The World Poker Tour took the US, if not the world, and sky rocketed the game of Texas Holdem to unheard of
popularity. Professional poker players hit the limelight and became household names over night. The World Series of Poker became so popular that the number of entrants for the 'main event' soared to over 6,000.

People everywhere were fascinated with pot sizes of six
million dollars, 'all in' calls, and chip stacks that exceeded a million dollars. When the World Poker Tour first started, the tournament winner won a purse of around $150,000. Within a few months the purse exceeded one million, because the number of entrants soared.

Sales on poker books soared. Doyle Brunson's (Texas Dolly) 'Super System', and Phil Hellmuth's (the Poker Brat) 'Read 'EM and Reap' had record sales.

People who had never played a hand of poker in their lives became ‘experts’, sitting in their living room yelling at the top of their lungs for Gus Hansen or Phil Locke to call or fold their hand. (Of course being able to see the opponent’s hand gave them a slight advantage!)

The Internet, never to be left behind, started several online poker sites, the most popular being Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker. On these sites one could play for money or for free. Millions of people became glued to their computer screens playing online poker, watching stacks of poker chips swell or dwindle.

The poker life was wonderful. Then, on April 15, 2011, the US government stepped into the fray, and like a giant foot stomping a spider, the online poker sites were shut down to US gamblers. Charges of bank fraud and illegally operated gambling sites resulted in eleven indictments of the top people of the sites.

Poker Stars continued to operate, but US players could no longer participate in ‘real’ money tables. Full Tilt poker was completely shut down.

Literally millions of people were left wondering what to do with the hours spent online watching poker chips change hands. What were they to do? To their surprise, many found that they were ‘addicted’ to online poker. The friendly home poker games with plastic poker chips were no longer exciting for them.

Were you among the many that suffered ‘withdrawal’ from online poker? If so, what did you do to fill the gap left behind?

If you've never heard of poker, then you probably live on an alien planet. Poker is by far the most popular card game on the planet. To play poker, players bet on the the value of their 'hand' or combination of cards in their possession. Bets are placed into a location central to all players, called the 'pot', and it is awarded to the winner at the end of the hand. The winner is determined by who holds the highest valued hand according to an established hierarchy of ranking combinations of cards. A winner can also be established if all other players elect to not match the bet of a player.

The Best Places To Play Online Poker

With the onset of the technology age came online casino gambling. Choosing a casino to do your online gambling can be difficult as the Internet is full of them. The types of software each casino uses as well as if they will even allow US players to play in their casino varies from casino to casino. A list of the top five online casinos to play online poker is provided as follows.

Absolute Poker

The games offered include; Seven Card Stud, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Texas Hold'em.

Pros: Absolute Poker uses software which is easy to use and has the features including allowing you to play three tables at once, chat, player search, player notes, and hand histories. It also has a lot of extra bells and whistles that really aren't necessary, but add considerably to the fun.

Bodog

The games offered include; Seven Card Stud, Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha Hi, and Texas Hold'em.

Pros: Bodog uses software is easy to use and includes features such allowing you play multiple tables at once, chat, player search, and player notes. It also allows the player to choose a player icon to personalize your experience.

Cons: The software is Windows based. Players have been known to get kicked off and not be able to get logged back in. In the process they lose the game and their money.

Full Tilt

The games offered include; Razz, Seven Card Stud, Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha Hi, and Texas Hold'em.

Pros: Full Tilt makes playing poker like a fun video game, and lets the player choose all sorts of crazy avatars to represent them the table. This includes everything from monkeys to a sexy nurse. The player can also change the expression of your avatar from confused to happy to normal and customize the background as well. The software includes standard features such as allowing payers to play at multiple tables at once, chat, and player notes. It is available for Mac & Windows users.

Cons: Some levels and types of games don't get a lot of players, so if the player doesn’t play Hold'em, you might not find a game. The seemingly great sign up bonus they offer seems is pretty hard to clear and cash out.

Interpoker

The games offered include; Seven Card Stud, Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha Hi, and Texas Hold'em.

