Poker has succeeded the ranks and has become more than a little time out that people played once in a while. Poker is its own giant these days. It is amazing to turn on the TV and watch endorsed professional online poker players perform their skills. Another amazing thing about modern poker playing is the amount of players. With online websites devoted to poker playing only and with online casinos being built throughout America, poker has truly become something special. There is an upside to this mega-explosion of poker madness, and this is product sales. One can basically predict if something is a smash, the market with pick-up on it and sell great products. One of these great products that people can buy is custom poker chips.

Let’s face it, casinos are not the only professional marketers and places where an individual can enjoy playing with custom poker chips. Anyone can, no matter if you are a novice or skilled professional, log onto the internet and find some great websites that specialize in custom poker chips. We all know people you love playing poker, if it is a weekly hobby or they love the extreme risk and competition involved, they all need poker chips.

Don’t forget the easy going part of the poker population. Sometimes a nice friendly game of poker can be used as a great calmer. These calm games also deserve the company of some nice custom poker chips. Unique poker chips bring a different sense to any game – it might whisper mellow or scream challenge – now you have the control to set the mood with your chips.

So what types of choices does one have when it comes to custom poker chips? You might be presently surprised. Let’s say it is game day, and all you friends would get a kick out of seeing a football or basketball on their chips. It will enhance that competitive spirit. Of course, men are not the only ones who love poker. Women can choose among several feminine options, and of course, there are always background colors of pink, purple, and red.

Color is another important aspect of custom poker chips. Maybe you would like to be more neutral, however be more original than the typical chips – well, choosing your color might just be for you. There is another occasion which might just call for your very own custom poker chip set. How about the holidays and seasons? Just think about Halloween, everyone play that scary night might just love to see zombies or witches print on the chips. And, of course there is recalling a memory. Remember the time you spent in the tropics and you played a couple of winning hands. How about have your very own tropical paradise printed on your chips.

No matter what occasion or celebration is coming up custom poker chips can enhance a mood and overall good time. They can bring a nice little atmosphere to a friendly game between special people or they can pull the competitive spirit if the game out of people willing the bet. The important thing is that you have fun and realize you have more than one option when it comes to custom poker chips.

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The PokerNews Profile: David Benyamine (source: Pokernews.com)
David Benyamine is one of those rare individuals who, perhaps by sheer will and drive, have found success in every professional endeavor he’s attempted. Born in Paris, Benyamine was a highly ranked tennis player in his youth. Though he was… (source: Pokernews.com) – RSS and RSS Feed on Feedzilla.com

Win Your Way to Kandy Vegas
Play your poker cards right at Absolute Poker and you could be heading to Las-Vegas for a lip-smacking weekend of candy-coated bliss beginning July 24th. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/Poker_Promotions/Win_Your_Way_to_Kandy_Vegas.html

Aussie Millions 2010 – Qualify at Ladbrokes Poker
Join some of the biggest names in poker by qualifying with Ladbrokes for as little as 4. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/Poker_Promotions/Aussie_Millions_2010_Qualify_at_Ladbrokes_Poker.html

When you are playing online poker, it is important to keep up with what is going on in the world of poker. You should want to know everything that is happening when it comes to this game as the more you are involved in the game, the more you will learn. You can even get some tips from the pros when you keep up with online poker news. The more you learn, the better equipped you will be when it comes to playing poker.

There are always new games that are starting up when it comes to poker online as well. Some of these games are hotter than ever and are a good way to get in and develop your strategy before others move in ahead of you. You can find out all about the hottest new online poker games when you keep up with poker news.

If there is a change of rules when it comes to a certain site where you are playing, you also need to know about that. Poker news will give you all of the information that you need with regard to online poker. You can even keep in touch with any new laws as well as new casinos that are opening up that offer poker for the avid poker players. You should learn how to play the new games and can even check out new casinos that are offering bonuses when you know what is going on in the world of poker online.

