In poker you can only make the best five card hand possible no matter what type of poker game you’re playing. The suits do have some influence in poker as well as you can make flushes and straight flushes which need to be all the same suit. Let’s now go through every possible hand on Full Tilt from best to worst so that you know how well your hand ranks.

* Royal Flush – A/K/Q/J/10 of the same suit

* Straight Flush – Any five card straight of the same suit

* Four of a Kind – Any four of the same card

* Full House – Any pair and set together is a full house

* Flush – Any five cards of the same suit

* Straight – Any five cards running in sequential order

* Three of a Kind – Any three of the same card

* Two Pair – Any two pairs in the same hand

* Pair – Any two of the same card

* High Card – When you have nothing above your hand is ranked by your highest card

There are lots of different poker games that you can play nowadays and the hand rankings are the same for each game. The only difference is that some hands appear more often in certain games so the rarity of hitting certain hands increase and decrease based on the poker game you’re playing.

In Holdem you’ll see full houses sometimes and then flushes and straights fairly often. You won’t often see a four of a kind or anything higher then that in Holdem, but then in games like Omaha full houses, straight flushes and four of a kinds appear much more often.

No matter what poker game you’re playing, you’re not going to win very often with a high card or pair. Even two pair in most games won’t win nine out of ten times so you need to be cautious with these types of hands. Sometimes pairs and two pairs will win though and you’ll need to determine whether or not your hand is good enough based on the player you’re playing against and how the hand was played out.

Learning the hand rankings in poker is important, but it’s the least of your concerns once you hit the tables. I don’t recommend that you start playing poker until you have read some strategy articles on the poker game that you’re choosing to play. You should always spend time reading strategy as a poker player, but when you’re a new player it’s vital that you learn some beginner strategy. There are plenty of strategy articles you can start reading today.

Razz Poker is an easy game to learn and if you already know how to play seven card stud then you won’t even need to learn anything. Razz Poker is the exact same game as seven card stud except for one simple rule change which is that in Razz Poker the lowest possible poker hand wins. The switch from needing a high hand to needing a low hand is what has made this poker game strive in popularity the past few years. Many professional poker players have been playing this game as well because it adds a bit of a change compared to what they are so used too.

Aces are always considered to be low cards in Razz Poker and flushes don’t help you out at all in this poker game. The best possible hand you can have in Razz Poker is A-2-3-4-5. Razz can be played in all forms of stakes and limits including fixed limit, pot limit and no limit, but generally the game will be played in a fixed limit format. In Razz there are five betting rounds with the first two betting rounds equalling the low bet on the table and the final three betting rounds equalling the high bet amount for the table. This means that on a $5/$10 table the first two betting rounds would use $5 opening bet with $5 raises and the last three betting rounds would use $10 with $10 raises.

Just like in seven card stud you’re going to need to put in an ante every single hand which you need to account for when you play this game. There are no blinds, but the ante is generally 25% of the stakes on the table so it’s more costly then just having blinds like in Texas Holdem. Just like in seven card stud when you play Razz there is a full deck of cards used and up to 2-8 players can play the game.

Once every player in the hand has placed the ante into the pot the dealer will deal out three cards to each player. The first two cards are face down and the third card is dealt face up. There is a round of betting at this point in the hand and then the dealer deals out one more face up card to each player. Another round of betting follows and then another face up card is dealt out. Player’s left in the pot bet again and then the dealer deals out the final face up card to each player. Another round of betting is started now and then the final card is dealt face down to each player left in the pot. After a final round of betting anyone left in the pot will now flip over there hand and the lowest five card poker hand will win.

* The biggest and most common mistake which seven card stud players will make is that they chase way too many draws. Even the most experienced seven card stud poker players will fall victim to this mistake when they are trying to chase losses or just aren’t playing there game. Since every player can potentially receive seven cards in this game it allows for a lot of options such as straight draws and flush draws. If you chase down every single draw that you have in seven card stud then your bankroll is going to shrink much quicker then it’s going to increase.

