The secret to playing and winning at online poker is obvious; simply play a lot of online poker. Although mastering online poker can take months of frustrating losses, there are a few things you can do to improve your odds while you’re learning. Simply following a few of the tips listed below should make your playing experience significantly easier and thus, increase your chances of success. Most importantly, these tips will help you build the confidence you need to become a winning online poker player.
The biggest mistake most poker players make is that they bet on too many hands. Some novices will try to bet on every hand even if these cards are lousy. Learn the first rule of poker; there will be a new hand dealt soon and there’s always a new game coming up. If you have a lousy hand, don’t bet call or fold. Folding when you have a bad hand isn’t a sign of cowardice it’s a sign of sensible play.
When you do fold, you get a chance to sit back and watch how the others are playing. This can help you spot any patterns of play for the next game.
Learning how to discern patterns of play in your opponents is critical to success at online poker, and since you can’t see your opponents’ physical tells, they are pretty much useless. The good news is that there are other tells which you can look out for. For example you can spot if another player only bets or raises when he has a good hand. Spotting patterns of behavior can help you win.
Although you are looking for patterns in the way people play, you don’t want to get stuck in a pattern of play yourself. The last thing you want is for your opponents to know what you’re going to do. The way to avoid this is to vary your play, for example, if you usually fold when dealt a lousy hand, try betting on a bad hand. If you don’t usually bluff, try bluffing for a couple of hands. Varying your play can confuse your opponents and make it easier to win. They won’t know what to expect or how to bet against you.
Your strategy isn’t the only thing you should vary in poker. You should also play different kinds of games and players. If you usually play Texas Hold Em, try a few hands of stud or Omaha High Low. This will help you develop skills and make you a better player.
Another suggestion is to play players at various levels of skill and experience. Playing experts, or really good players, can increase your skills by challenging you. Playing players who aren’t as good as you are, can build confidence and help you learn how to spot patterns of play.