Bonuses are a big part of online poker and many casinos offer nice bonuses, including no deposit bonuses for those who want to play this game. You can also find out about the latest bonuses that have to do with poker when you catch up with poker news. If you play online poker, you should take the game seriously enough that you keep up with the poker news. This is easy to do as you can find out all that you need to know when it comes to the latest news regarding poker when you go online. Here you will find not only all the latest poker news, but everything you need to know about where the best tournaments and games are with online poker as well as how you can obtain the newest and best bonuses when you are playing poker online. If you play poker online, you need to keep up with all the latest developments in the game by taking a look at all of the latest poker news.

To answer the question as to whether you really need poker software, it is important to understand what this software is, how it works, who develops it and what it promises the people using it.

As it turns out, poker is a game of both skill and chance – so that a player’s odds of winning a particular game depends on that particular player’s skill in poker (strategy) as well as the player’s luck that particular day. Now what most of the poker strategy software promises is a way of improving the ‘skill’ aspect of poker, though the more audacious type (called cheating software) goes further to promise a way of improving one’s chances of winning a game of poker beyond skill, that is, by somehow tampering with the ‘luck’ aspect of poker.

Consequently, most poker software can be classified as being either a playing (strategy) system, an odds calculator (which would help you work out whether it makes sense to continue in a particular poker game), or as outright cheating software.

While there are a few free poker strategy software programs here and there, most of the available poker strategy software tends to be only for sale, with most going in the tens of dollars range, and a few going up to hundreds of dollars.

Since Texas Hold ‘Em Poker is the version of poker which is most open to betting, it naturally turns out that most of the available poker software revolves around this version of poker, though there are also a number of poker strategy software programs on the other versions of poker.

Most of the available poker software is developed by various experienced poker players, naturally with the help of some geeks to handle the technical side of it all.

So, at the end of it all, do you really poker strategy software?

The answer to the question as to whether or not you really need poker software will depend on the type of poker strategy software you have in mind. If the poker software you have in mind is the so-called ‘playing system’ poker strategy software (which seeks to enhance your poker skills), then the question as to whether you really need it is very much like the question as to whether or not you need to take revision questions before an examination, which for most people is yes. On the other hand, if the poker strategy system you have in mind is the ‘cheating type’ which seeks to unfairly influence your chances of a particular game, whether or not you need it will depend on your values – much like whether or not you would cheat to pass an examination. This, in most cases will tend to boil down to whether the Russian adage that ‘the end justifies the means’ is an adage you agree with or not.

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Online Poker Software Providers
Poker RoomBonusBonus Code Titan Poker500Automatic Partypoker500Automatic Winner500OPRWIN1 William Hill500OPRWH1  The following list of reviews is designed to provide you with extensive information on the Internet's best casino software developers, this includes online poker software providers as well. Here, you will find not only general info about these industry-leading poker software providers, but also a list of highly important features each online casino software provider boasts. Although some of them are rather new to the software business, others are veteran players in this field with years of experience. These developers strive to perfect the quality of their product each using different technological methods and you will find their technology powering many popular casinos. They are all determined to deliver Internet poker players a gaming experience like never before.read more

Download Titan Poker Software: Great Deposit Bonus and Freerolls
It's easy to download Titan Poker software and receive a hefty 100% deposit bonus. In just a few minutes you can setup your account, deposit funds and enjoy freerolls and other games and tournaments. Your initial deposit bonus can earn you up to 500! Here's how to get started. read more

Using a Poker Tracker
Poker RoomBonusBonus Code Titan Poker500Automatic Partypoker500Automatic Winner500OPRWIN1 William Hill500OPRWH1 Poker Tracker is yet another valuable tool designed to help online poker players on their way to becoming poker experts. This gaming software is very handy when it comes to presenting players with organized information on the games they play. Poker Tracker remembers every move you make so that you can identify your most crucial mistakes and ultimately improve your poker playing strategies. read more

Western anecdotes of love and poker are innocent high school drama stories compared to odd tragedies that are still taking in other parts of the world.