* In seven card stud every player needs to put in an ante every hand they play which even on a $1/$2 table can add up quickly. You need to make sure you keep in mind how many antes you have lost without winning a hand so that you can ensure you’re making money. You also can’t play to tight of poker or else you’re just going to forfeit your stack over time through antes. Make sure that every couple times around the table you take a stab at the antes and try to steal them so that you aren’t losing yours every time.

* One of the other mistakes which isn’t as common, but definitely more costly is calling on Full Tilt with only the second of third best hand. In seven card stud the typical winning hand is going to something along the lines of a straight, flush or better. If you have a low flush and an opponent is betting into you with a lot of chips then chances are they have a higher flush. One way you can find out if they might have a higher flush is by looking at the cards they have face up. It’s always important to make sure that your opponent’s face up cards don’t allow your opponent to have a hand that can easily beat yours. If this happens then you need to fold your hand and wait for the next one.

* If you have an advantage after the third, fourth or fifth street from the face up cards which everyone can see then you need to take a stab at the pot. For instance, if you have a decent pocket pair face up and none of your opponent’s have a pair face up then you should be putting a bet into the pot to try and steal it. If your opponent’s see that you have a high pair face up then most will put you on trips or at least two pair so if they can’t beat that they will generally fold unless they have a good draw. By betting though, you should be able to get most of the draws out of the pot which is the idea when you have good face up cards.

Facial Expressions

Many players can look at opponents at find out whether or not they have a weak hand or strong hand and it’s why many people wear hats and sunglasses. You want to make sure you don’t appear nervous while playing in a hand. You also don’t want to seem over confident when you have a good hand because you want to be paid off by your opponents. Your facial expressions are very important to keep in check and its best if you can remain perfectly still.

Eyes

Your eyes will play a huge role in giving away a tell to your opponent. Unlike playing at FullTilt.net you want to make sure you look straight at the board and don’t give anything away to your opponents. Often when you look away from the table you’ll have a weak hand and if you’re looking right into your opponent’s eyes then they might feel you have a strong hand.

Shaking

Some players can’t help but shaking when they have a good hand and you should make sure you don’t shake when you have a good hand. Also look for opponents who shake while in a hand because this might mean they have a monster hand and you might want to fold.

Looking at Chips

Players will usually look at there chip stack when they hit on the community cards and you should take note to this. Most players won’t look down at there stack when they have nothing so keep this in mind and try catching a player in the act next time you play.

Attitude

The attitude of a player when you play poker online and live is important to know because there betting will usually reflect how there mood is. If there attitude is angry then they might be on tilt and you might have a good chance of winning some money off of that player. It’s important to stay composed while at the table because you don’t want your opponents knowing how you feel at the poker table as it only give them the advantage.

There are lots of other small poker tells that players commit without even noticing and you should try and make sure you catch on to these tells. It’s important that you also note veteran poker players will mix up these tells so you think one thing, but really they have the opposite of what there representing. Don’t spend too much effort working on catching these tells while playing, but when you notice them make sure you take advantage of the situation if you can.

Most of these books should be easy to find in a local book store and if not you’ll definitely be able to find them in an online bookstore. These books make great Christmas gifts for poker players obviously and I’m sure that anyone who plays poker wouldn’t mind a book or two on improving there poker game. Some of the books will make you a better poker player, and some of the books will give you a little insite into poker cheating. The best poker books are always those books which have been written by poker pros themselves and have real life knowledge in the book. Let’s now look at some of the best poker training books written in history and give you ideas about what to get that poker player this year for Christmas.

Super System

The Super System book written by poker legend Doyle Brunson of Doyles Room is the top of everyone’s list and has been a book that has taught thousands of people the game of poker. Published in 1979 the book has been around for awhile now and it still remains to be one of the best selling books in the poker industry. Almost everything is revealed in this book and Doyle was even called out for giving away to much information in this great collection of Brunson’s thoughts.

Championship No Limit & Pot Limit Holdem

This book is written by the famous poker players T.J. Cloutier and Tom McEvoy of PokerStars fame and is a must read for anyone who wants to improve there no limit and pot limit Holdem game. Tournaments play a strong role in the book and about half of the book is written for tournament strategy. The book is no doubt a favorite amongst poker fans and players who have read the book and I’m sure you’ll love it as well.

Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book

Phil Gordon who endorses FullTiltPoker.com is definitely a poker great and has a lot of experience playing at the felt. His book titled Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book is a nice read for any level poker player. The writing is split up into small chunks of reading and it’s far less boring to read then any other poker book out there. The information in the book is also very educational and will help make you a better poker player.

No Limit Holdem Theory & Practice

This book is written by David Sklansky and Ed Miller and the book delivers exceptionally more then anyone expected. The book itself isn’t targeted for new poker players and it’s more targeted for poker players who have been playing for awhile. It will help tweak your game and make you a winning player, but it won’t turn a new player into a winning player. This is a great last read though after reading some more general information from the books listed above.

The number one thing I noticed about playing Omaha poker is that the action is a lot more fierce then Texas Holdem poker. In Texas Holdem ring games you’ll see small raises and a few showdowns, but for the most part players only play there best cards which isn’t often. In Omaha poker every player gets four cards which opens up the options for great hands and causes more players to play in more hands. There are a lot of preflop raises which are normally called by most of the table to the flop.

Once the flop hits the board and everyone can see if they hit a draw or hand it helps get some players out of the pot. Usually a player will make a bet on the flop and two to three players will make the call. I also noticed on www.FullTiltPoker.net that a high percentage of hands in Omaha go down to the showdown online. All of these facts are there because most Omaha players are either new poker players or players switching from Texas Holdem.

In Texas Holdem it’s often to see one pair or two pair win a good sized pot, but in Omaha poker there are usually always a straight, flush or full house. This makes the game difficult, because most players will bet there two pair while they have no clue two other players hold monster hands. Monster hands in Texas Holdem aren’t monster in Omaha poker and this is the main thing you need to worry about. If you don’t have a straight, flush or full house then you probably don’t have much of a shot at winning the pot in Omaha and shouldn’t be in pots unless you have something this good.

One of the best strategies to use in Omaha poker while playing on Poker Stars is to play tight and not get involved in making calls to make hands. If the pot is raised preflop then don’t throw away $4-$5 or whatever it happens to be, because over time this starts to add up and can hurt you. Tight poker in Omaha will pay off, and when you do hit a good hand don’t be scared to bet it or make a raise. Players are very loose in Omaha from my experience and it’s important to know that because you can’t be scared of the big betting or you stand no chance.

For the post-flop hands, the best strategy to use is the following: if you have the best hand on the flop, you should raise, if you have a relatively good hand call and for everything else, fold. There’s no reason to call if you have a weak hand, as you will simply lose the money you used for the call.

Now, the question that remains is how do you know that you have the best hand? You can’t know for sure, but you can, with some approximation you can try to guess. See what cards are on the table and think what others could have. For instance, your QQ could be the best hand if the community cards are 2-7-9, but you should be more cautious if the cards show K-A-J, as a simple ace or a king could beat your hand.

While you should be cautious about an ace appearing in the flop, you could also bluff and this could lead to your opponents to fold, because aces are quite feared by most poker players. Bluffing should be always done with prudence. If there are few people in the game, they might all fold, but the more they are, the more likely it is that someone will stay in the game.

There are some players will almost always call (they are known as “calling station” in poker slang), so before you bluff, you should let a few hands go, to see what kind of player is each of them. Sometimes, it’s even possible that the weak hands pre-flop might have improved with the arrival of the community cards, so keep all options possible when thinking the strategy.

You should also be wary of straights and flushes. If all the community cards are spades, it might be that the player who just raised the bet by a lot might have one, but it could also be that he is bluffing. Because of this complexity, it’s not possible to give a universal strategy. You need to learn to read the players and this is not possible without much poker experience. With enough practice, making decisions will become a second nature for you.

Everyone will lose at the blinds when they play in tournaments like the WSOP, but the difference between mediocre and good players is that mediocre players will lose more while they are at the blinds. They will either give them up too easily or chase them foolishly, not being willing to give up when they have no chances to win the pot.

