It's really easy to spot the "fish" at a poker table: so easy, that there is a saying that goes "if you can't spot the fish, you ARE the fish". Unless you want to be gobbled up by the "sharks", build up your expertise before you enter casinos.

One of the easy ways to sound like an Active Jackson (that's someone who plays every day) is to talk the talk. If you sound like a cardsharp, employing the enormous vocabulary that gamblers have developed, you automatically become welcome as one of the fold.

Do not begin by "firing" - betting high - while playing for the first time. Gambling is extremely addictive, but that very addiction is what has made people lose their fortunes, spouses and lives while borrowing enough money to put on the table on their next bet. Incidentally, "Gamblers' Anonymous" is a useful resource for gamblers who have, to be brutal, gambled away their lives and now want to salvage them.

So limit your "drop" - the money you spend - and gamble wisely. If you end up among cardsharps and high rollers, you will have to pay up or risk being called a "flea", so pick table fellows who share your mindset.

Unless you have a lot of money to waste, begin by playing friendly games or on free online casinos. This lets you come to grips with the rules of the game, instead of coming "down to the felt" - being broke - on your very first night of play.

Of course, knowing the lingo isn't all that there is to a successful round at casinos. The best way to begin is by playing where your money is not at stake. Playing with real people will let you get used to speaking the jargon and handling chips and cards, which online casinos will not let you do. While the two seem perfectly similar when you think about it logically, it is also a fact that transitioning from doing something on the computer to doing it with your bare hands is quite a jump and takes some getting used to. Soon, though, your game will definitely warm up.

If you want to be a gambler, it isn't enough to just know the rules of the game. You need to stay in touch with what is going on in the casino world. The best way to keep up is, as always, the magazines on the subject. "All In", "Casino Journal", "Casino Life" and "Casino Players" are some famous magazines that provide regular updates, tips and tricks, though free online gambling magazines are also available for beginners who do not want in-depth knowhow just yet.

The best way to avoid being the "fish" at the table is to know your game, and to know that you know it. It's best if your first attempts at gambling with real money are made online, because that way your opponent can't see your face. Using online casinos where chat is permitted will let you get used to the gambling terminology. Now that you have bitten the bullet, it's unlikely that you will look back - good luck!