Get Started Playing Poker Online In Ten Easy Steps:

So you want to play internet poker? Oh, me too! Let's do it. The internet offers 24hour experience for those learning the game, or all levels of real-money gambling for experienced players, but before you can play internet poker, you will need to download some poker software. The software is different for every site, so you will have to go through this process for every site you want to play on. You will also need to open a separate account with each site.

You don't need to put any real money in your account right away, as all sites let you play against other people for play money, to sharpen your skills and get used to how the software runs. Sometimes sites offer freeroll tournaments which mean you can win real money without staking any first, but as a general rule, if you don't deposit real money in your account, you won't win any either.

1) Type the poker website address of your choosing into the little box at the top of your browser window, or click on the link.

2) If the poker website asks if you would like to download their software, click yes. If it doesn't automatically ask you, click on the (usually very obvious) button that will say something like 'FREE DOWNLOAD!!!' or 'CLICK HERE TO PLAY NOW!!!'

3) When the installation pop-up window appears, click on 'open' or 'run this program from its current location.’ When your computer tells you that it's downloaded the necessary software, more windows will appear. The exact text in the windows will differ from site to site, but generally speaking, if you see buttons saying 'next' or 'yes', you should click on them. This is just telling your computer that, yes, you really do want to download the poker software, and also that you agree to their terms of use. Clicking on any buttons that say 'no', 'back' or 'cancel' will result in the software not ending up installed on your computer.

4) The software should now be installed and should open up in a new window all on its own. If it doesn't, check your desktop for a new poker icon, then double click on it to open it up.

5) You now need to open your account. Where the site asks you to log in, click on the link that says 'sign up' or 'open account'. Fill in the little form and click to submit it. You may or may not at this point be asked to confirm your email address. Just follow the instructions in the little boxes that pop up.

6) You're now ready to play with fake website money. Generally websites will give you $1000 in play money, and when you've lost all of that they'll give you another $1000, and so on, forever. Click on the play money table you want to join, click on an empty seat, and try not to lose your whole $1000 in one go, because that would just be embarrassing.

7) Oh dear, I've just wasted an hour losing my play money. It's very distracting, this internet poker lark. Time to play for real cash.

8) Click on the Cashier button, and then in the cashier window click on 'buy chips' or 'deposit'. There may at this point be some further validation of email addresses and confirmation of personal details. Just follow your chosen site's instructions.

Different sites allow different methods of depositing money - the most common are credit cards and internet banking services like Neteller. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages - some methods, for example, may be more convenient than others when it comes to cashing out your winnings, and some may make accounts available in currencies other than US Dollars. So it's worth thinking a little bit about what method will suit you best - usually it's a good idea to read the fine print on each poker site you sign up to.

9) Once you've decided how you want to deposit, click on the appropriate button and follow the instructions. With most payment methods, the funds will appear in your account more or less instantly, as if by magic.

10) Proceed to play poker for real money. Click on the game you want to join and gamble away. Be warned though - you're playing with your own money now, so don't click on anything until you know what's going on. Particularly confusing and potentially costly for the beginner internet player are the boxes you can tick to act before it's your turn - many sites, for instance, have a 'check/call' button that can be unexpectedly expensive if you click it thinking you're going to check and the player to your right makes a raise. But so long as you pay attention until you're familiar with the site, you'll be fine. The very best of luck to you.