Contrary to the Western superstition that being lucky in poker means being unlucky in love and vice versa, love and relationships are occurrences we have no control of, so, lucky or unlucky in love, we always have at least something of the sort going on or keeping us searching or waiting for it during our whole lives.

Poker, on the other hand, seduces only some, and they have to love it passionately and devote most of their lives to it, which is tricky when combining it with human relationships.

Even though Western women have opened up about poker to the point of becoming excellent full-time players who compete in world championships head to head with male poker legends, there is a great number of women who are not only oblivious to poker but actually see it as a curse, fearing their family will hit bankruptcy and their husbands go gambling mad because of it. There are also men who have no desire to be bothered with their wives poker lives, and others who have tried to learn it for years to no avail, but have drawn the line between their wives playing and family life.

Unlike some perspectives that claim that poker is just like anything else in our lives and it is not to blame for divorce or separation, most married poker players agree that its not as simple as that.

For couples in which only one of them is a poker fan, there are always concerns about bankroll risk and fluctuations, misconceptions about winnings, bad beats and bankroll replenishments, demands and resentment over time spent playing or thinking about it versus time spent with spouses and family, mood swings during losing streaks, lying about expenses, losses and winnings, and of course, the possibility of poker becoming an addiction that would threaten the relationship and the players sanity.

According to poker player and blogger Tanya Peck, better known as MissT74 online, poker is much more than a hobby, saying that while non-poker players cant understand how someone is willing to throw away a relationship for the game of poker, poker players cant understand how someone isnt willing to understand the deep desire and passion that poker seems to bring out of us. And although she wouldnt throw away her marriage for the game, she would actually consider separation from anybody who would limit or disrespect her passion for anything in her life. She believes the key to making poker and love work is to negotiate it openly with your partner to determine needs, boundaries and compromises that need to be determined before any misunderstandings or resentments arise, so that both parties feel their needs are being met.

Other players such as Craig Cunningham, believe in a recipe for poker-love success:

Express what poker means to you and let your spouse also express his/her feelings about it; Determine poker limits;

Properly manage bankrolls;

Erase online hand histories

Bringing your wife flowers on a regular basis;

Making your spouse first priority by engaging in their life;

Watch less TV poker;

Arrange weekends to have the kids away from home so your spouse can do his/her thing, or sending them to their favorite place like fancy spas, or bowling allies;

Tackle bigger relationship problems that may be diagnosed by poker;

Pay attention to your spouse when needed.

Both players are right about the need to compromise, but in relationships where poker is one more issue to put up with, negotiating may not be that easy, but that also means that communication is not working overall and needs to be prioritized. In the case of couples who cannot handle the pressure or balance both love and poker, leaving the game or the relationship is usually the chosen path.

For couples in which both people play and love poker, this balance is much easier to achieve, and some are able to develop such team work that they reach a very comforting and unexpected level of happiness and fulfillment.

Poker-loving couples like Karina & Chip Jett, Michael The Grinder & Lily Mizrachi, Jennifer Harman & Marco Traniello, Marsha Waggoner & Kenna James, Phil Laak & Jennifer Tilly and Bob & Maureen Feduniak have enjoyed a life of considerably less hardship and unbelievable solidarity, to the point of having an almost argument-free relationship.

How do they do it? Well, in most cases, one of them was initiated in poker by their more experienced partners, which enabled them to lean and trust each other in ways regular couples dont usually experience. When couples teach each other about poker, that tends to eliminate unnecessary miscommunication between them, since they get to know each other deeper by opening up to being taught, corrected and backed up, and this builds a bond hard to break or replace. Besides, being crazy about each other also helps to establish a solid relationship. Do they rely on a recipe for success? Not really, they only recommend going with the flow and cherishing each other, and the rest will fall into place.

Now, on a cheesier note, lets not forget the occasional Hollywood fairy tale, which nowadays translates in reality tale in TV. As I am sure you have all heard, Pamela Andersons latest cupid attack occurred during a poker game, where she lost $250,000 to her then platonic friend Rick Solomon: he offered to drop the bet if she kissed him and we all know the rest. Even though they are now divorced, poker acted as cupid, to a point of making them believe they were made for one-another. It makes you wonder about the aphrodisiac power of poker.