Pros: Interpoker's most unique feature is that you can play for pounds or Euros as well as dollars. The software displays the conversion rate to the player as they are sitting down. It also has all the standard features such as allowing the player to play multiple tables at once, chat, and player notes. After the player plays for a while, they might be asked to act as a Prop Player at a table, which will allow the player to earn back the rake as you play. Finally, they also have a great bonus offer where the player can get $90 every month if they deposit $100.

Cons: The software is Windows based. There are no avatars or backgrounds for embellishment. In order to cash out, the player must wait to receive a code in the mail from ECash, which can take as long as a few weeks to receive after your initial deposit. Also this site does not allow US players.

Noble Poker

The Games offered include; Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha Hi, and Texas Hold'em.

Pros: Noble has really great software and better online customer support. The software includes features such as allowing a player to play at multiple tables at one time, table chat, player search, and player notes. They are also very understanding about letting the player set up private tables and games. They also have one of the best signup bonuses available, and it's relatively easy to cash out.

Cons: The software is Windows based. It is a small site, so there are times when it's difficult to find a game to play. There's also no way for the player to check how much he/she has earned towards getting the signup or other bonuses, so the player may have to discuss this with online support every time they want to determine where they stand. Also, US players are not allowed.

So you want to play some online blackjack but you don't quite know all the rules, exactly how the game is played, or the betting strategy involved. What to do? Well, fortunately the are a plethora of websites on the Internet that will be happy to show you the ropes and teach you all the ins and outs of online casino Blackjack. It is simply up to you to select the website that best meets your wants, needs, and desires. Online Blackjack is constantly growing and is the most popular game in any casino. It is relatively easy to understand, can be played at relatively low limits, the house edge is one of the lowest in the casino, it is a game where the player's decision matters, and if you can count cards you can gain an edge over the house.

The website you select to do your research on should offer recommended casinos including the bonus' they offer, the software they use, and their percentage of payouts. They should also offer tips on how to be successful at Blackjack including the basic rules of how to play Blackjack, Blackjack strategy, and free Blackjack games. The basics for online Blackjack success include knowing how to play Blackjack, and knowing a little bit about Blackjack strategy. Card counting will come later after the basics have been mastered. A casino has a 2% edge over the complete novice at Blackjack. That edge can be reduced to between 0.5% and 1% by mastering basic strategy. And one can actually gain an advantage of 0.2% to 1% by learning to count cards. In short, the site you select to do your research on should provide a comprehensive guide to Blackjack.

As I mentioned, one of the subjects that the site you select to do your research should cover is free blackjack. Free blackjack games have made the process of learning to play 21 so much easier than it used to be. Not only can you practice in the privacy of your own home, without the distractions of a live casino, but you can also download and play free games and risk absolutely none of your own money while you're learning how to play. The website you select should offer a list of casinos where free Blackjack is available so that you have access to a casino where you can practice to your hearts content without fear of losing all your money. Being able to practice the game without risking any of your own funds gives you a big advantage over past Blackjack players who had to risk their own money during the learning process. Best of luck!

The Worlds Heads Up Poker Championship is an annual poker tournament of one on one no limit texas hold'em matches in elimination format. The event has run since 2001 and is held in Europe. Entry is open to all but is limited to 128 entries. Its success led to America's creation of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

If you decide to enter and win your match you will advance to the next round otherwise, if you lose your match and you're out of the tournament. At the end of tournament play, the player who remains undefeated is named the World Heads Up Poker Champion. The 2009 five day World Heads Up Poker Championship took place from October 27th to October 31st at the Victoria Casino, London, England in the fall of 2009 and was broadcast live via the web from PokerInEuropeLive.com. It was also be made in to numerous television programs of one hour each, with distribution in television markets around the world.

The World Heads Up Poker Championship tournament consists of seven rounds of single elimination, heads up match play. Entry to the tournament is on a first-come, first-served basis. An entry is considered valid only upon receipt by the host casino of payment in full of the buy-in and entry fee, an official Registration Form, and a signed media waiver. The buy in for the Champsionship tournament is £3,000 plus £250 entry fee plus £50 food and beverage. All buy ins, deposits, and entry fees are nonrefundable. Each match continues until a winner is found.