bounty poker tournaments have been around for a while now and are one of the most exciting no limit holdem games to play. The bounties originate from each player's buy-in and in many cases as much as half of it will be placed on your head as a bounty if someone takes you out in the game. We're now also seeing bounty poker on free poker sites where the site play or virtual currency is used instead.

When playing in a bounty poker tournament, it is imperative that you build your chip stack at the start if you want any hope of staying in the game. With the way the amount of players putting bounties of other players heads you will stand a better chance if you have a good stack to start with.

You can play this game in a couple of different ways.

You could stick to your normal game play, looking out for the final winnings and seeing the bounties as an added bonus. There are more risks than usual in doing this because of the bounty hunters calling with very average hands anytime a low stacked player is in the hand and possibly hitting an unexpected hand but if you have built that early chip lead you should still be in a good position even if you do lose with your premium cards.

The other way of playing would be to be aggressive when playing and build your chip stack by taking out as many bounties as possible. Playing this way is more risky, but you will still get to the end of the game.

I use a combination of them both, building my chip stack early in the game while most of the players left still have a decent stack, then, if during this process I have taken enough bounties to cover my buy-in I become much more aggressive, keeping in mind that i want to make it to my final destination which is to win or at least place in the prize pool.

If you have not tried bounty poker, do so, it is one of the most entertaining poker games online now and most poker sites offer at least some version of it. Check out a free poker site and test out the game before putting any of your own money forward.

At first poker, even free poker, seemed to me that it seemed to be a first class way of losing money, until that is, my first ten player tourney at a live table where my king ten suited blew my opponents weak ace clean out of the water with tens full of kings.

To my amazement I won the tournament and it gave me a real boost to continue playing. Years on, I am still playing poker and even though I have lost quite a lot of games, I also win quite a lot too and am never really out of pocket.

I now see poker as a bit of a habit too which is easily maintained due to the many enjoyable poker sites I have listed on my desktop I do love the game and am constantly learning new approaches and ways to develop my game it's a constant learning experience.

I do believe that online gaming is much different to live table play which I think is better as you get to feel your enemy and be there literally. I have found that the rule book to playing poker is simply the basics and to play with venom at your own pace with whatever two cards your dealt and are comfortable with.

I think is the best possible way, although a little killer poker from time to time is necessary to enable you to experience the thrill and excitement of true poker.

I do find that online poker is also pretty good, in that you can quite often find lots of new players who are looking to make a bit of cash that you can take out quite easily.

I like to play tight mostly and watch the cards unfold on the flop, as you can imagine I do a lot of folding but since I lost a bit I now play a bit loose if I can and it makes a difference to my bankroll but depletes my bankroll management. I never tire of playing poker, wherever I am playing. The more I play and learn, the more enjoyment I get out of it. My best advice to new players is to try out playing free poker online before hitting any casinos and losing a wad of your own money.

So, you want to be a good poker player, well the first tip when playing free online poker is that you need to have patience, and a lot of it. I have played for 20 hands and folded every single one before a decent hand appears. Its all about waiting.

Most players tend to go all in if they have an A and another card. This is a mistake. Of course 2 Aces are nice but I'd rather bet small and play on nine people's money than all in and maybe you'll get one taker. Wait until after the flop to bet. Make sure a possible straight or flush won't beat you. It's worth the wait.

Don't bet on future cards you hope you'll get. For example you have 4 cards to a straight and someone goes all in. Just fold. Odds are not in your favour to bet.

Of course you can't read a poker face on line, but you can learn from the way they will bet over the course of the game. I see a lot of people bet $400 on opening bet and then go all in after flop. These people generally have nothing.

Then along comes the aggressive player. There will always be one of these at the table, they have more money and bet high every hand. Its worth just letting them get on with it and not letting it get to you. The right hand will come for you.

If you are a gambler, make sure your down cards will make a straight, or you have a pair. Never bet 2/9, 2/8, K/3 for example. All you have here is a luck bet.

I have found that playing free online poker games to perfect my play is the way to start playing poker, there are many sites that you can play at and not pay a penny but still win real cash.

Poker is all about patience and only a little bit of luck. If you are patient in every game and tournament that you play then you wont go far wrong. Next time you are on the free online poker sites try it out.