Talking about poker versatility, there is now something you can buy to poker-up your relationship: Poker for Lovers, the Romantic Poker Game for Couples. According to MSN shopping, the game is strictly made for 2 people, and it includes a card deck, 30 blue chips, and 30 pink poker chips. According to the only review posted, the game gets players to interact in fun, intimate ways, but it was only granted half a star for the review ranking.

Adding to the cheesy notes, now single poker players dont have to worry about having to convince their partners to accept their poker side or about introducing them to the game; they can mingle with their own kind and even find their match at Poker-Online-Dating.com. You only have to sign up with username and password, and you can post your profile and pictures for potential matches to browse you up! The site also offers a fun love calculator (which measures your compatibility with the members you like), dating tips, free poker games, poker odds, testimonies, and also a cupid service a personalized compatibility matching aid provided by the sites cupid agent.

Thus, whether you think love and poker can be a perfect match just by following a recipe or buying a kit or think love is an incurable disease, getting along with your partners and feeling good about your life should be priorities 1 & 2.

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More No deposit poker bonuses
There haven’t been very many changes in the world of free bonuses lately. There is a new offer from PokerSource at RedKings poker room. You can find all the details of this and many other bonuses on the new site at No Deposit Poker Bonuses. This site has more than twenty of [...]

Exclusive free money bonus at Poker Time!
This is a new free bonus offer at Poker Time. New Players get $10 absolutely free when signing up for a new account at Poker Time. No need for a bonus code anymore, just download the poker room from the banner here. The only condition of note is that players need to earn 50 poker [...]

New rooms at PokerStrategy
PokerStrategy has added two new poker rooms for their members to receive their $50 free bankroll in; Mansion Poker and Pacific Poker. This brings the choice of poker rooms up to six. The PokerStrategy deal gives their members a $50 starting bankroll in any one of the six available rooms, but only gives the bonus [...]

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Poker After Dark – Hard to Read (source: launchpoker.com)
All the players at Poker After Dark’s the Cash Game show admitted one thing: Durr was hard to read. In the $100k buy in event Phil Hellmuth, Allen Cunningham, Guy Laliberte, Mike Baxter, and David Peat were playing with a crafty player better known for his… (source: launchpoker.com) – RSS feeds and Feed widget on Feedzilla.com

WPT’s Fall Boot Camps (source: launchpoker.com)
“Boot camp” is term generally given to the military training that turns a kid, whose greatest challenge in life was getting past the Nightmare level on Halo 2, into a well oiled fighting machine. This type of training usually involves trading one’s locks f… (source: launchpoker.com) – RSS feeds and Feed widget on Feedzilla.com

The journey towards choosing the ideal starting poker hands guide has to begin with the (potential) player working out what type of poker they are really keen on playing – as there are different types of poker, from the popular Texas Holdem rules poker to the lesser known forms of the game like ‘carbon poker.’ As it turns out then, the ideal starting poker hands guide for someone who is keen on Texas Holdem rules poker might not be the ideal starting poker hands guide for someone who is keen on say, carbon poker.

Indeed, the more specific a potential poker player can be about the type of poker they are considering playing, the better their chances of getting the ideal guide for their purposes. Someone who is really keen on Texas Holdem rules poker, for instance, will tend to discover that there is still a variety of Texas Holdem rules varieties they can specialize in, an example of which is for instance the preflop strategy; which is considered by many authorities to be the best way to get introduced to Texas Holdem poker.

Should one start out looking for a starting poker hands guide, then narrow down their search to a particular variety of poker (say poker starting hands guide for Texas Holdem), and then further narrow down their search to a particular strategy in Texas Holdem – say to a guide on the preflop poker strategy, then they have chances of getting a highly specialized poker starting hands guide that can provide them with highly specialized information, which if well practiced, can turn them into poker specialists on that particular type of poker they happen to have so gotten inducted into.

