If you have ever thought about picking up some skills around a certain table game, you might be tempted by poker. It is one of the most famous table games by far, and many people have already mastered it so they can join in on tournaments all over the world. Can you teach yourself to play poker like musicians Scott Ian (Anthrax), Nelly, Steve Albini, Julian Casablancas (The Strokes), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), and more? Or is it better to look elsewhere to learn? Let’s take a closer look.

Many Resources

Those who want to teach themselves to play poker will soon discover that there are many resources out there to help them master the game. No matter how you prefer to learn, you are going to be able to find a way to pick up the knowledge you need to be able to play the game properly.

Many pro players have made guides and classes to help pass their knowledge onto newbies. You could watch a video, or read a book they have written, or even listen to a podcast. However you learn best, you can be certain that there will be some form of content out there that you can learn from. Poker is one of the most popular games on the planet, and this has resulted in an abundance of content being created for it.

Trying Online Games

Of course, one of the easiest ways to learn how to play poker is to play some games yourself. However, understandably you might not have the confidence to walk straight into a casino to start playing. It can be very intimidating to sit down at a table with other players and a dealer, and those players might not always be the most accommodating to a new person who is still picking up the ropes.

Luckily, new players can use an online casino like GGPoker, a live poker streaming site, to pick up tips, improve confidence in their gameplay and learn from more experienced players. Playing online means that there is no need to hide your tell-tale mannerisms and be able to read the body language of other players. You can focus purely on the cards and what might be the right or wrong play for you. What’s more, online tournaments mean that you can still play in real, top-level games as your skills grow. Even the WSOP, one of the biggest series of tournaments in the world, hosts games online!

Choose Your Speciality

When you choose to teach yourself poker, you need to make sure that you know what variation you are learning. Once you are ready to find games – whether these are on or offline ones – you will need to make sure that you know what you like to play so you don’t buy into the wrong game.

Most people who use the general term poker are referring to the game Texas Hold’em. However, this is not the only variety of poker available at online casinos. You could also try Omaha or one of the many variations of stud. Having a good working knowledge of different types of poker can be beneficial, but you should focus on learning just one variation first.

So, can you teach yourself to play poker? Of course you can! Given the sheer number of resources on the internet, there is no reason why you cannot teach yourself the basics of the game. Once you have these down, you should be ready to take on some games and put your skills to the test. You could even choose to host a poker night with your friends so you can all learn and practice together. Poker is a game that can appear complicated from the outside, but once you have the basics down you will see how straightforward it can be.