For many players, the entry into the game of poker begins on online platforms. Online poker is a really great opportunity to get to know the game, its variants and its multi-faceted strategies – and that from the comfort of your own home. Playing in online poker rooms is also good training, as there are plenty of tables to choose from, around the clock. Hundreds of thousands of players cavort online poker, all with different skills, experiences and behaviors. While there are no physical reactions from fellow players, online poker players can study their opponents in other ways. Online poker is also very fast, with lots of poker hands being played, non-stop and around the clock. There is hardly any time to think during or between the hands, but this trains sharp thinking and quick reactions. At the same time, this is exactly what makes playing online poker so stressful.
When it comes to learning, there is generally no standstill in the game of poker and committed players actually have to work constantly on their game. The most important starting point in improving your own poker game is to avoid mistakes or at least to minimize them. Whether you are playing online or in real live poker, whether you are playing for fun or for money, it is always important to be aware of the possibilities where mistakes are typically made. Since it’s really annoying to lose at poker all the time, in this blog post we’d like to address some of the most important mistakes players make while playing poker and give some tips on the way.
The poker table – unpleasant teammates
Especially when it comes to online games, there is a large audience due to the huge selection of tables. Every player has his own way of playing, regardless of the skill level. Some play extremely aggressively at the tables and others too conservatively, called “tight” in poker jargon. All of this may not correspond to your own style of playing and it also doesn’t put you in the mood to play. Now this can be considered a good exercise for those who don’t mind losing a bit of money for it. But in general, players who want to win and enjoy the game should take advantage of the many tables in online poker and choose the table that suits them. There is nothing more irritating than having a teammate who keeps going all-in on the flop. Just as uncomfortable can be a table at which all players play very tightly, do not trust themselves and nip every good hand in the bud. Therefore, players should carefully choose the table at which they want to play for a longer period of time and rather leave if it does not fit.
The desire to play is the right attitude
If you don’t really feel like playing poker, you shouldn’t either. Playing listlessly and unfocused doesn’t help, except to end up sitting there with empty hands. If you lose your enthusiasm in the game, you should rather stop playing almost indifferently and lose your money.
Buy-in and chips – serious business in poker
If players forget that the plastic chips in front of them are actually real money replacements, that’s a big mistake. That happens more often than expected. One blind after the other is played thoughtlessly, there is risky gamble and loss. Depending on their bankroll, losses can often be painful, so all players should use their chips with some awe and always treat them like real money. If you don’t understand that, you can try it out in a private poker round and play with real money.
Starting hands – do not play churning out
Certainly it is sometimes very pleasant to see how your weak starting hand goes better than some strong starting hands when the right community cards are revealed on the flop. But should you therefore continue to play every starting hand? This is particularly attractive with incomplete hands, so-called draws, which could develop really promisingly. However, a player may have to call many expensive betting rounds first. And if you continue with bad cards and always hope for the one card that turns the game around, you lose in the long run. The urge to play every starting hand definitely carries a high risk of losing. Incidentally, successful poker players only play around every fifth round with good hands. And they also deal with the math in the game of poker. There are many statistics and some rules that show when it is worthwhile to continue with a draw and when it is not. If you want to win money at online poker, you shouldn’t just gamble – you should rather play with your brain!
Position at the poker table – a key to success
It makes a big difference whether a player sits right after the dealer button or holds it himself. A position at the end of the round has the advantage that you had time to observe how your fellow players reacted in order to collect information and ultimately assess their possible hands. Accordingly, this information can be used to assess and play out your own game. Players should not disregard their position at the poker table and use it to their advantage.…
In order to be successful at online poker tables in the long term, players not only have to adhere to the clearly defined rules of the game, but also to certain unwritten rules. The unwritten rules don’t have so much to do with the game of poker itself, but with the manners at the virtual poker table. If all players stick to good manners, they contribute to an optimal, fair but at the same time exciting game play, which is also much more fun in the long run. And what’s fun is attractive and gives players the chance to win they want. Here are a few examples of good online poker etiquette.
Politics or religion should not be discussed at the virtual poker table. Also, all actions such as general hostility that lead to personal enmity are absolutely to be avoided in the chat room. Schadenfreude is also inappropriate. Dogged, aggressive or generally unfriendly behavior of a player can bring him into the focus of the other players, who will see him as an enemy in the game and will try to destroy his game accordingly.
