Online poker is huge. Real people make big money every day. Real people loose big money every day, too. The truth is, online poker is fun and exciting, but most of us never make the big time. I personally know someone who makes a good living playing poker online, but for most of us it’s merely a hobby. This article will help the newbie to online play avoid common pitfalls and mistakes that can burn your bankroll before you even get a chance to warm up. I’m not going to discuss strategy or games, however, there are hundreds of really good books and online articles that discuss this – I highly recommend that you read some. You can also try visiting situs poker online terpercaya for more information and actual tips on how to start as a beginner in playing poker online.
The first thing you need to do is find a good site. If you’re an American, you will be limited due to US gambling laws (to date, the government is not targeting players, only the owners of the poker rooms, so don’t worry – yet). Additionally, some credit card companies and banks will not permit deposits to gaming sites. If you can’t make a deposit for this reason don’t worry, you can use a virtual Visa for a nominal fee and the poker room you choose will walk you through this process. You will also want to choose a room based on the amount of any bonuses that most sites offer for opening an account.
Most sites will give you extra money based on the amount of your deposit. Of course they will limit how much of that you can withdraw at any one time, otherwise people would merely open an account, get the bonus money and walk away. Usually, you will get bonus incrementally, based on how often you play. You will also receive bonus points, or player points, that can be used to buy things or play more poker. Don’t ignore these points. Good players can win everything from clothes to cars, and even vacations and other valuable considerations. True stories abound of players winning millions by gaining entry into big tournaments through other games that they entered using these points, and you don’t need very many points to do this.
So you’ve found a room. Before you deposit money, you’ll need to come up with a handle, your poker room name. Be creative, all the obvious ones are taken, and you probably don’t want to use your real name. I also don’t recommend using a name that reveals your style of play, even if you’re trying to be crafty (good players will peg you on this within a few rounds). For instance, I don’t recommend names like “AllinAnyJack,” or “CallsMonstersOnly.” You’re just giving up information about yourself that others can use.
Now you’re ready to make your deposit and get playing. Before you buy into your first game, I recommend taking some time to navigate the lobby, watch some play, and learn the payoffs. Even though most of you will be playing for fun, you should still be in it to win, so you’ll want to understand which games are which.
I’ m not talking about Hold ‘Em versus Omaha, or No Limit versus Pot Limit. These are personal choices, although the most popular game by far is No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em. Whatever you play, just remember that no limit is just that, no limit. The only thing that will stop you from blowing your entire stack in a game like this is the size of your bank roll, so be careful, and read some good books!
O.K., now lets get playing! In the beginning, I recommend that you stay away from cash games. These are games where you pay for every blind and every bet with real money. It’s too easy to get carried away and you want to protect your bankroll while you get the hang of your new hobby (addiction, job). Especially at first, tournaments and “Sit amp; Go’s” are they way to get your feet wet. Just in case you’re wondering, a “Sit amp; Go” is a like a quickie tournament. You play anywhere from one to nine other players (although there are larger field Sit amp; Go’s), and you can get through them in a reasonable amount of time. Tournaments can take hours (and I mean hours), but the payoffs are much bigger.
Before you toss in your first virtual chips, I’d like to offer on final piece of advice. You need to understand bankroll management. This is quite possibly the most important aspect for any poker player’s success, but it’s especially true of online play. Online you will see a hand almost every minute or two. This effects your bankroll big time. In real world games, it could take you hours to see the same amount of hands or play in the same amount of games that online may take forty-five minutes. Therefore, you must guard your bankroll and make it last. I’ve found that if you follow a few simple rules regarding bankroll management, you will be able to keep your money and even make some money! Basically, you just want to keep playing, and of course you need money to do this. Never enter a Sit amp; Go with more than say five percent of your available money.
This ensures that you will be able to play enough games to get your feet wet, try different strategies, and catch some payoffs, thus building instead of diminishing your stack. In cash games, the same rule applies, but if you are ahead by more than ten or fifteen percent of your original buy in, cash out! You can keep playing, just re-buy into the same or different table with five percent of your bankroll. As your bankroll grows, your buy in grows, giving you an opportunity to grow your stack. This takes some real discipline, especially if you’ve lost a few rounds or tournaments. The temptation to buy in big hoping for that huge payoff rarely works. Usually you’ll just go broke, so don’t do it! This is a fact and even the best players who win consistently will advise you to manage your bankroll and guard it carefully.
Now hit some tables and have fun. I wish you good luck, and I’ll see you at the tables!
