How To Win Low Stakes Online Poker
Reality: Your Goals with Poker
Let’s start this topic with a brief reality check: Do you play poker to have fun, or do you play poker to win money? Most people quickly answer, “Both!” But do you consider a small loss during a poker session as acceptable, as an “entertainment fee” or something similar? If so, don’t expect to win consistently, even at small stakes, the starting point for most players.
Money is the essence of poker – it’s the way the game is scored, and it’s the reason poker players play. It’s all about winning. Winning at small-stakes poker is where even the biggest and most famous players start. So get your head on straight if you’re serious about the game, ‘k?
Now that the scarin’ is done, rest assured that is indeed possible to both enjoy playing while playing to win at the same time. Let’s say you’ve fired up an online table or three or you’re soon to be sitting in a chair at your nearby casino. Here are some quick pointers to help make more of your sessions winning ones, and make you into a profitable small-stakes player:
Neatly organized by the stakes he was playing, the table — which went viral in the poker world around 2009 — catalogs his online poker winnings: He’d made a $53 profit playing at a table. This is where the beauty of online poker comes in with the ability to multi-table. Being able to play many tables at once allows you to scale up your winnings to the point where it is very possible to make a meaningful side income playing even at very low stakes. In the business world we would often refer to this as economies of scale.
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- When I sit down at a poker table, my goal isn't to win. It's to play correct poker. I don't try to justify any call or fold- I just try to do what I think is best. I don't always get it right, but that attitude has helped me avoid the emotional playing that would have easily turned me into a net loser.
Figure out what your best game is, and play it as often as possible. You might be more suited to cash games than tourneys, or vice versa; you might have a knack for Omaha, as opposed to hold’em or other forms of the game; you might be best at short-handed or heads-up play, as opposed to full-ring games. Whatever it is, figure it out and get as good at that form as fast as you can. You need to build your bankroll if you’re going to survive the variance of the game, and getting a good start is often the toughest part.
Strategize
Becoming a better player, becoming profitable, means studying the version of the game that you decide to play. Read books, visit discussion forums, subscribe to video-coaching services, buy PokerTracker, open up the nosebleed tables and watch the stars play… do whatever you can to improve. The game itself is also changing, meaning that there is no one perfect way to play. Years ago tight-aggressive (TAG) play was the best way to make consistent money, but in this decade a loose-aggressive (LAG) style has gained dominance. Aggression in poker is almost always a plus, and learning what works best for you will soon have you raking in the chips.
Exploit Weakness
In poker, as in life, the strong prey on the weak. One noted poker tome made famous the poker truism that if all players played perfect poker, only the house would win, via the rake. To win at low stakes poker you must identify weaknesses in your opponents, and exploit them. Small-stakes games are perfect for this, because there are lots of weak players there, making all kinds of different mistakes. Take notes if you can, too.
Beware Overconfidence
Knocked off a few good winning sessions, have you? Thinking about a jump to higher stakes? The wise player takes his time. Track your sessions and make sure you are dominating the games at your current level – winning a couple of big blinds (BBs) or more per hundred hands over thousands of hands – before jumping up. Make sure you’re properly bankrolled, too, because short money is scared money; it plays defensively and is usually easy prey for others.
Author:Joseph Falchetti (twitter)
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How to Win at Online Poker
Playing poker online has quickly become one of the internet’s most popular pastimes. Whether you are a regular poker player online or in real life, or you are just starting out, these tips should help you win more games at online poker.
Start by Playing Low Stakes Games
For all level of players, it is a good idea to begin playing online poker with low stakes. Playing low stakes at the start gives you a chance to learn the nuances of online poker playing, and give yourself a chance to see the ‘lay of the land’ before you move on to higher stake games where mistakes will cost you more. It also lets you begin with a smaller bankroll that you can build up before moving to bigger games, so you are playing with your winnings and not your hard-earned cash at the higher stakes tables.
Practice Makes Perfect
Even if you are an experienced player, you are still going to have to make some adjustments in order to get used to the online poker experience. Most poker players are not used to having to play to enforced time limits. In a real-life poker game, you have time to make decisions and to bank your money, but online there are time constraints you must adhere to, and this can often cause problems for new online players. Make sure you play a lot of games before stepping into higher stakes competitions to get used to the rhythms of online poker.
Stay Free of Distractions and Disruptions
Poker playing can be intense and requires a lot of concentration and decision making. This is easy in a real-life casino, where tables and the areas they are in are free of overt distractions and disruptions, but it isn’t the same at home. Try and create a space free of distractions where you can minimize disruptions and concentrate on your poker playing. Don’t let yourself become distracted by your phone or other web pages.
Think About Making Some PC and Internet Upgrades
There is no killer app, add-on, or upgrade to help you become a better online poker player. Making some improvements to your PC or laptop and your connection to the web can help you though.
A well-performing personal computer will help you react and respond quickly to things that happen in the game. Playing on an old and slow laptop is not recommended. You will also benefit from a faster connection to the internet, especially if you are playing in a family home. The last thing you want to happen is connection issues in the middle of a hand of poker because someone else in the house started watching Netflix. Consider getting a better chair and playing at a desk or table too. If you spend a lot of time sitting down, immersed in the game, you will need good ergonomic back support to prevent aches and pains while you play for long periods.
Prepare Yourself for Losses
How To Win Low Stakes Online Poker Strategy
Even the best poker players in the world lose a lot of games. Each loss is an opportunity to learn, and you should see the value in losing.
When you have played a losing hand, take some time after the game to analyze what happened and what you could have done differently. It is important to do this if you are going to improve the quality of your play and develop your strategies so you can win more consistently. Luck is important in poker, but knowledge is the most powerful asset you can take to a poker table, online or offline.
Don’t Rush into Multi-table Gaming
Many online poker players play at multiple tables at once to try and maximize their profits and get the best return possible from the time they spend playing. Anyone can do this, and be successful, but take your time to learn the games and its nuances before playing multiple tables simultaneously.
Use Poker Software to Practice
Before you begin an online poker session, use free poker software to practice a little and warm up. Many people will log straight into their favorite poker site and start playing right away, but you will suffer fewer financial losses if you take some time to warm up playing against an AI before you start playing for real money stakes.
Take Regular Breaks from the Game
Don’t let yourself get stuck playing poker for endless hours – it is not good for your physical or mental health. Take regular breaks away from the game and away from the computer. Look for an online casino like Unikrn that has the best online slots as well as online poker options. They have a wide range of fun slot machines that you can play to break the monotony of poker, and maybe win a little extra money to play with while you do.
How To Win Low Stakes Online Poker Results
Remember, the number one reason to play online poker is to have fun, so if it stops being fun, then you should stop playing for a while. Follow some of these tips and you should be able to enjoy playing online poker, and win plenty of games!