The fact that there exists highly specialized poker guides (like the preflop poker strategy guide mentioned earlier, which deals with one particular strategy in one particular form of poker) means that the starting poker hands guides are not a preserve of novices looking to learn and try their very first hands in poker, but also experienced poker players seeking to enhance their knowledge of poker – since poker is a very extensive and ‘quite brainy’ game; of which no one can honestly say they know everything about.

So the next time you see someone searching online for, or reading through a poker starting hands guide, don’t assume that they are absolute novices at the game, as they could be world champions on the game – just seeking to learn one more form of poker.

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Online Poker Weekend: ‘sistabossen’, ‘METZMAGNY’ Capture Majors (source: pokernews.com)
Another Sunday night full of online poker action saw ‘sistabossen’ and ‘METZMAGNY’ capture the night’s biggest prizes at Full Tilt and PokerStars, respectively. Overall, attendance in the biggest online events ticked upward… (source: pokernews.com) – RSS widgets and RSS feeds on Feedzilla.com

How to Play Texas Holdem – a Beginners guide (source: poker-skool.com)
Learn to play Texas holdem, Omaha hi/lo, rules of the games free download, then find the best online poker sites to practice what you’ve learnt (source: poker-skool.com) – RSS widgets and RSS feeds on Feedzilla.com

Poker is a popular card game across the world with the excitement of gambling and potential for huge payoffs. Almost integral to the poker game are the poker chips, and indeed poker does not feel like poker without poker chip sets.

The chips are small discs of various colors representing different denominations, meant as substitutes for real money, which is instead stored in a more secure place. The use of money substitutes, or token money, can be traced back through the 13th to 17th centuries in Europe. Today poker chips are often made according to themes and formats that unite a particular set of chips. This is useful in avoiding counterfeiters, even for games at home or in private.

Casino chips use many different anti-counterfeiting measures, with the most basic being chip coloration and embossed or molded patterning. Holographic inlays, distinctive colored markings on the edges and ultraviolet markings on the inlays further deter potential counterfeiters. Lastly, Radio Frequency Identification or RFID tags are used by some establishments. The latter method can be quite costly, but the establishments that use them feel the cost is justified. Given the difficulty in counterfeiting chips, poker chip frauds in casinos are rare.

If you plan to play in private though, you should be careful of frauds, especially if you are using mass-produced chips. Another reason for these security measures is to identify which casinos they came from. This is usually not a problem, since casinos usually honor only their own chips and it is more of a matter of branding. In Nevada however, casinos are permitted to honor chips from other casinos, and these identifiers make returning chips to the casinos they belong to easier.

Poker Chip Sets – Composition and Coloration

Authentic casino poker chips are made of clay, though not pure clay which is too soft. Special composite mixtures have been made, using trade-secret techniques, the confidential nature of which is yet another speed bump on the counterfeiter’s path. Sometimes, special edition poker chip sets may be bought from casinos, though generally poker chips stay in the casinos. Poker chips made for home use on the other hand may or may not be of the same quality as their casino counterparts.

For home use poker chips, ceramic and ABS plastic are the most common materials. When ceramic is used, special compositions allow them to approximate the feel of real clay while maintaining a lower price profile. Ceramic chips are also used in some casinos. ABS plastic chips on the other hand may be molded with a metal disk or slug inside, to give them some heft. For those in Europe, poker chips may come in mother of pearl, which gives them an incomparable sheen and luster. Coloration is standard for different denominations in one set, but may differ across sets. For example, in some places there are standard coloration schemes for chips, while in others there are none. Of note is the US State of Nevada, where casinos are given free rein on their chip designs and colors.

Poker Chip Sets – Sets and Themes

Since poker games often involve large amounts of money, a large number of chips are needed. Standard sets have 300 pieces, while others can have 500 pieces, and yet others reaching a stunning 1000 pieces. Some casinos sell poker chips similar to those used on the floor but with a few differences for identification purposes. This is great for those who want to emulate the feel of their favorite places of gambling at home games. Limited edition sets can be highly collectible, and there is a thriving community of poker chip collectors.

