In this part of the manual I’m going to look at finding, choosing and using Internet gaming sites – the websites where you can play Texas Hold’em poker, as well as lots of other games if you wish.
What You Need To Know About Internet Gaming
The first Internet gaming sites opened up in 1995 …. when most people hadn’t even heard of the Internet and very few could connect to it. Gaming is now one of the biggest moneyspinners on the web. It’s estimated that some Internet casinos and gaming sites make over £1 million per week!
Firstly, a quick warning : Internet gaming sites operate from many different countries. Lots of them are completely unregulated by law. So you have to choose carefully and ensure you play only with reputable gaming sites who run their games properly and will always pay out. The risk of playing with a dishonest site is that the games might be rigged, winnings take months to be paid out or are never paid at all.
Look for sites that are licensed in well-known countries and which have set-down fair- dealing policies. Look in the small print of the site for information on this. Are the amounts the site takes out of the game (their rake) fair and competitive? Look at how different sites compare here. Look at the shuffle : Does the site use reputable number generator software to ensure cards are dealt in as random a way as possible?
Finding And Choosing Gaming Sites
There are plenty of Internet poker sites to choose from, and more are being added all the time. You’ll see lots advertised, and you can also find some with a simple web search. Sites vary in the way they work (although the basic rules of Texas Hold’em are exactly the same). Different players have different favourite sites. So a good idea is to try a few and then focus on the one you feel more comfortable with.
There is, of course, nothing to stop you playing on several poker sites at the same time – as long as you keep track of your success rates and incomings/outgoings for each. Some sites have a customer-led deposit limit and self-exclusion tools, so you can control what
Later in the manual you’ll find a run-down of my favourite online poker sites.
Setting Up And Getting Started
With most online gaming sites you need to download the gaming software, open an
account and deposit some stake money in it before you can play.
Downloading The Gaming Software
Most sites have minimum system requirements, but an average PC should easily exceed them. These are typically Windows 98/NT/ME/2000 or XP; a Pentium system with at least 64MB of RAM; a sound card for audio; a screen resolution of at least 800x600 pixels with minimum of 256 colours and Internet Explorer
To download just follow the instructions on the site. Here’s a typical installation : 1. Go to your chosen site.
2. Click download, then ….
4. Once installation is complete, the software should open automatically and ask you to log in.
You can then start to play right away!
Opening An Account And Depositing Money
Most Internet poker sites play in US dollars, but some offer other currencies like UK pounds and euros too. I think it is easier to play in pounds if you can, so the game feels more ‘real’. Most sites allow you to open an account in one currency but play in another – but make sure the exchange rate is reasonable.
Most sites offer various deposit options including credit cards and debit cards, personal cheques, bank drafts, money orders, wire transfer, Western Union or online payment services such as PayPal and others. Once money is deposited you simply play from your account, with losses deducted and winnings added. You can then withdraw your winnings from your account in the same way they were credited.
Practising And Playing For Free
Generally, online poker plays in exactly the same as ‘real life’. But before you play for real, all good casinos and gaming sites should allow you to play practice versions for free, to develop your skills. With practice versions you don’t stake actual money – but of course you don’t win or lose it either!
When you register with a particular poker site look for the ‘trial version’ or ‘play money’ version. Check very carefully as they often look almost identical to the real money poker rooms!
Trial and practice versions work exactly the same way as for real versions. However, you need to be aware that with some sites the odds of winning may be changed so that they are slightly better for trial versions. So don’t get too excited if you win a lot with the play money games. When you start real you might find it slightly harder to win and that you need to work on your strategy more.