A Beginner's Guide to Online Poker Success

In just a few years, online poker has swept the entire world. It is never to wonder why the game gained such popularity. With the high stakes involved and the easy game mechanics, it is no surprise why the poker game is played by many. If you are new to this game, use this as your first guide to success.

Why Go for Online Poker?

Unlike live poker, the online version offers much more convenience and comfort. What was once a casual means of gambling has swiftly become a means to pay bills and a way of life for many. You no longer need to worry about tipping, travel expenses, and other distractions that live casinos offer. Because of online poker, you can enjoy playing right from your laptops or desktop computers.

Is There a Way to Succeed?

Beginners can work their way up to become poker professionals. Although it takes a lot of time and effort, you can definitely earn big from playing the poker game. You also have to risk a certain amount of money to join real cash games.

Whilst the level of online gaming is continually challenging, your money will constantly flow in the direction of skilled and disciplined players who value common sense over pipe dreams and bright lights.

Where to Learn Poker

If you are searching for a place to learn the ins and outs of online poker, there is no other better source than the internet. The latter is filled with valuable information that can easily improve your skills. You can find advices, strategies, personal opinions, and other types of information that can lead you toward success. There are also forums, videos, coaches and articles that have everything an aspiring player needs.

You can even improve any of your specific skills by reading various sources from the internet. You simply have to type what you're looking for in the search tab and you'll have instant access to the info you need.

Can You Make a Living in Online Poker?

Poker can be considered a career but never a full time job. Yes, it is possible to win huge amounts of cash in a poker game, but it is also likely to lose money from it. It is therefore advisable that you play free poker first before joining real-cash games.

Once you've learned the strategies and the right skills, then you can be confident enough to play the game. Although online advices are a lot helpful, it is best to base your tactics from experience. It will also be your responsibility to analyse the details you read.

Common Poker Errors

It is normal to lose minimal amounts of cash when playing poker. This, however, can be very avoidable if you are careful enough with the decisions you make. It is also good to know about the common errors that people commit when playing poker. Here is the list:

  • Being an Obvious Bluffer

Poker professionals can easily read and analyse what's on your mind. So before playing with the pros, consider knowing everything about poker first.

  • Practise as Often as You Can

The best way to learn poker is to practise it. There are many free online sites which can cater to this need.

  • Set Ambitions

You can always set goals when playing online poker. Make your ambitions realistic and time-bounded to better succeed in the poker world.

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The difference of poker as a card game

Well Poker is different from all other betting games and card games in a lot of ways, first it is distinguished hugely by its history, it is often regarded as one of the oldest betting games, said to have originated from the Persian game of As-Nas many report exists that states that the game has been here for centuries and had existed as one form the another in various parts of the world. Its one of the reasons for its rapid development into its various forms seen today, there are more then 50 forms of playing poker, each designed to suit the players skill and make the game more competitive. It is almost the only game that even novice gamblers can play and start winning.

It's various forms invites everyone to test their hand at this gambling wonder and hence received a lot of popularity, it has become almost something of a world sport with tournaments and world series being conducted and its players have become huge celebrities in the world of Poker.

Also many books written about this game and strategies involved has almost doubled it's reputation among gamblers and no casino can be complete without it, actually they cant even start without it, a recent survey shows 92% of gamblers prefer poker over any other casino game. But its huge publicities came from its introduction in movies like Rounders, Casino Royale etc… Allured millions to the Casinos to try there hand the most stylish game ever on the table, even T.V shows increased and spread its fame far and wide across the world like the Late Night Poker show which debuted on British television.

But the more distinguished factors of this particular game come from its technical aspects, first it's a really simple game in all aspects and it is lot easier to understand it completely (though mastering it takes lots of experience) it's like one of those 'read from the book and start playing' games. (but I seriously advice never do that), second it is also a lot friendlier and easier games to play than the other gambling games, mainly because of some features like betting limit, etc, also the probability of you winning a poker game is really high, actually the game is all about probability and believe me if you some what good at numbers you can really rock at the Poker table. The really advantageous part of Poker is that you are allowed to 'Fold' if you think your hand really sucks and you have no way of winning what so ever.

And it's purely a Gentleman's game and involves no dirty squabbles and foul mouthing, one of the main reasons for its huge popularity, it also is the thrilling games to play, and has more drama than a soccer game if you're really passionate. But of the entire loveliest thing that makes it totally different, is its Game play, even if you don't know anything about the game or just a novice,  all that really matters is your psychology and your mastery in bluffing, if you're a great actor or convincing liar this your perfect ground to earn.

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Using the Check Strategically

If used on the right manner and timing, the check can be a very powerful button in a Poker game. However, most Poker players were not able to apply it to their advantage because of lack of knowledge on the importance of the check.  Majority of players will actually dismiss a check. 

 Why do players check?

It is important to note the motivation of players when they make a check.  It would be to your advantage if you know the motivation.  So, what will prompt a player to use the check?  Below are some reasons:

  1. The player has a bad hand
  2. The player wants to check another player's hand
  3. The player uses it as a trap

Most of the time, players use the check because they have a marginal hand.

