Getting Started With Online Poker: A Beginner’s Guide
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010Poker is a world-wide phenomenon. Fortunes are won and lost everyday. If you are keen to start playing online poker, it can be challenging at first with many poker rooms and bonuses available to choose from.
There are many common mistakes and pitfalls that can be easily avoided and this article aims to deliver over ten years of experience in an easy to follow guide.
1) Select a reputable online poker room that is easy to navigate – Sounds obvious enough but many players pick the first room that gets advertised. The largest and most reputable poker rooms include sites such as Pokerstars, Full Tilt Poker, Ultimate Bet, Cake Poker, and Party Poker.
2) Sign up for a deposit bonus and rakeback deal – The first time you sign up with a poker room, you have the opportunity to set up your account to make extra money for the rest of your life. This requires a Rakeback Website and the most popular are Rakeback Power, Raketherake, and Rakebrain. When you sign up you will usually receive a) Deposit Bonus, b) Rakeback c) Rake Races / Chases and sometimes Freerolls as well. Check out a few providers and find the one that suits you best.
3) Practice with play money – This is essential to get a feel from the poker room controls and graphics. Set up your design to a way that suits you. Once you are comfortable, it is time to consider a real money deposit and to start earning your deposit bonus. Most bonuses match you initial deposit i.e. deposit $500 and receive $500 bonus. Bonuses are released slowly as you play a set number of poker hands.
4) Finances and Depositing – There are a few security procedures to go through when depositing real money. Often you might need to provide evidence including a license and utility bill to ensure you are a real person. There are many deposit options available and you should take the time to read through the different options available and work out the best for you. A recommended international and secure option is Neteller.
5) Poker Forums – I highly recommended the Two Plus Two forums. The oldest poker archive on the internet with every possible answer to every possible question.
6) Poker Books – There are numerous books around to improve your poker skills. I recommended starting off simple with either Doyle Brunson’s “Super System” or Dan Harrington’s “Harrington on Holdem”. There is no bad book on poker, the more you read, the more you will learn.
7) Software – I would firstly recommended Holdem Manager – A database that records all the hands you play so that you can review mistakes. It also allows you to have real time statistics about your opponents while you play. Table Ninja is a use program that allows you to use hot keys instead of clicking the buttons – Very useful if playing many tables.
Training Websites – Numerous poker training sites exist to make you a better play and the leading site would be Card Runners – packed full of poker training videos for all games and skill levels, blogs, strategy forums and coaching also available. Worth checking out. Other training sites include Deuces Cracked, Poker Savvy, Grind School and Poker Pwnage.
9) Bonus Whoring – As crude as it sounds, collecting multiple deposit bonuses is a very legitimate and recommended way of generating a bankroll early in your poker career.
10) Take care of yourself – Poker can be exhilarating when you win and infuriating when you lose. Look after yourself – eat well, exercise, take time away from the tables and most importantly keep smiling.
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