Poker Newsgroups on the Internet

Have you ever wondered where you are supposed to go in order to find something that you've heard was posted on the Internet?

Presumably, since you are reading this column, you know that the best online source of information for all things poker is CardPlayer.com. However, you may have a specific question to ask, or just want to read about other players' interesting poker issues. This is where forums come into play.

There is a huge world of forums (or newsgroups, as they are sometimes called) on the Internet, about virtually every imaginable subject - including poker, of course.

The most widely known poker forum is RGP (rec.gambling.poker). As an unmonitored forum, this newsgroup has some great information. Unfortunately, since it is not censored, one must often sift through a number of posts containing inaccurate information, gossip, lies, and language that would make a sailor blush to get to the good information. Oh, the price we pay for freedom …

There are two newsgroups that I highly recommend for getting great poker information, as well as thoughtfully presented answers to nearly any questions you might have. Although there is plenty of room for rigorous debate, neither site allows foul language or insulting another's heritage.

The United Poker Forum (www.unitedpokerforum.com) is a new site for serious poker discussions that is hosted by Mike Caro (the "Mad Genius" himself) and Card Player's senior columnist, Roy Cooke. They are committed to making this site the ultimate for people who want to chat in a friendly manner about any poker matter.

Two Plus Two (www.twoplustwo.com) is a wonderful site, where you can get great information about any poker issue. It is the company that publishes some of the industry's best poker books, and is the home of well-known poker theorists and Card Player columnists David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth. It is a serious site with serious responses to serious poker issues.

So, if it is unabridged freedom of speech that you seek, go to RGP. If you are looking for good answers to your poker questions, want to learn what is going on in the poker community, or just want to enjoy a healthy poker debate, I suggest visiting the forums at both United Poker Forum and Two Plus Two. You can reach both of them directly from CardPlayer.com by clicking on their respective banners.