PartyPoker is the world’s largest poker room for one simple reason: they offer their players more than any other poker site on the web. Players prefer PartyPoker because they know they'll find the best variety of poker games. They also know they'll find lots of people to play with - up to 70,000 at any one time on PartyPoker. That means that whether they're new to the game or poker aces, they'll always find a table that suits their skill level. With so many players in the mix, PartyPoker is able to offer the biggest jackpots on the web! PartyPoker offer tournaments 24/7, including weekly specials with amazing prize pools of up to $350,000 and even a monthly million dollar tournament. Plus, PartyPoker has the finest online players club, where players can collect points to purchase merchandise or enter exclusive tournaments.

PartyPoker - Key Features

• Fully Licenced And Regulated
• Easy, Safe And Fast to set-up
• Lots of Games And Limits
• Online since 2001
• Prompt Payouts

Contact PartyPoker Anytime!

• 24/7 Player Support
• Contact by Email or Freephone
• Payout Assistance
• Full Security

PartyPoker are licensed and regulated by the Government of Gibraltar, and PartyPoker's games are tested by iTech Labs, a leading independent tester of gaming and wagering devices to ensure that the games are fair and operate correctly.

Get Started at PartyPoker in 3 Easy Steps

1. Download our FREE poker software - Click here to start the PartyPoker.com software download. At 2.2 megabytes it should take a couple of minutes on a 56k computer, or less if your connection is faster.
2. Open an account for FREE - If the software does not automatically open after downloading, double click on the PartyPoker icon on your desktop. Click Sign Up - Open Account, then fill in the Open Account form (including choosing an account name, password and providing your name and email address.) Now you’re ready to login and play!
3. Enjoy Play Money Games for Free, or Real Money Games for Cash - When you login you’ll be taken to the Main Lobby automatically, where you’ll find thousands of games at all limits.

Choose one and join in the fun!

Poker Primer - The Basics

Although the varieties of poker may seem a little complex, it is really a lot easier than it may first appear. All the different poker games (Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud, etc.) share some basic elements:

• The goal of poker is to win money from the other players by placing bets on the strength of the cards that have been dealt to you.
• Players are dealt cards (a “hand”), some or all of which are concealed.
• Bets are made on the strength of the cards in rounds of betting.
• The hands develop as more cards are dealt.
• Finally the strongest hand wins a showdown or all players but one have folded.

Whichever form of poker you play, the vital thing to know is the ranking of the hands.

Poker - The Players and the Pack

Texas Hold’em and both versions of Omaha have from 2 to 10 players, whilst Seven Card Stud games have 2 to 8 players.

A standard pack of 52 cards is used, with no jokers. The ace is the high card, however, in hi/lo games it can be ranked as either high or low, at either end of a sequence. Before each game a new pack is randomly generated using RNG (Random Number Generation).

The number of ‘pocket’ or ‘hole’ cards (cards that only you can see) and ‘community’ cards (that everyone can see and use) varies between types of game.

The Movement of the Poker Game

The poker game moves around the table clockwise with the ‘dealer’ position, indicated by a small disc or button. Although in online games the dealer does not actually deal cards, the dealer always receives his cards last.

Where you sit at the table dictates two more important elements of a game:

• Firstly the two players to the left of the dealer must place the ‘blind’ bets or ‘antes’ which get the game going.
• Secondly, if you act later in the game you have the advantage of learning more about the strength of the other poker players’ hands.

Poker - The Bets

Two players make ‘blind’ bets before any cards are dealt; this ensures that there is some money in the pot that the players can vie for.

Bets are combined in the middle of the table to make the ‘Pot’, which the players compete for.

All poker games are characterised by ‘rounds of betting’ where each player can either fold, check, call or raise. A round is finished when all players have made the maximum number of bets or all bets have been equalized - that is everyone has bet the same amount.

Each time cards are dealt, there is a new round of betting.

There are fixed amounts that players can bet per round called ‘limits’. For instance, in a $5/$10 game raises would be limited to $5 in the first two rounds of betting and $10 in the last two rounds of poker betting.

