Now that US players are no longer able to indulge in the odd game of online poker – there are a lot more people around the world who would like to find out what all the excitement was about. What have they been missing out on and if they are allowed to enjoy these games – why the heck-not get out and play? Certainly a pool of millions of really good online poker players have now been taken out of the field, so, if there was ever a time to get out and learn, now is that time. Before online poker is actually made legal in the US! The imminence of this happening is actually quite good, but like all the things governments can’t figure out quite how to fully control, it will take some time.

Have you been feeling like you want become a fish in the online poker barrel? Because that’s what you will be, if you don’t first learn just a little bit about this game – the rest catches on really quickly. Although the timing is great because not so many of the big players will be shooting into your barrel and pulling out the fish one-by-one.

Learning new poker games keeps it fresh and the more variations you know, the better equipped you will be to play in multi-table tournaments – in other words playing different variations of poker, strengthens your overall skill. Poker is not only about playing Texas Hold ‘em, not even when you are playing online.

OK, so, Texas Hold ‘em is the most popularly played variation of poker played online and probably even offline. It is a relatively new type of poker – historically speaking, and it takes minutes to master the concept, while it may take a lifetime to master strategy. It can be played in many different formats, such as Pot-limit, No-limit and Limit, and beginner players should always learn to differentiate between ‘Limit’ formats; each is unique in its structure. The same applies with any poker variation – learn to distinguish between the formats.

Every single online poker site will offer different variations of games as well as different format variations, and you may even get lucky and find a site with a good poker school. Learn as much as you can from the school and learn as much as possible and as many variations as possible, it soon becomes simple to differentiate after very little practice.

Look out for Omaha Poker too, this game is a derivative of Texas Hold ‘em, but also a completely unique game on its own.  The general concept is the same in as much as the player creates their best five card poker hand, but Omaha Poker allows four hole and five community cards. The poker hand must be created with only two of the hole cards and three of the community cards. This game comes in various formats too Omaha 8 which is a HI LO version, Pot Limit, No Limit and Fixed Limit.

Also look for sites with Stud and Draw poker, Badugi, Razz, and other variations. Red Dog, Pai Gow and Caribbean versions of poker, are not true poker. These are casino poker games and are played against the house.