If you have always enjoyed playing poker but wish you could play alone, then video poker is the casino game for you. Video poker games have long been a mainstay at brick and mortar casinos, and now online casinos have made them accessible from the comfort of your home. Video poker is poker in its purest form. Video poker strips the game of distractions like dealers and other players so that when you play, it's just you and the cards.

Most video poker machines are roughly the size of a small television. Because there are no actual cards, you will use buttons to make all of your moves. As with regular Five Card Draw, you will choose which cards you want to hold or discard, but you will do it by clicking a button beneath each card. The process is the same when you play video poker online.

While you're not competing against other players, you'll still need a good hand to win video poker. Video poker uses the traditional hand rankings, so if you've played any poker game before it should be easy to make the transition to video poker. Remember that different video poker games have different payouts; some games will payout for a pair of jacks or better while the payout for others starts with three of a kind. Always check the paytable before you play, so you know what you should be aiming for.

Once you sit down to play video poker, be prepared for an experience totally unlike live poker games. This isn’t about socializing; it’s all about the game. Even the machines are designed to limit distractions. Most machines have either recessed screens or side blinds so that you are the only one that can see your hand. The idea is to keep your concentration on your cards at all times.

If you already know how to play poker, then you have an advantage over other first-time video poker players. With video poker you no longer need to compete against other players, but strategy is still crucial to coming out ahead. There are actually video poker training programs that can compute the correct move for every possible hand on any specific machine, but it takes a long time to memorize this information. In the meantime, start with the strategy basics.

Because the top video poker payouts are only available to players betting the maximum five credits, you should always bet max. That said, bankroll management is important, so be sure to choose a machine that offers a betting denomination that fits your budget. Never bet more than you can reasonably afford to lose.