Many of the poker chips are traded via eBay, and the most special ones can go for thousands of US dollars, regardless of face value. Whole sets of these special poker chips can cost even more than the individual pieces. What really ties the members of all poker chip sets together is the design of the chips. Poker chips in one set are often of identical sizes, of consistent coloration, and having similar inlays. Colors and inlays vary according to denomination, but the idea is that chips from one set are identifiably from the very same set.

The edges and rims may also be embossed with characteristic patterns and even have colored sections made via special multi stage molding techniques. The designs may be simple and straight forward, just simple chips with numbers. They could just as well be whimsical, like having humorous or otherwise interesting prints on the inlays. A set of poker chips will often be packaged in a poker chip case or some such container such as an acrylic poker chip carrier or humidor style wooden poker chip case, in the tradition followed in casinos worldwide. One would suppose that if you are going for the authentic feel, then there’s no point skimping on the little details.

Poker Chip Sets – Elements of Authenticity

Poker chips are essential to playing poker. One can “play” poker without them, but it will not feel like poker without the chips would it? It is the feel of these poker chips that gives a tactile sense of authenticity. The clink of these poker chips as they hit the table and trade hands adds to the ambiance. The nature of these poker chips ensures that no one can weasel out of the bet that they placed, so it ensures a fair game as far as bets are concerned. Speaking of amounts, the printed or inlaid values may vary depending on where you buy your poker chip sets.

It is even possible to find manufacturers that make poker chips that reflect your country’s currency and useful denominations, though generic chips are also available. With the popularity of televised poker and TV series set in casinos, the mystique of poker chip sets has increased, and many people feel that poker chips are the only way with which to play poker. If you are the kind of person who likes taking souvenirs, then chips from the casinos you have visited make fine reminders of good and bad times alike. Poker chips are definitely the elements of authenticity in poker games.

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New Reality TV Show To Focus On Poker
Four poker players in a house … Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_30072009_277.html

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Party Gaming Signs Exclusive Poker Deal with Danish Group
Party Gaming will provide Danske Spil with a quality poker and casino platform. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_11012010_439.html

Federal Prosecutors Target Poker Players
The US Federal Prosecutor has succeeded in freezing withdrawals made by poker players, potentially illegally. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_11062009_243.html

Irish Open 2009
The Irish Poker Open is the longest running No Limit Texas hold ‘em poker tournament in Europe and second longest in the world after the World Series of Poker. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/Poker_Promotions/Irish_Open_2009.html

Free Poker – If you are looking to play online poker for pure recreation, and not for money, ensure that the site you are interested in accommodates “free” players. Most online poker sites do cater to free players.

Software Download vs. Web-based – Most, if not all, online poker sites require you to download their poker client software onto your computer system to run. If you are adverse to downloading such software onto your system, then you might want to check to see if the poker site alternatively has a web-based poker interface, which allows you to play poker on the site from within your browser. Software installs run the potential risk of viruses and/or adware being loaded onto your system (although most of the reputable firms would never do that), but software installs on your computer generally run a lot faster than web-based sessions. Software installations harness the power of your local PC’s CPU, whereas web-based interfaces rely on downloading any screen real estate updates over the Internet during play. This can be slow, particularly, if you are running over a slow internet connection (e.g., a dialup line). Hence, if you are after speed, select local software installations; if you are concerned about your computer’s safety or cannot afford the disk space used by a software installation, select a web-based poker site.

