When you play poker online you are playing against a computer instead of another person. This can be a big change for new players and it takes some getting used to. It also means that you can’t read physical tells and will likely have to rely on reading your opponents betting patterns. It’s an advanced poker skill but one that you can learn and should include in your game plan.
When choosing a poker site you should look for one that offers a good variety of games and tournaments. You’ll also want to find a site that uses top-notch encryption to protect your personal information. It should also offer a variety of bonuses to keep you coming back for more. Some examples of these bonuses are additional chips when you sign up, cash-back rewards programs and rakeback. Ignition is a great example of a poker site that has all of these things plus more!
The first thing to do when you’re starting to play poker online is to determine how much money you can afford to invest in the game. Most people will start out small and work their way up to the higher stakes. It’s important to stick to this bankroll game-plan and never spend more than you can afford to lose. This is especially true in high stakes games where you can quickly get wiped out.
Another good tip for playing poker online is to limit the number of tables that you play on. This will help you focus and make the best decisions. Having too many tables open can actually make you worse at the game because you won’t be able to pay attention to each hand. Ideally, you should only be playing two or three tables at a time when you’re starting out.
You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with the rules of poker. This includes knowing how to rank your hands and what kind of hand wins in different situations. A great online tool for this is a Which Hand Wins Calculator, which can give you the answer to any question you may have about a particular hand.
When you start to play poker online you’ll likely be dealt a lot of hands, particularly in turbo Sit n Gos and fast-fold cash games. It’s easy to be tempted to play weak hands or to overplay your strong ones, but you should only play the best hands. Otherwise, you’ll just be losing money. Poker is a game of skill over the long run and the best players spend as much time studying their game as they do playing it. If you commit to learning your craft by signing up for training sites like Chip Leader Coaching or Upswing Poker, networking with successful pros and brutally analyzing your play after every session, you’ll eventually be on the road to success!