The Secret to Success with Online Poker

Playing poker has been a passion of mine for many years. I have always enjoyed a variety of games. My favorites are Omaha and Texas Hold 'em, but I will also play Seven Card Stud and Razz. When I say I'll play a certain game, I mean I'm willing to play for money. This was never intended to be a full-time commitment. There are a number of great players who do it for a living and that was never for me. The stress involved in high stakes gambling for a living must be tremendous. I have been hugely successful in finding stress in many other parts of life and didn't feel it necessary to add to my plate with my profession. Therefore, it remains a pleasurable recreational activity but also generates some residual income.

Traveling to casinos, wherever they may be, has always been great fun. My poison upon arrival has always been the poker tables. Although many prefer pit games like Black Jack and Roulette, I have always preferred opportunities that offer a reasonable rate of return. This is why I prefer poker. I just don't believe the pit games offer much chance of winning. The casinos continue to remain in business because most of the games give the edge to the house. Obviously they wouldn't stay in business if it was an even playing field. There's a great line spoken by a villain in Jackie Chan's movie Rush Hour. The character is a casino owner and he says "Gambling is the greatest business in the world. People come and give you money and in return you give them nothing." That sums it up quite well.

The great thing about casinos however is they are real. When you are inside you can see all the people. You can see the dealer who is running your game. You can see the cards being dealt and where they are coming from. You can put your hands on your chips and mostly everything else in the casino to assure yourself that it is all real. The same can not be said about online poker. One of the great things about the game of poker is being able to see your opponents. This enables you to put a read on other players in the game and introduces another element of skill. With online poker you can't see the other players and so the element of chance becomes more prominent.

What makes poker a great game is that skill factors into play. Most casino games rely more heavily upon the element of chance. Online poker seems to take away some of your edge as a player since it denies you some of the opportunities you could capitalize on in a casino. Not being able to see the other players is a hugely significant part of the game. Online you don't see the cards. You don't even see a deck. What I mean by this is that online you are participating with a computer program. Those aren't real cards you are seeing on the screen because they are all just part of the program. It is all computer imagery. Computer programs are artificial simulations and subject to human intervention. The program can be designed to do whatever the programmer wants. You can't even be 100% certain those are other people at the table with you.

There has been considerable debate amongst the poker playing community about online gaming sites for some time. I have friends who believe the sites are rigged. I have other friends who believe that since the sites have been so financially successful, they would never risk anything illegal for fear of being shut down. I remain undecided. One thing I can tell you for certain is that we all tried playing online and none of us do anymore. There did seem to be more action hands per hour than I could remember experiencing at a casino but that could be because the program is capable of "dealing" many more hands per hour than a human dealer.

There are a couple of things that should be considered in making your determination about participating with online poker sites. It would seem that many of these companies that run these sites are incorporated outside the continental United States. Considering there are states like Delaware and Florida that have tremendous protections for incorporators, it is curious as to why these companies have chosen to go off shore. I'm sure they have good reasons. The Federal government recently passed legislation making it illegal for a number of online companies to transfer the funds of American citizens to these gaming sites. Again, there must have been good reasons.

The great thing about online poker sites is that you can play for free. This means that you can sign up and experience the programs on these various sites with no financial risk whatsoever. Try experimenting with a number of different sites. Compare and see if the virtual program appears just as random as most real card games you have experienced. Another thing to note is that many of these poker sites have what are called freeroll tournaments. These allow you to compete in poker tournaments for free, which will allow you to experience the program in a tournament setting, and give you the chance to win real money. I've always enjoyed the opportunity to win real money when I haven't had to risk any of my own.

If you do decide to put real money into an online poker site remember to do your homework. Check the site out first by playing on it for free. Ask around and see if anyone you know has experienced the site you are considering. Most importantly and I know it sounds trite, but play responsibly and know your limit. That is the real secret to a successful experience with online poker.