Online Poker - tips and tricks

It is not uncommon for even experienced poker players to flounder at online poker games. This is because there are some differences in the manner in which poker is played in the real world and online.

1. When you play online poker you are not able to see your opponent and thus you cannot gauge his emotions from facial expressions and gestures. Thus, you need to make use of whatever information is available. The time tells at online poker games offer an indication of whether the person you are playing against is a fresher or an experienced poker player. If the player takes time to make his move, chances are that he is new to online poker and you can probably try to bluff him more than you would otherwise do.

2. Online poker is a fast game, more so than live poker. This means that you have to be at the top of your game. You can consider writing notes to yourself about your game plan and mistakes to avoid and quickly glance at them as you play. If possible, memorize the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents.

3. If you are new to online poker, polish your skills playing with virtual money first and analyze your strengths and weaknesses to gain confidence. This is the time to develop your own strategies and find out whether you are a safe player or an aggressive one who pushes an advantage to the fullest. You can then move on to playing with real money.

4. Ensure that you are registered at a reputed online poker site. This is because there is always a possibility of players colluding online against someone and sharing information. The site you are registered with should have an effective monitoring system for keeping tabs on the players.

5. Your chances of winning depend a great deal on your game selection. Select a game that is in sync with your skills, ability, and style of play. If possible research on your opponents and get an idea of the quality of opponents that you are going to face. Research on online poker games shows that there is a great deal of benefit in accumulating as much information as you can on your opponents. The key mistakes that people make and the ones you should look to avoid are calling too frequently, betting too much, or folding too often.

6. Know the skills that can bring you maximum gains. For example, if you play with a group that plays very few hands and folds more often, you can benefit by sharpening your short-handed play skills. You should also be a little more aggressive in blind-stealing.

7. Conversely, if you are playing with the "maniacs" who bet aggressively do not be afraid to hold on to your cards because they are betting "maniacally" and not because they have good hands. If you feel that your online poker opponents are calling too often, take advantage of it and do not bluff.

Remember that at an online poker game, if you are unable to form an intelligent opinion of your opponents, you will get sorted out by them.