Poker - Free Online
Yes, you can play poker for free online. You may have to download a small application to your computer or phone, but most sites use excellent software and you can expect the games to go quickly and smoothly. The only drawback time-wise may be your own speed. You will be able to play faster and more comfortably if you already know how to play poker.
It doesn't matter whether you like to play sit-n-go tournaments, large tournaments, head's up or in 9 or 10-player ring games, there are free games for you!
Of course you will find that Texas Hold-em is much more popular than Crazy Pineapple, but most games are supported.
What To Expect
You can expect to find that the online free play (play money) games move very quickly. A standard live cash game in a casino might have 30 to 40 hands per hour dealt, depending on the speed of the dealer and whether an automatic shuffler is used. Online poker games usually see 60 hands or more per hour - that's a hand every minute!
You can also expect to see a higher average winning hand, because there will be more players in each pot. Since the stakes are free, the players are looser with their calls. They will go for more long-shots, and it will be very tough to protect your good hands. If you are playing Texas Hold'em, expect to get your AK cracked regularly.
In fact, expect to get your Aces cracked regularly also, but if you play aggressively and use some semblance of strategy you will be able to beat the games if you get some experience and play a sound game.
Where the Games Are
You can find games on sites like iwon.com and games.com where there are hundreds of players spread across dozens of tables. Or, you can go to an established site like PokerStars.net where there are 100,000 players going at it on 15,000 tables! Playing poker for free online can be challenging and a lot of fun, and there are plenty of reputable places to play.
Twenty years ago there were rudimentary free poker games through servers like Prodigy. Some of those drew a large following along with sites where you could play casino games, bridge, chess and backgammon. Eventually, the most popular grew into full-blown game sites, some of which charged a monthly fee.
As the technology (software) advanced in the late 1990's, there was a significant shift to real-money live sites that offered poker and casino games like blackjack and slot machines. Poker sites like Planet Poker boasted live games against players from all over the world and the sites boomed.
Other new poker sites like Party Poker, Paradise, PokerStars and Trupoker joined the fray and offered cash games as well as play-money games. The play-money games were a great learning tool for players new to both the internet and poker in general.
The constant influx of new players created a frenzy of interest in online poker, and then a player named Chris Moneymaker won a seat into the main event of the 2003 World Series of Poker after entering a $39 satellite tournament on PokerStars.
Moneymaker played great poker over several days and took down the first place prize of $2,532,041. Pretty amazing for a rookie player.
Free Online Poker
Obviously, Chris Moneymaker's results are not typical and your results may vary, but whether you ever play for cash or not, there are plenty of places to play for free. And, while most real- money poker rooms are restricted for US players, those very same online poker rooms often have a .net address where you can join FREE money games (play money).
PokerStars free play money site is a favorite with thousands of players because they constantly advertise the site, which brings in new players. Other favorites like Party Poker and Harrah's WSOP.com site offer lots of free fun.
The Big Difference
If you download a FREE poker site and start playing, remember there is a big difference between the games you are in and the games you will find at your local casino. Remember, the chips have no value and the play is very loose. You won't be able to get players out of the hands when they have a draw, and most everybody is just having fun. The quality of play is therefore much lower than a live casino cash game.
Keep this fact in mind - although you may be having a great time, your success may not translate well to cash games. Before you go traipsing back to your local card room, make sure you really have some good grounding in your favorite games, especially if you are playing No-Limit Texas Hold'em where you can be parted from your lovely bankroll in a single hand.
It doesn't matter whether you like to play sit-n-go tournaments, large tournaments, head's up or in 9 or 10-player ring games, there are free games for you!
Of course you will find that Texas Hold-em is much more popular than Crazy Pineapple, but most games are supported.
What To Expect
You can expect to find that the online free play (play money) games move very quickly. A standard live cash game in a casino might have 30 to 40 hands per hour dealt, depending on the speed of the dealer and whether an automatic shuffler is used. Online poker games usually see 60 hands or more per hour - that's a hand every minute!
You can also expect to see a higher average winning hand, because there will be more players in each pot. Since the stakes are free, the players are looser with their calls. They will go for more long-shots, and it will be very tough to protect your good hands. If you are playing Texas Hold'em, expect to get your AK cracked regularly.
In fact, expect to get your Aces cracked regularly also, but if you play aggressively and use some semblance of strategy you will be able to beat the games if you get some experience and play a sound game.
Where the Games Are
You can find games on sites like iwon.com and games.com where there are hundreds of players spread across dozens of tables. Or, you can go to an established site like PokerStars.net where there are 100,000 players going at it on 15,000 tables! Playing poker for free online can be challenging and a lot of fun, and there are plenty of reputable places to play.
Twenty years ago there were rudimentary free poker games through servers like Prodigy. Some of those drew a large following along with sites where you could play casino games, bridge, chess and backgammon. Eventually, the most popular grew into full-blown game sites, some of which charged a monthly fee.
As the technology (software) advanced in the late 1990's, there was a significant shift to real-money live sites that offered poker and casino games like blackjack and slot machines. Poker sites like Planet Poker boasted live games against players from all over the world and the sites boomed.
Other new poker sites like Party Poker, Paradise, PokerStars and Trupoker joined the fray and offered cash games as well as play-money games. The play-money games were a great learning tool for players new to both the internet and poker in general.
The constant influx of new players created a frenzy of interest in online poker, and then a player named Chris Moneymaker won a seat into the main event of the 2003 World Series of Poker after entering a $39 satellite tournament on PokerStars.
Moneymaker played great poker over several days and took down the first place prize of $2,532,041. Pretty amazing for a rookie player.
Free Online Poker
Obviously, Chris Moneymaker's results are not typical and your results may vary, but whether you ever play for cash or not, there are plenty of places to play for free. And, while most real- money poker rooms are restricted for US players, those very same online poker rooms often have a .net address where you can join FREE money games (play money).
PokerStars free play money site is a favorite with thousands of players because they constantly advertise the site, which brings in new players. Other favorites like Party Poker and Harrah's WSOP.com site offer lots of free fun.
The Big Difference
If you download a FREE poker site and start playing, remember there is a big difference between the games you are in and the games you will find at your local casino. Remember, the chips have no value and the play is very loose. You won't be able to get players out of the hands when they have a draw, and most everybody is just having fun. The quality of play is therefore much lower than a live casino cash game.
Keep this fact in mind - although you may be having a great time, your success may not translate well to cash games. Before you go traipsing back to your local card room, make sure you really have some good grounding in your favorite games, especially if you are playing No-Limit Texas Hold'em where you can be parted from your lovely bankroll in a single hand.
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