Bring a Different Game to Online Poker

Change out of your pyjamas, turn off the TV, turn off the iPod, stop surfing Facebook and stop reading your email! You're playing poker, now get focused.

Why are some people able to win online consistently while others just seem to donate their money? It is all about mindset. We will get into more details in future articles but keeping it simple here are a few observations I want to make about online play and online players

Most Players lose online

The majority of players lose online. Fact!
Think about it. Over the long term only the most disciplined players win consistently. Online is no different.
Also, no surprise here. You get charged to play. So in the end if you are a middle of the road player and win about as much as you lose you will lose in the end. The poker room always gets it cut.
Most players don't like to admit this but one of the good things about online play is your bankroll is easy to track. It is shown right there on the screen. No forgotten visits to the ATM.
The only way to not be one of the losers. Play smart and show some patience and discipline.

Online play is different from playing the game in person

Don't ever think that if you can beat your friends weekly at a local game you can transfer this to the online game. There are many differences playing online v.s. in person games.
The obvious difference is you can't see the physical tells of players. Its just not possible. If you can glean anything from a player during online play it is their tendencies after observing a number of hands.
The other trait that most people don't think about is how easy it is to play online. You could be in the middle of cooking supper, flip on the computer and 2 minutes later you can be in a game. This is very different from a Casino where you have a lot of time to get into "Poker Mode". At home you are more often than not in a "Poker Mode". The TV is on, your kids are hanging from the chandelier, and you are in your Moo Moo PJ's. You just aren't in the zone.
You need to prepare! Set a poker space aside somewhere with little distractions. Treat every session as a serious event. Don't take it lightly. It is real money! And stop surfing! You need to really pay attention online to opponents tendencies to win at this online game.

It can be difficult to play your best online

First of all you have the distractions and limitations mentioned above. If you do not make some sort of adjustments in your playing environment you will be at a disadvantage. You need to limit distractions, allocate an appropriate amount of time to play and create a Poker environment.
Then of course there is the absence of humans! You will be getting all your information from your screen. There are cues and tells available but they are very different from playing face to face. You need to be very tuned into this fact, pay attention and be sharp.
One thing about online play that some people prefer is the fact that nobody is watching. Some folks don't like the pressure of being judged about their play. The flip side of this however is that without someone watching people tend to play less disciplined, make the wrong call on a gut feel because....its only one hand and nobody will notice. Draw to an inside straight!... why not, nobody is watching. I fell victim to this a lot at first online until I realized the money I was throwing away in the long run. Play properly....always.

Everything happens faster online

While games at bricks and mortar games can sometimes be painfully slow. Everything online is on the timer and fast.
Things move at a lightning speed. Especially on the accelerated or speed games. Blinds go up quickly; and you have only a few seconds to make a play. You have little time to react.
This can pose a problem to the mathematically challenged. Lets see I have 2 outs...it looks like I have top pair... but it is a flush draw..... ding there goes the bell. What are you going to do...the clock is ticking.
Playing online you have to be razor sharp with your game. There is no playing with your chips for 5 minutes as you work things out in your head.
Be prepared. Practice a lot on free games before you feel comfortable that you can keep up with the speed of the game.
You may also want to look into a Poker Odds Calculator. These are pretty slick add ons you can get for online poker that does a lot of the math for you up front. It tracks the cards flopped and other players play. They are usually free. Reviews can be found at www.pokeroddscalculator.org

In future articles watch for some more detailed tips to win at online poker.

Brad Fulty
Poker Odds Calculator - http://www.pokeroddscalculator.org