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Online Poker Primer

Miminum Buy In for Limit Games?

Almost all online poker rooms require a minimum buy-in limit poker games of 10 times the big blind/lower stake in the game. This requires you to have $100 in your account to enter a $10/$20 game, $50 to enter a $5/$10 game and $30 to enter a $3/$6 game, etc.

What is All-In Protection?

When a player puts the last of his chips into a pot, that player is what's called all-in. An all-in player is not eligible to win any money above his last bet. The excess part of the bet is either returned to the lone bettor, or is used to form a side pot with another player or players still remaining. There is no limitation on the number of side pots. The all-in player(s) will be eligible for the pot they are involved in and cannot be forced from the hand.

What happens when I get disconnected?

When a player has enough chips to continue betting or calling but has been disconnected and unable to respond. The online poker room will put that player on all-in status in which case the player is protected for that pot. Since there has been rampant abuse of this feature, many online poker rooms such as Party Poker, and others have implimented a limited number of All-In Protections. When you are all-in protected your entire amount of chips in the pot will be covered for that hand. If you lose the hand you still lose your chips.