Poker has long been one of the world's most popular card games, however, it wasn't until recent years that the game became as highly respected as to be considered a sport. With poker games appearing on ESPN and the publicity generated by WSOP (World Series of Poker) many newcomers have taken an interest in the game and sought out online casinos to bet their hands against other players from all over the world. If you are still in the learning phase of poker, it would be a good idea to memorize the possible hands in the order of their value. Knowing this is one of the most fundamental poker skills since you need to know when to press your bet with authority, knowing that nobody can beat you. Here are the hands in descending order of value : Royal Flush This hand is when the player holds or is able to mount five cards that include a ten, a jack, a queen, a king, and an ace that are all of the same suit. No hand can beat a royal flush. Straight Flush As in the royal flush, the hand must contain five cards in sequence all of the same suit. The rank of the straight is determined from the highest card in the sequence, which becomes important when playing a poker game where cards are shared such as Texas Hold'em. Four of a Kind Holding four cards of equal value is a rare and powerful hand. Once again, the strength is determined by the value of the cards. A player holding four aces clearly beats a player holding four jacks. It's a hand that many players bet their entire chipstack on, but be careful since a straight flush can beat you if you choose to do the same. Full House Probably the most common hand still considered strong. A full house is formed by holding three cards of equal value and two cards of a different equal value. For example, you could form a full house by holding three queens and two aces, in which case the hand would be called "queens full of aces". In the event of two players holding a full house, whichever player whose set of three cards holds a higher value is the winner. So a player with "aces full of kings" beats a player who holds "kings full of aces". Flush The flush is a common hand to be careful of when betting. A flush is formed by holding five cards of the same suit independent of their values. Sequencing of the cards is not taken into consideration, but the strength of the flush is determined by the highest card among the five. If you and an opposing player both hold flushes, the player with the highest card wins. A flush "to the ace" is the best kind of flush to hold (except a straight or royal flush) but there are many higher hands to watch out for so don't be too aggressive with a flush.

There are two places I recommend you play poker, but I suggest you do your due diligence first. Read this William Hill Review: http://casinobrowser.co.uk/william_hill_review.htm and then I suggest you read this Ladbrokes Casino Review: http://casinobrowser.co.uk/ladbrokes_review.htm