There are advantages to playing online poker that do not exist in live poker.
Pokerstars is the largest online poker site, and has the biggest tournaments with the biggest prizes. To maximize your winnings on Pokerstars, you need to combine the winning strategies used by live poker professionals with the resources and tools offered in online poker. There are subtle but very important differences between playing live poker and playing online poker. In online poker, for example, you cannot see you opponents, so you cannot read their body language. Specific online strategies can give you an advantage.
Bankroll Management
This is one of the most important concepts to understand if you want to be a winning poker player over a long period of time. Bankroll management means knowing how much money to risk on any given hand so you can handle the downswings without going broke. There is an element of luck in poker, and even if you play your hands perfectly you can still lose because your opponent gets luckier. There are three general bankroll rules. If you're playing in no-limit poker games, you should have at least 20 times the maximum buy-in in your bankroll. If you're playing in limit poker games, you should have at least 300 big blinds. If you're playing in sit-and-go tournaments, you should have at least 40 buy-ins in your bankroll.
Position
Understanding position is a key concept for any winning poker player. In general, it's best to play tight in early position. This means playing only strong hands and not bluffing. In early position you have the least amount of information, because the other players have not yet had to act. For example, if there are nine players at your "table" and you are the first player to act, there are eight people still to play who might have a better hand than you. If you're playing in late position, you can be more aggressive because there are fewer players left to act, and thus a lesser chance that someone is holding a stronger hand.
Multi-Tabling
This is a tactic for winning online players to increase their winnings. Multi-tabling means playing more than one table at a time. If you're making a profit playing 25/50 cent no-limit hold 'em, then by playing four times as many games you stand to increase your winnings by 400 percent. Don't try to play too many tables, as this can cause you to lose focus, play too quickly and make mistakes. There is a "sweet spot" with the number of tables a person should play, and it varies from player to player. You want to play the highest number of tables that you feel comfortable with, so that you maximize winnings without sacrificing your play.
Tracking Software
Tracking software can give you a substantial advantage when playing online poker. The software gives you information on your opponents based on a database of their previously played hands. Tracking software can inform you whether a player is tight or aggressive, how often he bluffs, how often he folds, how much money he has won or lost playing online poker, etc. This information helps you with decision-making and can give you an edge against other online poker players.
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