A guide for begginers to the wonderfull world of online poker.

Before you can spend hours looking in the mirror practicing your poker face, or start ordering your drinks shaken but not stirred in a Scottish accent, you're firstly going to have to know, as countries king player Kenny Rogers sang, when to hold and know when to fold 'em.

An appropriate move when starting out is to have first-rate knowledge of the Poker hand rankings. The basis of all Poker awareness is built around the rankings of a hand held. Once you have understood these, you'll find a whole range of possibilities and game variations will become open to you.

Take some time to commit these hand rankings to your memory then take your new found understanding to the tables (along with your poker face and bad James Bond impersonation!) and there you'll begin to appreciate why Poker is indeed the worlds' most popular card game. Below, the hand rankings are displayed in an order of highest-ranking hand (1. Royal Flush) to the lowest ranking hand (10. High Card). Five of a kind has not been listed because it is only possible when wild cards are being used. If wild cards are being used, five of a kind is often considered the highest hand.

1. Royal Flush 1 Chance in 649,739 Hand Dealt
A, K, Q, J, 10 all of the same suit. The Big one. The hand everyone strives for and the reason we play this game.

2. Straight Flush 1 Chance in 72,192 Hand Dealt
Any five card sequence in the same suit. (Ex: 8, 9, 10, J, Q and A, 2, 3, 4, 5 of same suit). You can take this hand straight to the bank.

3. Four of a Kind 1 Chance in 4,164 Hand Dealt
All four cards of the same index (Ex: Q, Q, Q, Q). A great hand when you can get it.

4. Full House 1 Chance in 693 Hand Dealt
Three of a kind combined with a pair (Ex: A, A, A, 5, 5). Many a round has been won and lost on this hand. Mostly won.

5. Flush 1 Chance in 508 Hand Dealt
Any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence. No need to turn red with embarrassment with this hand.

6. Straight 1 Chance in 254 Hand Dealt
Five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit. After all, you wouldn't want to clash.

7. Three of a Kind 1 Chance in 46 Hand Dealt
Three cards of the same rank.

8. Two pair 1 Chance in 20 Hand Dealt
Two separate pairs (Ex: J, J, 9, 9).

9. Pair 1 Chance in 4 Hand Dealt
Two cards of the same rank. (Q, Q) Sometimes called a San Francisco Pair.

10. Highest Card 1 Chance in 2 Hand Dealt
Highest card in your hand. Well at least you tried.