Online Poker Strategy: Tips to Put You on the Path to Success
Online poker is an exciting and fulfilling pastime that can sometimes be frustrating. This is especially true for players new to online poker and finding it hard to get the hang of it. This article was written with you in mind if you fall into this category. It was designed to help new players start on the right foot with a few essential tips.
Learn to Play the Game
The first step when starting with any new game is learning how to play it. This may seem obvious, but it’s an often overlooked step. Many are content to learn as they play. This would be an acceptable strategy, except that learning to play a casino game in this manner is slow and expensive. Online poker is no different in this regard.
The basics of poker are familiar to most and easy enough to understand. Most poker variations aim to get the highest-scoring hand at the table. In most variations of Hold ‘em, you are competing against other players at the table. Others, such as Casino Texas Hold Em, pit you against the dealer.
You must take the time to learn the basic rules of online poker before you hop right into a table. So do your research before risking real money on a game you don’t fully understand.
Start With Low Stakes Tables
New poker players should try to avoid any table with higher minimums than necessary. A common mistake is not checking the table specifics before sitting down and losing more money than you expected.
We highly suggest sticking to tables with the lowest limits when you are a brand-new player. Some casinos even offer “micro-stakes” tables with blinds ranging from $0.01/$0.02 to $0.25/$0.50. If you are purely playing poker for some fun and competition, these tables are your best bet.
For new players looking for a profit, start with a $1/$2 table. They offer a decent level of competition and the outside chance to score a big jackpot. What’s great about these games is they don’t attract too many veteran players. Some seasoned vets prey on new players, but the stakes aren’t high enough on these tables to make it worth their time. Therefore, you will be playing against other newcomers. That’s not to say there aren’t sharks in the waters of these games, so treat carefully.
Master the Art of Bluffing
There are a lot of small things that make a massive difference at a poker table. Bluffing is a crucial aspect of the game that some people never learn how to do correctly. The idea of a bluff is to bet in a way that your opponents think you have better cards than you are actually holding. If done correctly, you can pressure an opponent into folding a better hand than yours.
You will have several chances to bluff in each hand of poker. But knowing which situations to pull the trigger is the key to learning this art. It is also essential to study what your opponents are doing. The best players to bluff are those playing conservatively and tight. This means they don’t take many risks and will be more likely to fold when you raise them.
You should also be aware of what kind of image you are projecting to the rest of the table. If you are overly aggressive or were recently caught bluffing, you might want to consider value betting for a while.
Know When to Fold
In the words of Kenny Rogers, “you’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em.” This is advice that all new poker plays should take to heart. One of the biggest mistakes new players make at a poker table is not folding enough. It may seem counterintuitive, but playing fewer hands is a great way to make more money in the long run.
The error most inexperienced players make is overestimating a below-average hand. Being too optimistic about a mediocre hand is the downfall of many online card players. Do not rely on community cards to save a lousy hand.
So, which hands do you hold and which do you fold?
There are 169 unique combinations of cards you can get in your starting hand. The best is a pair of aces, and the worst is an unsuited deuce-seven. A good rule of thumb is to limit yourself to playing the top 10-15 percent of hands. Basically, any hand with a pair of face cards, or two sevens, eights, or nines.
Practice Good Bankroll Management
Last but not least, properly managing your bankroll as a new player is vital. This refers to both your overall casino account balance and the chips you start with at any tournament. The goal is to play for as long as possible, with whatever investment you can afford, and not overextend.
The first rule of betting is not to risk money you cannot afford to lose. After all, you cant wager with money you don’t have. If you plan to succeed long-term in online casino gambling, it is paramount that you keep your finances in check.
It’s good to get into the habit of only depositing the amount of money you need for your current play session. In online poker, that generally is dictated by the cost of the tournament(s) you plan on entering. Suppose you sit down intending to play two tournaments at $100 buy-in each. When you sit down, just deposit just $200 in your account for the day. Doing this will help resist the temptation to chase profits after a tough loss. Instead, move on to something else and come back to the table another day to try your luck.
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