So you want to be a high roller, huh? Well hold your horses, cowboy, because online poker is not a game for the meek. Before you ante up and start playing for some real cash, why not take the game for a test drive? Not only will it help you sharpen your skills, it will help you learn the ins and outs of a sites software before you feel comfortable raising the stakes.

Maybe your game is a little rusty. Maybe youre the next Phil Hellmuth. Even if youre the worlds greatest card shark, there are a lot of online poker sites out there in cyberspace, and it can all be a little overwhelming to the uninitiated. Any poker site worth visiting offers free games against real opponents. Some of the biggest poker sites on the net have some of the best free games around, and youve got absolutely nothing to lose.

PokerStars.com

The software and user interface offered by Poker Stars is consistently rated the best on the net. With thousands of players battling it out for real money, there are hundreds waiting in the wings playing for fun and for free. The selection of games is excellent, with plenty of Hold`em, Stud and Omaha tables always looking for new players. As an added bonus, Poker Stars allows players to upload pictures to the table. Its a popular feature that adds a more personal and sometimes humorous touch to the game, and itll beat your best poker face any day of the week.

ParadisePoker.com

Another proven leader in the world of online poker, Paradise Poker offers a software package thats smooth, polished and easy to use. Paradise Poker offers one of the largest selection of open games on the Internet, and its a great place to practice your skills while gaining some exposure to different variations of your favorite games.

UltimateBet.com

Fast, eye-catching and ultra smooth, the software at Ultimate Bet has improved by leaps and bounds since the sites inception. With thousands of players and a selection of games that rivals the largest online poker rooms, Ultimate Bet continues to attract loyal players by the day. Its true that the site also offers some of the toughest competition on the Internet, but when youre playing for free, who cares? Think of your losses as a learning experience.

PartyPoker.com

Aside from being one of the biggest and best places to get your game on, a large section of Party Poker is dedicated to helping the beginner learn the ropes of online play. And with an excess of 50,000 people online at any time, you can bet that theres plenty of action on the free tables. Party Poker also offers a huge selection of game types, and the sleek interface makes it a cinch to keep take of the action. The software also lets you keep notes on other players to help you form a battle plan.