Join in on the growing popularity of poker! Learn about the history of poker, where poker games are played, and how to play poker games. Watch live poker games, read poker reviews, and see the results of poker tournaments.

Poker is a popular card game where poker players of all ages and skills can participate in poker games at home, in card rooms, and online. Players judge the value of their hidden cards and their exposed cards and place bets on how likely their poker cards are to be the winning poker hand. Whichever poker player has the best hand of poker cards at the end of the poker play will win the poker pot. Another way to win in poker is to place a poker bet that no other poker player calls. Another type of poker game is video poker - where the poker player is paid winnings based on their final poker hand.

The game of poker has grown dramatically since the first hands were dealt in New Orleans back in 1829. Poker players leaving New Orleans took the game with them as they traveled up the Mississippi River and carried the game of poker into towns and taverns across the growing United States.

In a fun hat tip to the history of poker, some online poker games allow players to choose avatars and skins representative of the old time poker cardrooms.

No matter where poker games are played, the fun and lure of using your poker skills to outwit other players makes poker a great game....more than just the simple luck of a roll of the die, poker players use their skills honed in live poker games to beat the competition.

The slang and jargon of poker have become important parts of the game and the gaming culture. Such poker phrases and poker terms as ace in the hole, ace up one's sleeve, beats me, blue chip, call one's bluff, cash in, high roller, pass the buck, poker face, stack up, up the ante, when the chips are down, wild card, and others are used in everyday conversation, even by those unaware of their origins at the poker table.

Poker tournaments became quite popular in poker gamerooms and the major poker championship tournament was started in 1970. Johnny Moss, Amarillo Slim, and Doyle Brunson were each poker champions from the poker championship tournament. It was also during that decade that the first serious strategy books appeared, notably by Doyle Brunson and Mike Caro, followed later by David Sklansky.

The coverage of poker tournaments on the television has brought in numerous new players to the poker community. Through the hidden cameras and commentary from poker players provides home poker players an insiders view at how to play poker and strategies used by poker pros. Watching poker tournaments play out and learning the techniques of the pro players are great ways to improve your poker playing skills. Many of the professional players, like Howard Lederer and Phil Ivey, showcase their skills and interact with poker players of all skills online at Full Tilt Poker.

Poker tournament fields have grown hugely in recent years as more and more players qualify through online poker rooms and even more are drawn by the huge pots paid out by these poker tournaments. The 2003 and 2004 champions, Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, respectively, won seats at the major poker tournament of champions by winning online poker tournaments - a great way to get a seat at the table of some of the world's largest poker tournaments.

With the response to changes in the law, Crazy Poker remains a poker room online where poker players from anywhere can play in poker games online and improve their skills. Who knows...maybe the next poker champion will come from their online qualifiers!

The Internet is a great way for poker players to learn about new poker skills, the best poker players, and the best ways to win poker games. Knowledge is power at the poker table and informed poker players have an edge against poker players at the poker table.

The best way to win poker games is by playing poker and practicing in online poker games. The best poker players spend time learning how to read poker players at the poker table and improving their odds of winning poker hands, poker games and poker tournaments.