Playing your first game of online poker can be quite scary, but what many new players don't realise is that almost every poker site offers you a way to get to grips with the game without risking any money at all.
Within a few minutes of signing up and downloading the free software you can be taking your seat at a virtual table with thousands of dollars of 'play-money'.
Every poker site has a different look and feel, a different noise for each action, and a different button to call, raise or fold with. That's not to mention sites like PKR.com where you can command your avatar to perform chip tricks, stand up when you're all-in or use a selection of stock phrases to praise or abuse other players - usually abuse!
Play-money and the free tables are a great way to learn all these variations without risking anything. You play against real people from all over the world using the exact same software that the high-rollers are using, playing for thousands of dollars.
On many sites, downloading the software means you can actually go and watch the big boys play for eye-watering amounts of money, from the safety of the virtual rail.
Real people
But what makes these sites any different from the poker games on your PC, console or even on your phone?
The key phrase is 'real people'. Most poker computer games have a learning curve with some very easy opening games, progressing to harder games later on.
The real world of poker doesn't work like that. From game one at a free table you'll be up against every kind of playing style and you'll be learning not only about the software but how to deal with the clown to the left of you and the joker to your right.
Those words are used deliberately as we should touch on the downside to playing for free. Essentially there's nothing to win and therefore nothing to lose, so players will hang on a lot longer on the slimmest of chances, hoping for the miracle card that will give them the winning hand.
When you can have another $2000 of play-money in your account at the click of your mouse, the games are really not a true reflection of the play you would experience when there's real money, even just a few cents, at stake.
That said, things do tend to balance out over time. Maniacs appear, go all-in with $2000 dollars on the first hand and instantly disappear again, but the majority of players are in no hurry to go anywhere. It's a very enjoyable game … albeit with some very mental moments.
Freeroll
Now for the really interesting bit. There's a way you can turn your free poker into actual profit - playing 'freeroll' tournaments.
These are tournaments played on the 'real' money side of the site that you can enter for nothing, but which have a real cash prize.
Some are played once a month with big money up for grabs, some can be for as little as $5 split between the top 80 finishers. Players can earn themselves a whole 1 cent for a few hours play. But then again, it's 1 cent of pure profit and a lot of priceless experience.
The freerolls to look out for are the ones offered as a sign-up bonus. Yes, they are there as an incentive to get you onto the site in the first place, and may have a lot of players, but the money for winning can amount to thousands.
Also look out for special freerolls advertised in magazines and online. There will be a much smaller amount of players but again these games are worth winning. It might not be actual cash, but you could end up with something like a poker chip set, an ipod or even a buy-in to a bigger tournament. All for free.
So experiment. Try a few poker sites. Sign up, download the free software and get playing with those virtual dollars. The games may be loose but they can also be a lot of fun and for the new player a great way of gaining that all-important experience.
In our next article, we're going to look at how to pay cash into a poker site, and how to take it out! If you think you won't need any help with paying in, you can go straight to our guide to choosing the right poker site.
> Compare poker sites with OnlinePoker.com
