Whether you're at a party in your teens, at a get-together with your fellow senior citizens, whether you're watching a western or just surfing the web, chances are somebody will at least mention poker. You might even be playing it. Poker had to go a long way from where it began to the raving casinos of today. But where did it really begin? What really started out what now is one of the most renowned games associated to the American culture?

Sadly enough, we don't really know. It's all lost somewhere between Persian sailors and the French settlers of New Orleans, while its name definitely has French origins. However, the bottom line is that it seems to incorporate several previously known card game ideas, such as bluffing. The oldest record of the game is from New Orleans, 1929; afterwards, it is said to have spread thanks to riverboats on the Mississippi (gambling there came naturally) towards the whole country.

The phenomenon has long since entered our ordinary lives. Perhaps one of the most popular and entertaining forms of gambling, poker can be played in an impressive number of different circumstances. Undoubtedly, the most accessible form is free poker over the Internet.

There's no need to leave the comfort of your own home, you're in perfect control of just how high or low the stakes are, and most of all, there's not much of a chance of you returning home with a black eye. You make the relevant choices and you're in full control when playing free poker online.

Hansa Poker is, in its essence, a brand associated to a website that offers top of the notch poker services and support. It's more of a free poker experience - it has what it takes to initiate young players, together with help, answers to frequently asked questions and tips from experts.

However, the essential approach for beginners is suggested both by Hansa Poker tips and any other walkthrough you might encounter as a poker player: play free poker first! Money can indeed be a great factor of attraction, but money won can be money lost. Rookies entering high-stake poker tables are the biggest ways for people with no fault of their own, but reasonable game skills to make big, undeserved wins.

In any case, Hansa Poker is a true community that has brought together people of all kinds and skill levels for one common passion. Plus, it features several types of games and means of mastering the poker technique, as well as a wide range of prizes and bonuses for diverse situations.

A close-knit community like Hansa Poker proves the value of this game, regardless of its controversial, blurred origins. At the end of the day, its popularity speaks for itself. A vast quantity of poker content is available on the Internet, since the number of online poker players has soared; online poker revenues were estimated at a staggering 200 million US dollars in 2005. Each month of 2005, that is. An excellent balance between increasing winnings and increasing skill will undoubtedly make online poker players successful.

If you're looking for a way to treat both your mind and your pocket, Hansa Poker is the answer. It's a vibrant online poker community, complete with tournaments and prizes, whether you want free poker or high stakes.