There’s no better time to try online gaming than in the middle of the pandemic when access to casinos is limited. Aside from accessibility, online gaming is also more flexible and gives you more game options, including card games like poker. However, online poker exposes you to players all over the world and against all skill levels. It’s easy to end up in fast and aggressive plays that can be overwhelming. Winning can be a challenge, even in small stakes online poker games.
Fortunately, many strategies will help you profit from your online games by making the best plays possible. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Learn the art of bluffing
Poker is a game of both timing and skill, and bluffing is a big part of poker strategy that mixes both. You can’t control the cards you’re dealt, but you can control what everyone thinks you’re given. If you have a bad hand, you’ll have to make others think that your hand is better than theirs to get them to fold. But if you have great cards, it’s a good move to play it cool. This way, the pot can keep growing so you can get the best possible reward for your hand. Bluffing takes practice and experience, so don’t be disheartened if you can’t pull it off perfectly at first.
Be prepared to lay down big hands
It’s important to listen to the bets and observe what your opponents are playing. After all, some players play flops before a strong hand like a flush. You also have to be familiar with poker hand rankings to know which cards can beat your hand or whether you have the strongest hand. For example, if you have a straight flush, you have a very high probability of winning as the only other hand that can beat it is a higher straight flush, such as a royal flush, and those are incredibly rare. Knowing the odds of winning with each hand will give you the confidence to play hard for a high pot.
Always be aware of your position
Your table position may seem trivial, but understanding what advantages being in certain positions have can help you formulate your strategy. If you’re in an early position, such as being the big or small blind, you can tactically raise or re-raise to force other player’s to make a move. Being in a late position means you should try to get a much information about your opponents’ hands as possible and change your strategy accordingly. Being in the early position can be difficult as you’re the first to act without knowing how your opponents will be moving. As such, the closer you are to the early position, the more careful you’ll need to play. Online poker games can progress quickly, so you should always keep your position in mind to avoid making bad plays and rash decisions.
Don’t be afraid to fold
The action is fast in online poker, and this speed means you can be dealt more hands in a given time compared to live poker. Because of this, folding can be an easier decision since another hand will be along in a minute anyway. You may find it boring sitting at your PC or gaming console and folding a lot of hands, however, you shouldn’t give in to the temptation to play poor hands simply because you want to make a play. If you find yourself unsure of your next move when faced with a raise, it’s usually best to fold. Only choose to play if you’re completely sure of your hand.