Methods of Deposit/Withdrawal – If you are planning to play poker for money over the Internet, it is very important to consider the methods of deposit and withdrawal that a poker site supports. Many of these sites permit major credit cards to be used, which seem to be the universal deposit mechanism of choice. Others permit the use of bank transfer, ACH transfer, checks, and wire transfer from banks. Most poker sites also support some form of 3rd party eWallets, which provide an intermediary between banking institutions and the poker site itself. The main criteria to look at are: 1) What methods of deposit/withdrawal are supported by the poker site, and how many of these methods are supported by the locale that you live in ?; 2) Is it legal to fund/withdraw to/from a poker site, from the jurisdiction that you are playing in ?; 3) What are the fees associated with the 3rd party eWallet companies that you are able to use, and how reliable are they (this latter question can be researched on some of the poker message forum boards) ?

Locale Restrictions – Some poker sites restrict the playing for money (and even free play sometimes), based on your locale, and the laws governing gambling in your locale. You should check with the laws of your local jurisdiction and check with the poker site, to see if there are any imposed restrictions on play, based on your locale.

Support – You should definitely look at the methods of support that a poker site offers. Poker sites generally provide one (or more) methods of support that include: telephone support, fax support, Email support, and live chat support. The more of these that a poker site offers, the better. For telephone support, check and see if the poker site offers toll-free support from your playing jurisdiction or not.

Game Variety – Depending on your level of poker playing expertise and your interest in variety, it is important to determine which game types the poker site supports. Almost all of the sites offer Texas Holdem, but depending on your level of interest, you should check to see if they offer games like Five and Seven Card Stud, Omaha Poker (and all of its variations), Blackjack (not poker, but often included as a game option), Stud (and its variations), Draw poker, Tournament support, and limit and pot limit games. Tournaments in particular are very popular with online poker sites, and some site tournaments offer very large prize pools.

Bonuses – Most, but not all, of the poker sites offer some form of bonus to the player, when you initially sign up with the site. Each site’s bonus is somewhat different, but of the one’s that offer first time bonus, it is usually predicated on a minimum initial deposit. Many bonuses are also calculated based on the amount of money deposited and spent on the site. Additionally, many sites offer reload bonuses, which are bonuses that are offered to existing customers, beyond their initial deposit bonus, and as an incentive to keep you as a customer.

Graphics and Useability – This is a very important consideration. Every poker site has a different look and feel to it. If you are going to be playing poker for money, it is important that you feel comfortable with the screen graphics and your ability to navigate (via mouse or keyboard clicks) through the poker program. If you feel uncomfortable at all with the poker site, you should definitely not consider playing at it for money. You should always test a poker site out in “free” mode first, before actually considering it for real-money wagering.

Game Features – You should always consider the game features that are available with a given poker site. Game features such as hand history, multiple simultaneous playing windows, player notes, audible and visual indicators, player statistics, connection status indicator, player chat, turbo games, and screen options should always be considered.

Rake – Rake is the amount of the pot that the poker site takes (as part of its fee for doing business), from each hand. You should always be aware of how much rake a poker site takes (compared to another site). Poker sites usually use a Weighted Contribution rake method or an Average Contribution method, when calculating rake. Obviously, the lower the rake, the more money you will take home on hand wins, but this criteria by itself should not dictate which poker site you use, since all of the above factors need to be taken into consideration as well. In summary, the aforementioned criteria should always be used, when deciding which Poker site is best for you. Depending on your preferences, some of these criteria should be given more weight than others. Happy Poker site hunting !!

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Poker Hall of Fame Adds Two Players (source: about.com)
This year, the Poker Hall of Fame inducted two new members to it’s exclusive club: Harry Orenstein, who invented the hole cam that’s made poker on TV exciting, and Dewey… (source: about.com) – RSS news feeds and Widgets on Feedzilla.com

Beginners guide to poker where to play for free till you master the game (source: poker-skool.com)
Poker Skool – Beginners guide the first thing YOU need to learn is where to get $100 for free we show this and other tips and tricks, (source: poker-skool.com) – RSS widgets and RSS feeds on Feedzilla.com

Poker in Las Vegas (source: about.com)
In just a few hours, I’m heading out to Las Vegas and I can’t wait. While there’s closer poker in Atlantic City to me — there’s no place better than… (source: about.com) – RSS and News widget on Feedzilla.com