 How and when should you use the Check?

 Check combination

The combination of the check with other moves as well as the timing of the check is very important if you want to optimize your game through checking.

Check should not be used excessively as it makes your moves predictable.  If you check and fold all the time, you are not using check to your advantage.  Majority (in fact 70-80 percent) of the hands that you will have in the Poker game will be folded.  Of course, this is on the premise that you are not an extreme daredevil.  So, if you are the check and fold type, you will check around 70-80 percent of the time. 

 To be effective, check should be combined with raise or calls.  These combinations will make the check powerful.  For instance, in the check and raise combination, it can be very effective because it is not a common action.  You can slowly play your monster if you use the check and raise action.  What you can do is trap the other player by checking and then raise them once they have bet.  Again, use it sparingly.  It will not be effective if the other players are aware of it. 

 So, comes the bluffing part.

Most of time, you need to bluff when you are using the check with the raise or call combination.   Of course, when you do bluffing with the check and call, you are taking the extra risk that there might be a player that have something at the time you called.

 Timing

As mentioned earlier, checking is used to check to find out what does another player has at hand.  Checking is usually used after a flop.  This is more common in online games than in real games as you can't see the reaction of people online that's why you need to check what they have. For most of the time, players check the other player's hand when they suspect that it is a bad hand.  However, if you start the checking chain and everyone checks, you get the advantage of people not noticing that you are actually making a slow play or that you are really checking on a marginal hand.

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Understanding Positions

In a game of Texas Hold'em, the position on which a player is playing is changes the way the way he plays. Although, the most important things in the game, on which the game play of a player depends is the value of the hand and the size of the chip-stack, but the position on which the player is sitting matters a lot too.

You may ask what the big deal about the position? But the position of a player alters the way in which he makes his decisions. A player can put significant pressure on the other players if he positioned strongly on the table, but this can only be doe if he understands the significance of it. There are 4 types of positions in a game of poker; lets have a look at them:

1- Blinds : The blinds are the first two players sitting on the immediate left of the dealer. The first player is called the small blind and the second is called the big blind. 'Blind' is the amount of money they contribute at the start of the game, to make up the pot. As all the rounds of in the game, proceed in clockwise direction, the blinds are the first to make their decisions on the table. All the other players either follow their decisions or go against them. So, it's the blinds, who direct the game.

2- Early position : the two positions after the blinds are called the early positions. This is probably the hardest position to play in, as this is the middle of the table. In this position, you have neither the advantage of making the first moves nor the advantage of waiting for the other players to make their decisions first. You can be successful on this position only if you have a good hand. If you know you have a good pair or two and can make a great hand, you should play confidently and make your raises. In this position, it is essential to be confident of your game play, as the other players, who are sitting after sitting after you, will be looking to take advantage. And if they turn out to have better hands, you will end up bearing the loss.

3- Middle Position: The two positions after the early positions are called the middle positions. These players do have the advantage of knowing the decisions of 4 players before they make their decisions, but also have the disadvantage of making their decisions before the players in late positions. The cards that the players in these positions can afford to chase can be a bit weaker than those in the early positions.

4- Late Positions: These are the last two players to make their moves. They sit to the immediate right of the dealer. They have the advantage to see the decisions made by all the other players before they make their moves. Of these two positions, the player sitting to the right of the dealer is called the button. This player can take the maximum risks. He can even chase the weak cards, as he is able to get an idea of the hands and strengths of all the other players on the table.

Of all the positions, the blinds may be the hardest for the new players, as they are the ones who start all the rounds and thus set the standards of the game.

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Do you recognize any of these Poker player profiles?

Tips and tricks are all well and good, but studying your opponents is how you will find out how they play poker, respond and react during a hand. Even if you fold out of the game, you can still watch the remaining players to see what decisions they make. Discover if they:
Fold more often than call or raise
Frequently bluff
Check/raise or check/fold often

The more you watch your opponents the better you will be at player profiling, which is a skill that takes time to achieve, especially online as you will rarely play the same players over and over again. Once you are able to distinguish the type of game your opponents like to play, you can then slot them into one of these player profile categories:

1. The Aggressive Player
2. The Tight/Conservative Player
3. The Loose Player
4. The Straight Player
5. The Immature Player

The Aggressive Player

The aggressive player will try to do all he can to psyche you out and get you to do what he wants. He will be the player who chooses to raise over folding, putting pressure on the other players to either fold or muck their hand at showdown. The really talented aggressive player has a lot of confidence and it shows. They make the other players feel uneasy, often causing them to second guess their position in the game when the stakes are high. If you don't see him coming, a good aggressive player will take control over the way you play, and con you out of the pot.
If you want to stand up to the aggressive player you need to show him you have a backbone, and that his strategy isn't going to work on you. Know your cards and have the courage to give the overly aggressive player a taste of his own medicine.

