If you are new to the game of poker, one of the best, and most fun, ways to learn is the poker tournament. Casinos and card clubs usually have regularly scheduled poker tournaments throughout the week. The initial buy-in is generally minimal, from ten to twenty dollars. For this you'll receive hundreds of dollars of tournament chips. Poker tournaments give the beginner a chance to observe and participate without risking a substantial amount of money. It just sounds like you are. For a relatively meager investment, you can have the thrill of saying "I raise five hundred," or go all-in for thousands (poker tournaments are no limit). Not something you'd normally do (yet).

Poker tournaments are usually timed events, with the minimum bets raised in time increments. You play until you lose it all. As the field dwindles, games are consolidated. If you go bust early, many poker tournaments offer a chance to re-buy into the action for a nominal fee. Minus a small percentage for the house, all the buy-in money goes into the prize pot, with respective percentages going to the top three or four players at time's end, depending on the number of participants. Also, some poker rooms will offer extra poker-tournament chips to players who've been playing in a regular game prior to the start of the poker tournament. Remember, though, that while playing in a poker tournament, your hand will not be eligible for any bonuses the room or casino may offer, such as a bad-beat jackpot, aces cracked (pocket aces beaten) or the high hand of the hour/day.

Friendly individuals happy to help with any specific questions will staff a good poker room. In casino-hotels, they'll even arrange a late check-out if a morning poker tournament conflicts with the posted check-out time. After all, the more players, the more prize money-and more for the house.

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