Though there are many similarities to playing poker online and playing poker face-to-face, there are some significant differences to the online version that players should be aware of. If you’ve always played poker in a casino and have thought about playing it online, here are some pointers to consider:
Just because the chips aren’t in front of you doesn’t mean you aren’t playing with real money. When playing online, some players lose track of the fact that they are playing with real money because the chips aren’t physically sitting in front of them. Don’t make the mistake of playing online poker like you were playing a teenager’s video game. The money is real, and if you are going to play poker online you must take it as seriously as you do in a face-to-face game.
Related to the previous tip, don’t play every hand just because you’re bored. It is more difficult to fold while facing a computer screen than it is to fold when facing a card table of your peers. Something about not being able to see and really interact with the other players affects the way you play the game. While this may be human nature, this compulsion can be controlled with discipline and practice.
Got a calculator, well go use it! One of the benefits of playing poker online is that no one will know or care if you use a calculator to figure out your hand odds. Some online poker sites even provide the odds for you as well as other helpful calculations. Use these tools and resources to your advantage and don’t shy away from them. It’s a guarantee that other online players will be making decisions based on these calculations, and you should too.
Along these same lines, take time to make appropriate notes while playing online poker. Some players make notes about their opponents or about how many times they folded, raised, went all-in, etc. By taking notes, you can go back later and review your play and make changes to improve it. Because you’re playing online, no one will know that you’re taking notes on them so you’ll have the upper hand the next time you face off against an opponent.
