Joining an online poker site is simple. You can play free games without giving any credit card information. You should play the free games for a while to get the hang of how the game plays, what buttons to click, what happens when you click a button that you aren't sure what it does. The free games have almost no value in learning to play to win though. They are excellent for a novice, offering a way to practice calculating basic odds and discovering the relative strengths of hands. Positional is key when playing this game. You will find that some hands that you would fold in early position might be good raising hands in the late position of the game;

Sometimes you must bluff, too, since it's likely the opponent will also pull a lot of weak hands. Noone wins Online Texas Hold' em tournament today without bluffing, but it must be used appropriately and at the right time. If you bluff and get re-raised, be careful as the opponent may have drawn a good hand. Also, don't call an all-in bet heads-up unless you have a real hand, since it's likely that your opponent also has a very strong hand and is deliberately trying to pull you in. It's best to have a good hand and to be the one calling the other player all-in, if possible

You'll soon discover whom the strong poker players are at the table. As tempting as it is, try to resist the temptation of trying to beat them at risk of losing sight of the other aspects of your game.

Be aware of pot odds. There is a certain number of outs you have to estimate if calling is a positive expected value play - count the number of outs. In loose games, outdrawing becomes much more important, but then the pots are so big that you usually have odds for any half way reasonable draw anyway

You want to raise when you have the top two pair on the turn, but if the board is three-suited (this could be a threat) do not raise.

If you're having a bad time at the tables, take a break. You take refreshment breaks when you are playing with friends or at the casino. Likewise, you should take breaks while playing online.