Online Poker in easy steps

It's no wonder that online poker draws billions of betting dollars: The game is fast, fun, potentially profitable and just a click away. You can set up your "playing table" anywhere, anytime, with total anonymity.

But wagering in online poker is no sure thing. Even experienced players are often surprised by the game's speed and other unique features. Learning the ropes of poker software and mastering the nuances of the game often come at a high cost.

That's where Online Poker in easy steps comes to the rescue. This easy-to-understand illustrated book introduces you to the essential facets of this popular game, explaining how it differs from "bricks and mortar" poker. After teaching you the fundamentals of poker software and security, this in easy steps primer helps you choose the most advantageous game and table. Within a few succinct chapters, you'll be learning the key elements and strategies of Texas Hold'em, the most popular online game. This handy poker pal also teaches how to play No-Limit Texas Hold'em and Omaha, plus the rudiments of Seven-Card Stud. Tournament play is also covered.

Reading Online Poker in easy steps won't guarantee you a winning hand, but it will enhance your chances of enjoying - and winning the most exciting game on earth!

Stuart Yarnold is an electronics engineer who has been working in the industry since leaving college. Originally a marine radio & radar troubleshooter, he now devotes much of his time to playing poker professionally and can usually be found lurking in one of the online poker rooms.

Stuart lives near Cambridge with his wife Pauline and his two staffordshire bull terriers - Jim and George. His hobbies include woodworking and marathon running.

1. Choosing Your Poker Room
   • Introduction
   • Bricks and Mortar versus Online
   • Is Online Poker Legal?
   • Site Regulation
   • Site Security
   • Poker Room Software
   • Cashing in Your Chips
   • Deposit and Withdrawal Options
   • Site Support
   • The Rake
   • Bonuses
   • Five Top Poker Rooms
2. Getting to Grips With Poker Software
   • The Poker Room Lobby
   • Choosing and Accessing a Table
   • Lobby Options
   • Hand Histories
   • Buddy List
   • Player Search
   • The Poker Table
   • Poker Table Options
   • Action Controls
   • Automatic Action Controls
   • Player Notes
   • Game Activity Record
   • Player Chat
3. Choosing Your Poker Game and Table
   • Choosing the Right Type of Game
   • No-Limit Games
   • Pot-Limit Games
   • Fixed-Limit Games
   • Choosing the Right Table
   • Average Pot versus Stack
   • Quality of the Opposition
   • Relative Table Position
   • Identifying Dangerous Opponents
   • Identifying Weak Opponents
   • Number of Opponents
4. Texas Hold'em - The Basics
   • How to Play Texas Hold'em
   • Poker Hand Rankings
   • Poker Hand Values
   • Hand Elements
   • Kickers
   • Overcards
   • Drawing Hands
   • The Importance of Table Position
   • Playing Styles
   • Poker Tells
   • Inside the Mind of a Poker Pro
5. Poker Ploys
   • Playing the Percentages
   • Pot Odds
   • Hand Odds
   • Raising
   • Building the Pot
   • Buying a Free Card
   • Buying Position
   • Check-Raising
   • Slow-Playing
   • Bluffing
   • Deception
6. Texas Hold'em Strategy
   • Start Cards
   • Pre-Flop Play
   • Playing From the Blinds
   • Common Pre-Flop Mistakes
   • Playing the Flop
   • Playing Pairs on the Flop
   • Playing Two Pairs on the Flop
   • Playing Sets on the Flop
   • Playing Flush Draws on the Flop
   • Playing Straight Draws on the Flop
   • Drawing Hands and Pot Odds
   • Playing a Complete Hand on the Flop
   • Playing Overcards on the Flop
   • Playing a Full House on the Flop
   • Playing the Turn
   • Playing the River
   • Short-Hand Play
7. No-Limit Texas Hold'em
   • Introduction
   • Start Cards
   • Pre-Flop Strategy
   • Pre-Flop Tips
   • Post-Flop Strategy
   • The All-In Bet
   • Bluffing
   • Trapping
   • The Stack
   • Common No-Limit Mistakes
8. Tournaments
   • Introduction
   • Types of Tournament
   • Multi-Table (MTT)
   • Satellites
   • Rebuys and Add-Ons
   • Single-Table (STT)
   • Heads-Up
   • Private
   • Freeroll
   • Prize Money
   • Chip Stacks
   • General Tournament Strategy
   • Playing Heads-Up
   • Playing Single-Table Tournaments
9. Omaha
   • Introduction
   • Evaluating Your Start Cards
   • Omaha Start Cards
   • High-Hand Start Cards
   • Dangerous High-Hand Start Cards
   • Low-Hand Start Cards
   • Easy Start Card Evaluation System
   • Low-Hand Qualification
   • Pre-Flop Strategy
   • Reading the Board
   • Counterfeiting
   • Playing the Flop
   • Playing the Turn and the River
   • Common Mistakes in Omaha Hi/Lo
10. Seven-Card Stud
    • Seven-Card Stud - the Rules
    • Factors Specific to Seven-Card Stud
    • Start Cards
    • Playing Pairs
    • Playing Sets
    • Playing Drawing Hands
    • Dead Cards
11. Improving Your Game
    • Practice, Practice, Practice
    • Poker Simulation Software
    • Keeping Records
    • Analyzing Your Game
    • Some Other Strategies
    • Skipping Tables
    • Playing Multiple Tables
    • How to Avoid Going On Tilt
12. Miscellaneous Topics
    • Even More Poker Games
    • Crazy Pineapple
    • Lowball
    • Razz
    • Pokerbots
    • Bankroll Management
    • Handling Winning and Losing Streaks
    • How Much Can You Win?
    • The World Series of Poker (WSOP)
    • Poker Resources
13. Glossary