Television has brought on a poker craze in the last few years. You can't turn the station one time through without getting at least one poker celebrity match or a replay of the WSOP from last year or some high stakes showdown.

This has opened up a whole new world for anyone interested in poker and many people learn on-line.

Playing on -line can be fun, rewarding, risky and dangerous all at the same time.

A few tips for the beginner. I'm not advocating any particular site or disparaging any particular site, but there are some things to look for. Everyone finds cetain sites they prefer.  Enjoy your gaming.

1. Pick a site where you feel comfortable with the graphics - you may hear that one site is better than the next, but for some reason you just cannot get comfortable with the graphics. you may not like the avatars for some reason. do what you think will help you play the best. for some reason i find the backgrounds on full tilt the most appealing and it certainly helps my game

2. Understand that certain sites offer bonuses and rewards quicker than others - take advantage of these offers at the beginning. not ever site offers reloads. party poker has great bonuses but you may not get the merchandise that full tilt offers

3. be wary of every new poker room. they all offer incentives and bonuses but you may not find a game you like. not every new site is as reputable as the big names.

4. remember the free roll tourneys. a way to build a bankroll quick. often times people just play reckless because they are playing on house money. take these seriously and you have a build in advantage.

5. do not move up to stakes you cannot afford. for example do not limp into a 10/20 limit game with 150. that being said, start where you feel comfortable

6. tourney's can last a while - be prepared to withstand several hours. do not buy in for more than you can afford. be weary of rebuy tourneys. especially at lower limits. they can end up costing you a lot of money and even if you come in the money you may not get what you put in if you aren't careful.

7. have fun - refrain from chatting too much and making negative remarks. everyone plays their game. you are bound to suffer bad beats. it's part of the deal.

8. don't forget that this is real money. cash out when you get ahead and don't give it back. it's easy to forget where you started and how you are doing.