So you've been watching poker on the TV recently, and all your friends are talking about playing poker on the internet. You decide that you want to give it a go but haven't a clue where to start? Well in this article we give you all the information on what you need to know and where to start, so you can take your first steps into the world of Online Poker.



Step 1 ? Choosing an Online Poker Site

The increase in popularity of Online Poker has meant that there are now hundreds of internet poker sites to choose from, and all of them are fighting for your business.

So your first job is to decide which one to try out. You should be careful in your choice, and stick with operators who are established, not only for security reasons, but also for many other factors such as player traffic, customer service, bonuses and more.

To help you out in your choice, you should read independant reviews of poker sites such as at http://www.pokerprofessor.co.uk/reviews/ where the most popular and more established poker operators are reviewed and each site is scored under ten different categories, awarding each of them a score out of 10.

Step 2 ? Downloading the Software

Once you have read through reviews of the poker sites and have decided which site you want to try then the next step is to download the software for that particular site. Often the reviews you read will contain a link to the poker site operator, where you can download the poker software required.

There is nothing to really worry about with these software downloads, all these companies are reputable and the software will be safe and free to download.

Step 3 ? Playing with 'Play Money'

The first step once you have downloaded and installed your chosen site's software is to create a player account. This can be done by registering a username and password with the operator and your contact details such as an email address. When deciding on your username you don't have to use your real name, instead you can use any alias that you want to be known by on the poker software. This could be a nickname or similar, but will be the name all the other players see when you sit down at the table.

Once you have done this you will be able to play on the 'play money' tables. These tables do not use real money, but instead give you a chance to get used to the layout of the software and how to use it before you start to gamble with your money.

You will be given an allocation of 'play chips' which you will be able to sit down at any of the 'play money' tables and practise with at no risk to your bankroll. Don't worry if you lose them all, there will usually be a button in the cashier screen which allows you to replenish your play money stack.

Step 4 ? Playing with 'Real Money'

Once you have played with 'play money' and have a good feel for the site and are confident in how to use the software, then it's time to get involved in the real action.

You will need to make a deposit into your player account that you have already setup. To do this click on the 'Cashier' option. Each operator will provide information on what methods of deposit they accept, but the most common is by a credit card, or an online 'ewallet' such as Neteller.

It's up to you how much you deposit, but most sites will offer you a bonus on your initial deposit, for example at Titan Poker - http://www.titanpoker.com they will give you a 100% bonus up to $500 on your first deposit if you enter the bonus code PROFESSOR when making your first deposit (normal bonus is 50% up to $200). This means that the poker site will give you free money in your account as a bonus, so if you deposited $20 at Titan Poker, then you would get a further $20 free from the poker site, if you deposited $500 you would get a further $500 free. All sites offer some kind of bonus, details of which can be found on the poker operators website or usually in the review of that site that you read.

You will have to earn this bonus, by playing a certain number of hands at the poker site first, but free money is great news!

Once you have made your first deposit, you can head off and select a real money table. You probably want to start at the small stakes tables to start off with and move onto higher stakes as your confidence grows and you feel you want to.

Step 5 ? Learning to make a profit with Online Poker

Now you have made your first steps into Online Poker, you want to make sure that you can stick around, and that you don't just lose your entire bankroll very quickly. There are a number of websites online that will help you learn to be a better poker player and there are a number of resources that you can use to help you become a winning poker player.

Basic Guide to No Limit Holdem - http://www.pokerprofessor.co.uk/basic-rules.htm - covered here is the basics of the rules of No Limit Holdem and how it is played. You might want to visit this if you are new to the game or as a refresher.

Poker Hand Ranking - http://www.pokerprofessor.co.uk/hand-ranking.htm - What hand beats what? Here is the complete ranking of all the hands in Poker and which hand is better than the others.

Winning Poker Strategy Guide - http://www.pokerprofessor.co.uk/winning-poker/ - this is a popular internet poker strategy course, which you can work through at your own pace. It teaches you a complete Poker Strategy from start to finish and in the process walks you through turning an initial bankroll of $20 into a bankroll of $1,000. You start off on the smaller stakes tables where you are taught the basic strategies and gradually throughout the course move up the stake levels and move onto more and more advanced poker strategy. This is a really good starting point for any new players, or more experienced players who are struggling to make a profit in Online Poker.

If you still have any questions then join one of the many poker forums on the internet such as the Poker Professor Forums - http://www.pokerprofessor.co.uk/forums/ - where you can ask your questions and get answers from the members of the community who share a common interest with you - Poker! Good Luck.