn: The fourth board card that comes out in Hold’em