When you play the big blind, you need to remember that you already paid money into the pot and that’s why it’s easier for you to call or raise. If no one raised, you can check and get to see the flop for free, however, in many games, there have been raises and that forces you to take a decision. While you have excellent odds to continue the hand, you will often find that you get to the flop with some rather weak cards.

Some poker players, even among those that are relatively good players, simply don’t want to let the blinds go to waste and will often call the adversaries’ raises even when he doesn’t have premium cards. As such, there are some instances, in which you might want to fold even if you think you might have some chances. For instance, if you have an ace and some medium card, you might consider folding if some adversary in early position, known for playing only good hands, raises the bet.

Stealing the blinds on Everest Poker is attempting to get the blinds by a player in late position, who sees that no one has called or raised. Such a player, although not having a good hand, would raise in the hope that no one else will call his bet. However, this technique is widely known in the poker world and that’s why the players who paid the blind would be more circumspect and expect that a player who raises while in late position is simply trying to steal the blinds.

Overall, playing the big blind is perhaps the trickiest position to play and it’s very important to notice your adversaries’ actions and compare them with their average gameplay.

Every poker room is fighting for your business which is why so many of the poker rooms offer freeroll tournaments. Full Tilt Poker Tournaments are great for players who either don’t have a bankroll to start playing or just want to test out a certain poker rooms features. In the freeroll tournaments which are open to the public all you need to do is create an account on the poker room and join the tournament to play. There will be a large amount of players in these tournaments and it will be difficult to win money in them, but if you do then you’ll be able to start playing for real money without any investment. Even if you don’t win any money in the freeroll tournaments though, you’re still getting to test out the poker room plus you’re gaining valuable experience playing poker.

There are quite a few lists on the internet which show you the freeroll tournaments for a given day and allow you to join them before they begin. You can compete in as many freeroll tournaments as you want as long as there open to everyone and eventually you should win money. Just visit the PokerStars Download page to grab some free poker software and start playing. Once you win money you’ll be able to play for real money in the poker room, and usually there is some requirements which you need to meet before you can withdraw the money.

Other poker freeroll tournaments offered in many of the online poker rooms are for players who have already made a deposit into the poker room. These tournaments will have a lot less competition and they will also have bigger prize pools so your chances of winning are better plus you could win more money. Many people aren’t able to make a deposit to an online poker which is fine, but if you can then you should do it because you get many perks. Even if you lose your deposited money you can still play in the freeroll tournaments for players in the poker room where you’ll have a good chance of winning your money back.

Freeroll tournaments have been around for years at sites like PokerStars.com and they won’t be going anywhere soon. They allow players to test out a poker room and that’s what every poker room wants so it’s great for both parties involved. If you’re a new poker player without a bankroll then the best way to earn a bankroll is by competing in some poker freeroll tournaments and finishing in a money position.

However, if you think that your hand might be good enough to win, what is better to do, call or raise? Some poker experts say that if you don’t have a hand that is good enough to raise the bet, then you should simply fold. However, you might sometimes be better off to see what the flop brought you before you fold.

Before the flop, it’s better that you define your hand as either good or bad, you either trust your hand and you raise, either you don’t trust it and you fold. If you raise when you are in late position and no one raised, even with a relatively good, but not excellent hand, you might win the blinds right away.

If you raise pre-flop, you also make the rest of the players to define their own hands as good or bad. The opponents with mediocre hands can sometimes just go along to see cheaply what the community cards are.

Calling can be considered a sign of weakness and later in the hand, after the flop, people might not believe your bluff.

However, if someone else raised the bet, then you should not call, unless you have a great hand, or if the opponent is known for his loose play or for bluffing. If you have a mediocre hand, calling a raise of a tight player just so that you see what the flop can bring is not a good strategy.

But when is pre-flop calling acceptable?

If you already played the big blinds, no one raised and you don’t have a good hand, you can simply check and hope you can get some good cards after the flop, as this will not cost you anything.

If you paid the small blinds, calling also makes sense mathematically. You’re betting just half that the others pay and you can have weaker hands when you do this, and you’ll still be winning more than the cost, on average.

If you’re in late position, you have a not so good hand (like JT) and no one raised, you can just call and hope you’ll get something at the flop.