With so many tournaments right around the corner I figured it would be a great idea to brush up on a few poker rules. In doing so I came across a huge selection of free online games including one of my favorites, Texas Hold’em.

For those of you who’ve never played it, it’s a very easy game to learn. Believe me, I’m no expert and yet I managed to grasp the rules within a couple of minutes. Once you know how to play, the fun starts. An even if you’ve dabbled in Texas Hold’em before, you can always learn new things; that’s what makes the game so fascinating.

In Texas Hold’em a few of the cards are shared between the players. Each person receives two cards which are then combined with the five community cards. The goal is to come up with the ideal five card hand.

The best way to actually learn is to dive right in and play. You can find a slew of online poker rooms for beginners, where you can practice with phony money until you feel comfortable enough to get into the real action.

And since you’ll be taking advantage of free play online, you can place a cheat sheet by your side, containing all the poker hands. If you’re new to the game like I was a few years ago, you won’t always remember that a Royal Flush beats four of a kind.

Next time I’ll go over some simple rules to remember. For now, enjoy yourself and win big! There’s certainly no game like poker.