Switching to Online Poker Tables: What Casino Players Need to Know
4 minutes
Posted by: Ivan
Poker is a truly amazing and entertaining game. The rules are easy to learn, so just about anyone can play.
However, it takes a lot of skill to be good at poker, and if you plan to become a professional, you will have to pay attention to what's going around you closely.
Poker is typically played at the table in a home setting or at a casino. That being said, many people play poker online via an app or a website.
It can be a platform specifically dedicated to poker or an online casino with lots of poker variants. Here we will go over some tips on how to adapt to online poker if you have only played at a regular casino so far.
Why Play Online
One of the main appeals of poker is that you get to sit at the table and look your opponents in the eye and try to tell if they are bluffing.
So, not being able to see anyone and also remaining anonymous can take away a huge portion of fun. However, playing online is more convenient, cheaper, and almost always available.
During the pandemic, online casinos and poker sites have tripled their revenue, because gambling enthusiasts didn’t have other options.
Also, you can qualify for many live events via online tournaments. Therefore, knowing how to play in this environment will be helpful if you plan to go pro.
What You Should Know About Online Casinos
There are a few differences you should be aware of before playing poker online. Depending on where you are located, some sites might not be available to you.
This is because an operator needs to be licensed to offer online gambling services in a specific region.
If you're so lucky to have access to the best online casinos in Denmark, you will be able to enjoy different bonuses. Denmark has a good and well-regulated online gambling industry, and its providers are legitimate, so you’ll enjoy a safe gaming environment.
You should always play on a licensed website and maybe even do a background check on an operator to make sure it's not a scam.
Another thing you should know is that you have limited time to act when playing online. You don’t have much time to just sit and drag the game.
This is a good thing, especially if you love fast-paced matches. Also, there is no dealer, so it's just software assigning cards, which means you don’t have to tip, either.
There are also certain poker variations online that are entirely luck-based. You are not playing against other players but against the house.
It’s very similar to playing slots or other games of chance, so don’t mix these games with actual poker with real people.
This is also not the same as playing against advanced AI since this AI will act like a real player. With that in mind, let’s see what you should know about your opponents.
Online Poker Players
As mentioned, you cannot see or interact with your opponents during the online game. However, some online games have a feature that allows you to track game history and see how other players made decisions during previous hands.
This is very important, as you will have to use this info to profile your opponents. Basically, there are four main types of online players:
- Loose
- Tight
- Loose aggressive
- Tight aggressive
You will likely fall into some of these categories yourself, as you are trying to ascertain who is who at the table.
Bear in mind that just being in one of these categories doesn’t necessarily make you a bad player. However, sticking to the same strategy constantly does.
If you are not shifting gears, not reading the situation correctly, and just sticking to the same strategy, you will lose.
This is why you need to examine your plays and how you acted in previous situations. This way, you will get a good idea of what other players think of you and how they might try to play against you.
The best approach is simply to play a few practice poker hands and see if you can identify any bad players at the table.
Knowing who is bad at the game can help you isolate them and win some extra chips so that you have a better chance against tougher opposition.
Playing on Apps
There are phone or browser apps you can use to play poker online for free. This could be a good practice, especially if you have some competitive friends to play with.
Playing against random people might or might not be a good experience. If there is no real money involved, the play will likely be on the looser side.
Still, there is a chance you’ll come across a few formidable opponents who are even better than those playing for real money.
All in all, it’s a good experience if you have never played online before and need to get used to not seeing the faces of opposing gamblers.
Conclusion
These were some important things to know for regular casino players who haven’t had the chance to play online poker so far.
Don’t let your prior success make you overconfident. This is a different game where a lot of things that you know won’t work.
You won’t be able to tell who is frustrated or not, and you only have to rely on recorded data to figure out who your opponent might be.
Also, don’t allow for initial failures to discourage you. If you wish to become a pro, you need to learn how to play both online and offline.