‘Raising’ a bet both matches the initial bet and then increases it. On a 5/10 game, a lower limit raise would actually be $10 – a $5 call and a $5 raise. An upper limit raise would match the initial bet and increase it by up to $10. For instance $5 might match the previous bet and $10 raise the bet to the limit, making the entire bet $15.

In ‘no-limit’ games there is no restriction on the amount that can be bet. Whilst betting in ‘pot-limit’ games is restricted to the amount in the pot at that moment.

Poker players are only allowed to use the chips in play at the beginning of a hand. They are not allowed to get extra funds during a hand, although they may get more between hands.

PartyPoker - Beginner’s Tips

This collection of poker tips was put together by Mike Sexton, host of PartyPoker.com and commentator for the World Poker Tour, and Linda Johnson, noted poker player and personality.

• Pay attention. See who the aggressive/loose players are and who the tight players are. (Generally, you should try to play with the loose players. Avoid the tight players when they come into a pot, unless you have a strong hand.)
• Always be aware of everyone's chip count. Know who has more chips than you and treat them with care, a mistake when playing against them could knock you out. It's usually better to play pots with those who have fewer chips than you.
• If your cards do not match the community cards, throw your hand away if someone bets.
• Don’t play every time you have an ace in your hand. You may play an ace if it is accompanied by another card of the same suit or by a ten or higher.
• Hands to stay with before the flop. Pairs (7-7, 9-9), two face cards (K-Q, A-J), or hands that can make both a straight and a flush (8-9, 6-7 of the same suit). Be patient and fold other hands unless you are in the blind.
• In no-limit Texas Hold’em, players can bet all of their chips at any time, so bet aggressively when you have a good hand.
• Play fewer hands when you are one of the first players to act, because you are “out of position” and vulnerable to raises from remaining players.
• Do not act until it is your turn. Play proceeds clockwise at the poker table.
• Be a “bettor,” not a “caller.” (Being aggressive is good.)
• If someone raises in late position (either near or on the button), re-raise them a good amount if you are in the blind. Chances are, they don't have a real big hand and they are just trying to steal your blinds. (This style of play, going "over the top" is probably the strongest play one can make in no limit Hold'em.)
• The biggest mistake most players make is to act too quickly. When you have an important decision to make, take your time and re-think how the betting has gone and what your opponent might have. Take your time.

Poker - Rank of Hands

There are 10 basic hands that determine the outcome of a poker game. In the case of a tie, the winning hand has the highest card not held in common (the "kicker"). If the pot is split, any odd chips go to the winning hand that sits nearest to the left of the dealer.

All suits have the same value.

No-Pair/High-Card
A hand that has no matching rank or sequence. If there's a tie, the highest-ranking card wins. When these tie, the next highest card wins, etc.

One Pair
One set of cards of the same rank, with three other cards that don't match. If there's a tie, the pair with the highest rank wins. If the pairs are equal, the highest odd card wins. When these rank equally, it is the next highest, and so on.

Two Pairs
Two cards of one suit, two cards of another suit and one odd card. If there's a tie, the highest-ranking pair wins. When this is a draw, the second highest-ranking pair wins. If both pairs have the same rank, the player with the highest-ranking fifth card (the "kicker") wins.

Three of a Kind, "Trips"
Three cards with the same rank. Between similar hands, the highest-ranking three of a kind wins. Ties are impossible.

Straight
Five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit. The ace can be high or low. If there's a tie, the straight with the highest-ranking card wins.

Flush
Five cards not in sequence but of the same suit. If there's a tie, the flush with the highest card(s) wins.

Full House
Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. Between two full houses, the hand with the highest-ranking triple wins. A tie is impossible.

Four of a Kind, "Quads"
Four cards of the same value. Between two similar hands, the highest-ranking four of a kind wins. A tie is impossible.

Straight Flush
Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit. If there's a tie, the straight with the highest-ranking card wind.

Royal Flush
Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit starting from an ace high. A tie is possible.