Getting Started With Online Poker

Poker is a hugely popular game for a lot of reasons. It’s social, it rewards actual skill unlike slots or the lottery and it can be played anytime, anywhere from the comfort of your own home. In addition, it’s easy to learn and the basics are surprisingly simple. There’s even a decent amount of strategy involved that keeps people interested and the stakes aren’t too high to get into.

With all these factors in mind it’s no wonder that poker is such a popular pastime for both recreational and professional players alike. But online poker is a whole new ballgame and it requires some extra effort to master. That’s why more and more players are enrolling in online poker coaching sites and investing in the best poker software to hone their skills. The result is that more and more poker players are taking their game to the next level.

Getting Started with Poker Online

The first step is to decide whether you’d like to play poker on your computer or mobile device. Then you need to sign up for a user account at your preferred poker site. This will involve entering your personal details and age verification (most sites have an age limit to prevent underage gambling). You’ll then be provided with a poker client that you can download or use the no-download options for the instant play version of the games.

After signing up for an account with your chosen poker site you can log in to see the available games and their stakes. The lobbies are usually categorized by Cash Games, Tournaments, Sit & Go’s and any special poker formats that the site runs. Some sites also have a dedicated tab for Beginner tables that will seat you at a table with other players who have self-classified themselves as beginners. This dramatically levels the playing field for newer players and can be a great way to ease into the faster pace of online poker.

One of the most important differences between live and online poker is the speed at which hands are dealt. Online poker is considerably faster than live poker and this can make players experience more variance in the short term, which can feel worse than it actually is.

While this difference can be a deterrent for some newer players, it is important to remember that there are many ways to reduce variance. The best way to do this is to track your results and understand what works and what doesn’t. Luckily, most online poker sites provide session stats that you can access once the session is over. You can look at things like your win-rate, number of flops seen and times you went to showdown. These stats can help you identify patterns in your play and adjust your strategy accordingly. This will ultimately lead to you winning more money in the long run.