Many casinos have moved into the digital sphere, contributing to the boom in online gaming. PRNewswire.com reports that the industry is currently worth $72.02 billion and is expected to be valued at $112.09 billion by 2025, showing a growth of 12% – with poker being one of the most commonly played games on these online platforms.
If you want to become better at playing poker online, or just be more invested in the game, you need to continue practicing and honing your skills. There are a few concepts that can help you win more online games, and here are three of the basic ones you should know:
Use references and tools to improve your game
A big difference between online poker from traditional games is that matches on the internet can be a mixed bag: You can get both amateurs and pros alike in a single game. Because of this, many of the matches you will encounter will be fast-paced and challenging as seasoned players will control the game. Yet there are ways to even the odds. One of the advantages of online poker is that you can use references during the game, to ensure you don’t accidentally play the wrong hand and employ online poker tools to help you study your game.
If you are new to poker in general you should have a reference on hand. This poker hands ranking chart by Poker.org lists which hands beat which, as well as the number of combinations possible for each hand. Using this guide prevents you from making reckless and accidental plays and ensures that you are only betting when you are likely to win. Tools that top online players use include PokerTracker 4 that allows players to track their own playing history as well as their opponents. You can track the hands you performed well in and the ones where you made a mistake. If you play against the same opponents online, you will be able to study their playing style to gain an advantage.
Learn to play multiple tables
Another way online poker varies from its live counterpart is that playing multiple tables is easier. Many platforms allow you to stack your matches and compete in them simultaneously. While this sharpens your quick thinking, it also increases your chances of winning. It takes a certain amount of practice to be able to split your attention between different matches, and with more training, you will be able to become a stronger player.
It is best to start by playing multiple low-stakes games since you will most likely be going against new players that are also trying to build their skills. Since you are also playing more matches, you increase the probability of winning them, so multi-tabling is a viable way to strengthen your capabilities as an online poker player.
Understand your competitor’s patterns
The benefit of being able to play poker in a physical setting is that it is much easier to determine whether or not your opponent is bluffing. Instead of understanding your competitor’s physical tells, you can instead learn their patterns to know whether or not they are bluffing. One obvious sign is placing large bets when they have previously lost a few rounds or if the math doesn’t look right. This means you should be able to understand the odds before knowing how to determine if your opponent’s patterns are worth noting or not. An article on calculating odds by HowStuffWorks.com explains that it is unlikely that they should be raising the ante if the flop has bad cards.
If your opponents are also being aggressive with their plays, this might be a sign that they are chasing the game and are playing on emotion rather than probability. Knowing the signs will help you determine whether or not a situation calls for a fold, check, or raise.
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