Online Poker Mistakes and How Not to Make Them

Maybe you've played poker in the "real world" but are new to online poker. Or maybe you're new to the game itself and are starting out online. Here are a few potential mistakes you can make and some suggestions for how to avoid them.

Playing too many hands. Unless you're having a serious run of luck or have lots of cash to throw away, this is not a good idea - in online poker or the real world. Learn to tell the good hands from the bad ones, and fold the bad ones.

Playing too quickly. Online poker is fast, but that doesn't mean you should stop thinking or strategizing. If you need to, take all the time you're allowed. You'll probably find that you have more than enough time to make a good decision.

Playing distracted. In online poker the action's all on the screen and not in the room around you. You may find yourself getting bored and decide to do something else - like check your email - while you're waiting for someone to make their move or sitting out a hand. But don't give in to the temptation. You'll lose track of what's going on, you may lose your turn - and you may even lose money in the process.

Not recording what's happening. You need those notes to help you learn and remember what you do that works and doesn't work. And you need them to keep track of what the other players do, too. Take the time to make them, maybe in a text file that's normally hidden under your main window but that you can bring up whenever you need to. (This is about the only time it's a good idea to have another window open when you're playing online poker.)

Paying too much attention to your own cards and not enough attention to what the other players are doing. In online poker it's easy to get focused on only what you have, especially since you can't see the other players' faces or body language. But in poker - any kind, online or off - it's possible to win with a relatively minor hand. And the only way you can do that is to read and know how to deal with the other players.

Staying at the same table even when you're losing. If you're losing a lot, it may not be your fault; maybe the people at your table are too advanced for you. In online poker there many, many tables available most of the time. Move to another one and see if your luck improves. If you start winning again, then it probably wasn't luck.

Playing too high or too low of a limit. If the limit's too high, you might be playing against people who are too likely to beat you. If the limit's too low, you might stop worrying about losing and could start playing carelessly. Online poker gives you lots of limit choices. Try games with different limits, make and record your observations (about yourself and the other players), and then find a middle ground.

Playing no-limit games the same way you play limit games. They aren't the same; there's a whole different dynamic going on with no-limit games. If you're not used to these games ease into them slowly - or maybe stay away from them altogether if your bank account is limited.

Playing online the same way you play in the "real world." Online poker is different. It can be harder to stay focused, you may have to play faster, and you'll have to try to figure out your opponents' hands by watching how they're betting. All of these can be hard in the beginning, but don't worry - they get easier the more you do them.

And a final tip - sometimes mistakes can turn out lucky. For example, you may find yourself winning big in a no-limit game. But a lot of times this is just luck - and luck can change. If you want to win at online poker, at least try not to take chances until you know what you're doing. Informed decisions, in any situation, are always the best.