Playing Online Poker:
From Multiplayer Poker to Video Poker
Multiplayer Poker
Online multiplayer poker is quite different to other online casino games. While playing online poker against real live opponents at internet poker rooms, players can make friends and share tips with each other. Online Poker is played against other players and not against the house, and winning or losing multiplayer poker is a matter of skill rather than luck.
Another great thing about Online Poker Games, is there is no built in house edge except for the rake (percentage the house pulls from the winning hand). Some charge 5% while others are a lot less and the individual players who lose a pot are not subjected to this hidden rake. And, since most good online poker rooms offer play-money tables, it's a great way for beginners to practice new poker games.
I myself am quite addicted to playing online poker. Almost every evening you can find me at one online poker room or the other. Depending on my mood, I play at a number of online poker rooms. If I feel like entering a tournament, single table, multi-table or just any category of poker tournament, I choose PartyPoker because they always have a lot of Sit and Go (SNG) tables just waiting to hop into and get started, with no waiting.
If I feel like playing a ring game, I have a handfull of favorites for that. Absolute Poker is a great fishing hole, and getting more popular with online poker players every day. Plenty of tables, tournaments and now they're offering a 35% welcome bonus. Ultimate Bet has my favorite poker room software, I love their 3-D style of graphics, and the players there are pretty good! I list the features of Ultimate Bet in my Review of Ultimate Bet. I also love to play at Superior Poker. This poker room isn't very busy, and that's the beauty of it! Unlike other poker rooms, you will find yourself playing against the same opponents quite regularly, and this gives you a better chance to actually learn each opponents' style of playing - big advantage for you!
Online Multiplayer Poker continues to grow in popularity at an incredible rate. As you probably already know, Greg Raymer won this years WSOP. He won his seat at the final table by winnning an online tournament! Another winner, Chris Moneymaker (good name!) also got his start by playing poker online.
There are several reasons playing poker online has become so attractive to folks:
- High media exposure such as televised high stakes matches that often feature well known celebrities.
- Obviously, online players winning seats at the final table at the WSOP drew a lot of attention and made playing poker online quite respectable!
- Online casinos and poker rooms are designed to help the beginner by offering lots of online guide resources
- Most games can be played for free in order to give players an opportunity to practice their skills and try out their software (Note: The free game dynamics are slightly different than raked games, simply because the players aren't wagering money so they play with more bravado.)
- You can play all the best games for fairly low stakes which is also useful to beginners.
- Being able to gamble in the comfort of your own home is a definate draw: come as you are, sneak peaks at your poker charts and cheat sheets, and heck, you can smoke all you like!
Single Player Poker
In Single Player Poker games, you play against the house (the dealer) - sometimes using the dealer's "community" hand to form your own. Well known games include:
Let it Ride Poker, Three Card Poker (Tri Card Poker),
Pai Gow Poker, Cyberstud Poker and some others. You don't need a poker face to play these games, and bluffing won't get you anything but poor, it's still important to know the game you're playing, and come to the tables with a solid strategy.
Video Poker
Video Poker is still an all-time favorite in the casinos. Based on 5-card draw, and comes in many variations - from Jacks or Better to Deuces Wild. Knowing the basic strategies of the various
Video Poker games will help you win much more often. As with all poker games, you have to know what to hold and what to fold.
