Poker games have ruled the roost amongst the various casino games for quite some time now. One of the more popular versions of poker is Texas Hold’em. The game play is simple, though it needs a lot of practice to become an expert in the game. The following are some of the points that the players need to be familiar with while playing the game. Two forced bets – small and big blinds need to be placed before the game starts Every player is dealt two cards (pre flop round) known as the hole cards, which cannot be seen by others. The player can then either call, raise or fold the bets according to the cards they have. In the next flop round the dealer deals three community cards face up, which can be used by all players to form the best possible combination in addition to their two hole cards. Two more community cards are added in the consecutive ‘turn’ and ‘river’ rounds, with bets being placed. The aim of the game is to win with the best possible combination, and the player who has the highest value combination wins in the last round, the ‘showdown’. Different versions of the game with different betting structures can be found in many different casinos. Many casinos offer varied bonuses, and it is advantageous for players to use these bonuses for practicing and mastering games such as Texas Hold’em. It’s easy to find various types of bonuses and various tips and tricks if you do a little reading and research because there are many experts willing to share their knowledge. Though the rules of the game and game play look simple, it takes a lot of strategy and skill to win big in a real poker game. Players can play it safe and try their hand in free poker games, rather than taking unnecessary risks in real money poker games.