Online poker is blurring the lines for players around the world. You can play for a penny or even satellite entry into some of the biggest live events on the planet from your desktop computer, laptop or mobile phone. Online poker also lets you play for a lot more stakes than ever before with tables offering up to the highest money prizes in existence.
Online casinos and poker sites make their money by taking a small percentage of each pot as a rake fee for running the game. To attract new players they offer up bonus offers which can sometimes be quite lucrative. These can be in the form of a match-up bonus on your first deposit, free tournament tickets or free spins on casino games. Some of these bonuses come with terms and conditions attached but it is still worth checking them out as they can be a great way to boost your bankroll when playing online poker.
In order to play online poker you need to download a piece of software from the poker site of your choice. This is typically done by clicking on a link from the homepage of the poker site or from an official download page. Once the software is installed you can then create a user account and login to start playing for real money. You may be asked to upload identification in order to verify your age or you may have to complete a short survey before being allowed to play.
The most popular poker game played online is No-Limit Texas Hold’em. This is the game that Doyle Brunson once called “the Cadillac of poker.” Thousands of these games are run around the clock on every online poker site. Several other poker variations are also available but Texas Hold’em is the one that everyone is familiar with and it is the perfect starting point for beginners.
There are a wealth of poker training resources available on the internet and these should be used as part of any player’s learning process. Many of these are free but a handful of the best require a small payment and these should be seen as an investment in your own education rather than a cost. By committing to making use of these resources and by treating them seriously you will see the rewards both financially and in the quality of your game.
A key skill to developing as a poker player is being able to look beyond the cards you have and consider what your opponent might have. This can be as simple as considering what they might call with certain hands or if they are likely to fold under pressure. By studying your opponents and understanding how they play you will be able to make better decisions when playing online poker. The numbers you see in training videos and on your poker software will begin to become ingrained in your brain and you will develop an intuition for things like frequencies and EV estimation.