| The differences between online poker and more | | | | particularly for the new player and just is not that |
| traditional poker table games are sometimes not | | | | inviting for the beginner. They are apt to feel out |
| as obvious as they may seem. | | | | of their league, and, if others at the table have |
| Unlike sitting down at a poker table with friends, | | | | more experience or are strangers, they are apt |
| online poker has an added dimension these days. | | | | to feel intimidated. |
| There is a lot of pressure from many quarters to | | | | The online poker experience is quite different. |
| make online poker illegal, particularly in the United | | | | There is an anonymity which protects the psyche |
| States. You will almost always know if the table | | | | of the "newbie". They can watch games as long |
| game you are playing is in an area where poker is | | | | as they want before actually taking part. |
| legal, but it is getting harder to know if this is true | | | | Additionally, most online venues will have tutorials |
| about poker played online. | | | | and practice games for beginners that help ease |
| In spite of these gray areas, millions in the U. S. | | | | the learning process. Sometimes the main site will |
| and around the world regularly enjoy participating | | | | actually have a completely separate site set up |
| in online poker games from the comfort of their | | | | strictly for the beginner. Another helper for the |
| own homes. Just to give this some perspective, in | | | | beginner is that online games tend to have |
| 2005, the revenue from online poker was | | | | buttons labeled for the various actions and often |
| reported to be in the vicinity of $200 million. | | | | include on-screen prompts for the appropriate |
| Not only is online poker generating huge amounts | | | | action. |
| of revenue and creating new millionaires, among | | | | Internet poker sites also offer a range of limits so |
| players, site owners, and affiliates of poker sites, | | | | that the beginning player can actually start betting |
| but, due to its pervasive influence, the appeal of | | | | pennies. Not only is the betting easy, but so is the |
| poker in general is growing. The public is not only | | | | access. Unlike a table game, an online game can |
| gaining knowledge about poker, but is showing an | | | | be found 24 hours a day from anywhere in the |
| interest in all things poker. From the tables to the | | | | world that there is a computer and an Internet |
| chips at the table, to the people who play at the | | | | connection. |
| tables, poker is huge. | | | | There are, however, two drawbacks to playing |
| Poker players such as Chris Ferguson (Jesus), | | | | online, particularly if one's goal is to eventually |
| Annie Duke, and her brother Howard Lederer | | | | participate in the highly televised poker |
| (The Professor), and Hoyt Corkins (The Alabama | | | | tournaments occupying more prime time slots on |
| Cowboy), to name a few, had never been heard | | | | TV. First, there is the hurdle of actually sitting and |
| of by the public a few months ago. Now they are | | | | playing at the table itself. No amount of online |
| celebrities in their own right. Even people who | | | | preparation can duplicate or offset the first few |
| have been celebrities, such as Jennifer Tilly, Ben | | | | times you find yourself in a chair across from a |
| Affleck, and Mimi Rogers have traded in the bright | | | | Doyle Brunson, Chris Moneymaker, or Daniel |
| lights of Hollywood for the green felt of the | | | | Negreanu. |
| poker table - at least on occasion. | | | | Second, although it IS possible, it is exceedingly |
| While many of these famous people play in | | | | difficult to bluff at an online poker game and even |
| tournaments sitting at the table with the | | | | harder to learn how to read your opponents. |
| celebrities of poker, most mortals enter the | | | | Look on the bright side, however. It IS easy to |
| poker arena via online poker websites such as | | | | learn basic poker skills and improve your technique |
| partypoker.com, pokerstars.com, or | | | | online, and you won't have to worry about your |
| Sitting at a poker table can be intimidating, | | | | poker face! |