How to Play Online Zynga HoldEm Poker

To start playing with people from all over the world either go to Zynga.com, install the application on your Apple or Android device, or sign up through one of your social network sites that offer the game.

Finding the game on Facebook, Yahoo or Google+ is quite easy to do. Simply do a search within the site for Texas Holdem Poker.

Playing poker for free at online sites can be beneficial for anyone wanting to learn the game, or to improve their skill as a poker player. One of the most popular places to play is at Zynga.

• When you first sign up for an account you will be given 2,000 chips to start with.
• Everyday when you log in and play you will get free chips added to your account.
• You can gift chips to other players that are on your friends list and they can do the same to you. This does not take the chips out of your account, they are provided by the game itself.
• There is a weekly tournament that you can participate in. You'll automatically be given 1100 chips to start with. If at the end of the tournament which ends on Sunday evenings you are in the top 20%, you will have chips added to your account. Depending on how much you won will determine the actual amount added.
• They will usually have a bonus spin game or other ways in which to earn even more chips.

When you go to the application you will be taken to a random casino that you can play at. You do have a choice of what casino you wish to play in, however they are all the same. First you will need to determine what size room you'd like to play in. Your choices range from 1/2 chip tables with a minimum buy in of 20 chips and go upwards all the way to two million chip tables. Please note that there is a tournament tab, which I will explain below. For a beginner you will want to start at one of the lower tables.

If at first you do not see a table that you can play at scroll down the list to find one or click on the refresh button. There are fast and normal rooms. The fast room does not give you as much time to decide on whether you are going to play the hand or pass on the hand. Another choice you have is whether to sit at a table of 5 players or 9 players.

Once in the chosen room you will have a choice of any empty seat you'd like to sit at. Click on a seat. You will then be asked to buy into the game. You can choose the lowest buy in or the highest. Two cards will be dealt to each player. You can decide to play by clicking on check, fold, bet, or raise the bet depending on what cards you have been dealt. Once everyone has checked, raised, bet or folded the dealer deals 3 cards face up in the middle of the table. Each player will check, fold, raise, or raise higher. Another card is dealt, once again face up. The game continues until there are five cards face up. Then the showdown begins, which is a final round of betting to determine the winner of the hand. At anytime you can leave the room by clicking on stand up and go to lobby buttons. Any chips that you win are automatically added to your account.

If two players end up having the same hand such as a pair of kings each, the winning pot is split between both players. For a full house, the higher full house would win. The same would apply to straights, pairs, and flushes.

Hand Ranks are as follows:

• Royal Flush (Ace high straight-all the same suit)
• Straight Flush (Straight all the same suit)
• Four of a Kind (Four cards all of the same rank)
• Full House (3 of a kind with a pair)
• Flush (Five cards all the same suit)
• Straight Run (Five cards of sequential rank)
• Three of a Kind (Three cards all the same rank)
• Two Pair (Each pair being the same rank)
• One Pair (Both cards the same rank)
• High Card (The highest card)

Blinds start out at 1/2 and go up depending on the table amount you play at. The blind means that person to the left of the dealer has to play the small blind being in this case 1 and the next player plays the larger blind being 2. This changes each hand going around the table so every player at the table takes a turn at either the small or large blind per round. If you are playing in a tournament the blinds increase at timed intervals.

There are several different kinds of tournament that you can play in. When you click on the tournament tab you will see Shootout, Sit N Go, and Weekly.

Shootout is a set standard of 2,000 chips to buy into the game. There are 3 rounds. To win a grand total of 500,000 chips you need to win all 3 rounds.

Sit N Go tournaments have various room amounts starting at 20 chips plus a cost of 5 chips to the player. So to sit at one of these tournament tables you must pay a total of 25 chips. Each tournament is played by elimination. The last three remaining players will all win chips and the amount will depend on whether you place first, second, or third. Payout structure is 50% to first, 30% to second and 20% to third.

Weekly, which I covered above.

There is a chat section that allows you to chat with other players. In case you are unfamiliar with poker terms or playing online I thought I would add some of the things you may see people say while chatting.

• Hole Cards: The 2 cards that are dealt to each player.
• Flop: These are the 3 cards that are dealt face up on the table when the game begins.
• River: This is the 5th card that is dealt face up on the table.
• NH=Nice hand
• VNH=Very nice hand
• WP=Well Played
• GG=Good game