Online Poker Sites: 5 Advantages and 5 Tips

Online poker sites have changed the face of poker. Some players like them, others hate them. Let's look at the advantages of online poker sites compared with brick n' mortar casino poker.

Advantages

Speed. Online poker is blindingly swift. Even on a 56K modem. A computer shuffles and deals the cards, and everything is point and click. So there is no long waiting between moves. Beware though: Since play is extremely fast-paced, it can overwhelm you if you're new and just learning the rules of the game.

Notes. The ability to make quick notes is very helpful for serious players. You don't need to make a mental record of the action even if you can. The online poker site's software saves the info for you.

Multiple Tables. If you fold or sit out often, you'll find yourself doing nothing much of the time. You can use the time to read your opponents. But if you're itching for action, you can play in other tables instead! Online poker sites have countless poker rooms waiting for you and you can join more than one simultaneously!

Anonymity. The internet lets you play without being seen. There are no tells except for your actual game play. This narrows down the focus in online poker sites considerably. It also gives you room to whine, cuss, cheer and gloat all you want.

Convenience. Play anytime, anywhere, so long as you have a computer! No long waiting for a table to be available!

Tips

Here are some tips for playing in online poker sites:

Gender-Bender. Use feminine aliases. If you're a woman, why not use it to your advantage? If you're a man, why not pretend to be a woman to use it to your advantage? Hey, it's a game and your goal is to win! There is nothing sexist here, but the fact is many (not all!) male players get shy playing their best game when they think they are up against a woman. Just pray that you don't run into a real female player who won't give a damn about your tactic then!

Avatar or No Avatar? Do you post a picture to represent yourself or not? One advantage of that is it can influence the way players feel about you for the better. Post a cute photo of a cute lady and just wait. Someone will drop you a nice "Hey, girl!" in the chat box. (We've seen it happen!) Better yet, try posting a cute baby animal pic. Might just soften up an animal lover (can't say for the kid with asthma though).

Multi-Tabling? Don't play in several tables unless you're very confident about you game. Poker is all about focus and careful thought. The quality of your play will suffer if you play half-assed in two tables instead of giving it your all in just one. Play multiple tables only when you've folded or sat out in one.

Sit Out. If you've taken a sore beating, sit it out. Play is so quick that you have no time to settle down between hands. If you feel a tilt coming on, sit out or fold. Give yourself time to get over the loss.

Time. Use the timer to confuse your opponents. If you want to raise but you feel they may fold (when what you want is a bigger pot), put some delay in first. Make it look like you're having second thoughts before an act. Act fast only if you want to rattle someone.

Now with this knowledge, you can start having fun with online poker sites. We're sure you'll be won over in no time!