Online poker takes the game that was once played in the dark corners of smoky bars and elevates it to a place where anyone with a computer, tablet or smartphone can play. Online poker is played for real money and can be very profitable for those who have the dedication and skill to excel at the game.
Getting started is a simple enough process. A new player will register with an online poker site and provide some basic personal information such as name, address and email. The poker site will then verify this information and will allow the player to deposit funds into their account. Most sites accept a wide variety of payment methods including credit or debit cards, pre-paid cards and third party eWallets.
Once a player has established an account they can access the poker room lobby. This is where they can find the cash games, tournaments and Sit & Go’s that are available to them at any given time. The lobby is usually categorized by the type of game and can be filtered to show only those events that a player wishes to see. Many online poker rooms will also have tables tagged as “beginner” which is helpful for those players who are still learning the game.
The rules of online poker are similar to those that are used in live settings but there are a few important differences. One of the biggest differences is that in online poker there are no physical ’tells’ to read so a player must use other means to size up their opponents such as betting patterns. It is very important for an online poker player to be able to read their opponents betting tendencies and know when they are being bluff-happy, weak-passive or just trying to play a decent hand.
While online poker can be very profitable it is important for players to understand the pitfalls and have a solid strategy to follow. Players who play a solid game, understand the fundamentals and practice responsible bankroll management can be very successful.
Another important thing to remember is that variance is a huge part of poker. A good poker player is going to have days when they lose a lot of hands and will need to be mentally prepared for those days. However, it is important to not raise any alarm bells and quit a game that you love because things did not go your way on a single day.
