Poker is a game that can be played by children with match-sticks, by grandmothers over afternoon tea (if you can wean them away from their bridge), by families on holiday and by any sociable group with a pack of cards and a few hours to spare. Any number from five to seven is ideal: more than that gets too cumbersome. Playing with four people is ok, but three is hopeless. If the game is a success and you begin to get together on a regular basis you can probably consider yourselves a poker 'school' and, as with any social club, there are one or two points to consider to ensure that your group runs smoothly and happily for as long as the participants are willing and able to join in. It is a good idea to try to have players of roughly the same ability and with the same attitude to the game. A player who plays a much tighter game than anyone else in the group and continually folds on anything other than a sure thing can be very disconcerting in a relaxed group. A very much weaker or looser player can pose problems of a different kind. It is not much fun taking money off the same person week after week and it can be infuriating to play with someone who is constantly having to be reminded to ante or to bet, who forgets how to play the different games, and who ruins your most audacious bluffs by failing to notice the subtlety of your play! Give a newcomer a fair chance, however. Over the weeks or months or years of playing together you will probably develop your own rhythm of play, your own vocabulary and a repertoire of casino games that can seem highly eccentric to an outsider; and it would be a player of rare ability who could fit in at once. Every school has a hard core of players but a pleasant and proficient extra is an asset not to be ignored. Decide whether or not you will play at the same location every time, thus keeping your online poker paraphernalia together, or if you are going to take turns to hold the poker evening. A single location is preferable but does place some additional burden on your permanent host. Making sure the ashtrays have been emptied and the dishes cleared away at the end of the evening will help to make you welcome guests. It should never fall to just one or two people to provide food and drink every time - everyone should make a fair contribution. Some schools run a 'kitty' which is fed from the pot or from players' pockets to cover any expenses. Finally, be aware that in a regular card school the level of investment can creep up over time (unless you are consistently playing 'set limits'). Most people play poker or online slot machines for enjoyment, rather than as a means of making money, and it would be unfortunate to lose a member of a regular and convivial group because he feels he can ho longer afford to play. It is also harder to find a good supply of casual players if people think that you play for very high stakes. Take the time every few weeks or so to make sure that everyone still feels comfortable at free online slot machine game. Nothing is lost from the spirit of your game by deciding to halve the value of your chips, even to divide the value by ten or more. But beware the same problem doesn't set in ail over again! Now, on to the online casino game itself.