For a game that has been around for centuries, poker has of late had quite an upsurge in popularity. With professional tournaments broadcast live on TV, and channels devoted specifically to the poker game, it has never quite had the exposure it has of late. This has of course rubbed off onto the streets, and now you find more and more people playing the game, at the casinos and at home. Perhaps because you play opponents, rather than the house, it has always been one of the more competitive games in casinos.

Texas Hold-Em is the version that is most played at the moment. Unlike five card stud, the game many grew up with, in Texas Hold-Em you are dealt just two cards. The idea is to then use these 2 cards with 5 community cards to make the best possible poker hand. The community cards are dealt after rounds of betting and are revealed in 3 steps known as the flop, turn and river.

If you don't have a casino nearby or just want to play for fun, many friends have a weekly card night, and this can be great fun to organize or just attend. Find out if anyone you know hosts one, or start it yourself with friends or work colleagues. Of course you need not actually play for real cash, as these nights are as much about interacting with friends as they are about the game.

Another route to go if you do want to try make some money is playing online. The internet offers many online casinos where poker is the game of choice for many. Some of today's professional players started out this way. Many earned their way onto the circuit by competing from the comfort of their home. Remember though you will need a credit card to transfer funds with most of these, and set yourself limits early on.

If that all sounds a little too risky, and you'd prefer to not lose money, there are also a number of downloadable games to play online that don't involve real cash. Some of these are even available on social network pages, and a quick search will help you find one suitable for your computer.

There are also many games you can buy that include poker in them. These may come with a whole lot of other casino or card games included, and focus more on presentation than online play.

If you are a console owner, whether it be the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii, you can find a lot of really good poker games, including official games of the world series. These include some great playing lessons from top champions, who you will also have to play against. In most cases they also offer live online play. You can even play Texas Hold-Em, and really nice versions of it too, in some games like GTA and Red Dead Revolver. Just visit a casino, or saloon in the latter, and you can sit around and play until your heart is content.

If you are always on the run, you can download a playing cards or poker game for your cell phone or a handheld device like the iPad, Nintendo DS or PSP. There are some excellent ones out there, and it is a great way to fill those free moments you have whilst traveling or waiting outside an office.