Novice and intermediate poker players are usually kept happy playing on the internet and getting involved in friendly home games, but the more they play, the more likely it is that they wonder how their newfound skills would fare in a casino or specialist cardroom.

Playing live for the first time is seen by many as a daunting experience, and an internal cost-benefit analysis (for example, the anticipated stress of the occasion versus the amount of pleasure and money that will be derived) usually means that the risks outweigh the rewards. As a result many players end up never graduating to a bricks- and-mortar game.

However, you really shouldn’t be put off by the perceived levels of anxiety and pressure that you believe playing in a casino might bring.