The Tight/Conservative Player

Asim. a tight, or conservative player, is one who does not like to take risks unless they are necessary. He will not have the confidence to bet if he doesn't feel his cards are strong enough. More often than not, the tight player knows the rules of the game inside and out, has an excellent memory, as well as a talent for analyzing the skills of other players. Therefore, when he does achieve a strong starting hand, he'll surprise all the other players and snatch the pot. A talented conservative player is an extremely tactical opponent. When faced with him, you will find that he will generally fold or call, instead of taking risks. Thus, be wary of this type of player, for although you may think he is passive at first, he could very well be waiting for the opportune moment to take the win. Be on the lookout if he is still in the hand in the later rounds, this usually is a sign that they he has a strong hand.

The Loose Player

The loose player is carefree, and is more likely to fold or call more often than raise or bluff. He rarely wins frequent pots, and treats poker more as a fun pass time than as a serious money-making sport. If you find yourself up against the loose player, you can gain the upper hand over him by playing a little more aggressively, and intimidate him into folding early, so he doesn't get the chance to obtain a stronger hand.

The Straight Player

The straight player is one who is robotic. He rarely takes risks, unless he has a really strong hand. Often he is a beginner and is only following the advice of a program such as an odds calculator. You will discover that the more you watch him, the more you will be aware when he has a strong hand because he plays more aggressively and raises. This is a good indication that you should fold!

The Immature Player

The immature player is one who is generally the easiest to recognize. His poker style is often cocky, rude, careless and thoughtless. Rarely does he win big pots as he takes foolish risks and is the first to lose all of his money. Immature players are not respected by other players, because they don't take the game seriously. It is easy to take advantage of these players, so use them to put more money in the pot early on in the game. The faster these players are out of the game, the quicker you will increase your winnings, and have more of a budget to play with.
Remember, even if you have profiled the players you are up against, you should never underestimate any player at any time. Letting your guard down cold be the end of your game.

Play the players – don't let them play you!

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Poker lingo: Bankroll

A player's bankroll is typically the amount of money that the player has available with which to play poker.

A proper bankroll should not be mixed with other funds such as living expenses or entertainment funds.

A bankroll is also the barometer used to measure success or failure and should guide a player as to when to move up or down in levels.

It is possible to play without a separate and designated bankroll assuming that one's disposable income will in effect function in much the same manner.

To bankroll a player: This means that a player is using funds to play poker that has been supplied by a backer or investor who in return for providing the money receives a portion of the winnings.

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Psychology and Poker

You may get a person that may not care about anyone but himself, he may come across self centered, egotistical and he may even enjoy stealing food from the poor…

However, when a poker pro walks into a poker room, he always tries to think what his opponents think and understand the decisions of his opponents and why they make them. The poker pro always tries to have an answer to these questions:

1. What does my opponent have?
2. What does my opponent think I have?
3. What does my opponent think I think he has?

Knowing the answer to these questions is the first step, manipulating the answers is the second and more important step.

Suppose that you have a pair of kings and your opponent has a pair of aces. If you both know what the other has, and you both know that you know what the other has, then why play a game of poker? A poker pro manipulates the answers to questions 2 and 3 by slow playing, fast playing and bluffing in order to throw his opponent off.

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Poker Disclipline

Good poker players seek an advantage. They don’t hope to get lucky, they make their own luck using what they have and make the best of it, judging their opponents play.

A disciplined player knows when to play and when to quit. He recognizes when he is on tilt or too tired to play optimally.

A disciplined player knows that he is not perfect. When a disciplined player makes a mistake, he learns and moves on to the next game without blaming others or whining.

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Here are a few good reasons to play poker.

Social rewards, entertainment, education and, of course, to make money.

Socializing is a major reason behind the traditional home game. Many friends like to hang out and play cards and many people become friends over the card table. If this is one of the reasons you wish to play, then stick with low-stake tables, where the games are more fun and friendly.

It's entertaining. Online Poker or home is a competitive as well as fun.

The skills necessary to become a good poker player apply well to other aspects of life. This is where the education comes in.

Poker will help you to improve your judgment skills (reading people) and sharpen your logical and strategic skills (how to play your hand).

Most people play poker for fun, and some make considerable money at it. Poker is one of the few forms of wagering where you can actually win, and few forms of gambling where one can actually win money in the long run simply by being good at the game.

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When you start to play poker – Some small advices

When you start to play online poker, you will more likely play on the low limit tables.Winning these games does not require you to become a masterful poker player, but it primarily entails that you are able to outplay poor opponents.

Basically, other players won’t be paying attention to you. They only care about their own cards and are therefore not concerned with what you have. You are a mere ghost to them, but ideally you’ll be a ghost that’s slowly taking their money! If you want to beat these types of players you simply need to:

- Play a straightforward game that will win in the long run,
- Play tight, don’t do any fancy bluffs
- Bet aggressively when you have the best hand
- Utilize pot odds for your drawing decisions

Master the art of choosing starting hands, employing pot odds, and aggressively betting your winning hands will ultimately lead to your success, so go on try it for yourself.

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