The principal instrument due to which a casino systematically wins is an in-built mathematical advantage in all the games. Either you play in slot machines, roulette, baccarat or dice - it is all the same, firstly, you play against a gambling establishment, secondly, it must still be in the black. It charges a fair price for satisfaction of a human game need, in particular a gambling need.

However, there are gambling games in which you can gain mathematical advantage thanks to your abilities. These are black jack, poker, slot machines, for example, some types of videopoker.

As regards black jack, videopoker, then, in point of fact, you play against a casino, so to say, dive into the pocket of a commercial enterprise. Do you think a gambling establishment likes it?

Surely, not. Therefore, a casino will always counteract such gamblers. As a result, even if you win, yours will be rather a hard toil.

What is left afterwards? As you have probably guessed – it is poker. Poker is a game in the variety of types of which there are both the factor of luck as well as the factor of abilities, mixed in different degrees.

For example, in a tournament poker the factor of luck is rather considerable - here a super champion can get the knock after the first round. Here a person who has got a gambling experience of just one year, more than that, on-line, can win the largest tournament and get a check for a seven-digit sum. It happened just this way last year at the World Series of poker.

To understand poker’s rules is not difficult. It will take you hardly a few hours. To thoroughly understand and effectively use a number of strategies, it will take you a few weeks. Even on this stage one can gain the result which will at least come to zero. It is already great—to satisfy one's gambling need free of charge. If you are a football fan, then it is just the same as to visit all the matches of your favourite team free of charge!

To become a master of poker you will need several years. In this case, again sticking to a football analogy you will not simply watch your favourite team play, but become its full member and get money for it.

There are not so many real professionals. Generally speaking, I would not personally recommend to become a full-blood professional. It is my belief that for the majority of people it is quite enough to become a successful poker player, regularly to gain, and then you will decide for yourself if it is worth “getting mad” and in the course of many years playing one and the same game.

How is it still better to play: off-line or on-line? Much can be said about it, but if you are a beginner and would like to try yourself, then I am sure it is better to start with on-line games.

You need a computer priced at more than 300 dollars. You need a stable access to the Internet. You need a lifelong gambling bank the size of 500 big stakes or the so called sessional one the size of 200-300 big stakes. I won’t go into detail – to begin with 100 dollars will be more than enough, also, having opened an account on-line, be sure that you will get a bonus from 50 to 100 dollars on average. It will be enough to start with.

The basic advantages of an on-line game are as follows:

1. a possibility to play “for papers”;

2. a possibility of free instruction – there is a great deal of forums, books, handbooks;

3. a higher speed of the game;

4. a possibility to play with the players from all around the world at any convenient time for you;

5. a smaller size of minimum stakes;

6. absence of extra expenses (transport, tips, a hotel, meals);

7. a possibility to evaluate one’s level of game very accurately due to various statistical programs;

8. you can play in your underwear, swear - nobody takes any interest.

Also, a very important moment to remember: you can play without any strategy and use poker as an ordinary slot machine, to play at random and at a venture.

At this you can surely win something like jackpot, that is to win some big on-line tournament and the chances for it are not less than let’s say while playing on the ordinary slot machines.

Nowadays poker is played by dozens of millions of people all around the world, I advise you to start playing this interesting game which can considerably add to your budget as a result or even become your profession and principal earner!