How to Get Started In Online Poker

Playing poker online is ever increasingly popular and the game with the greatest following is Texas hold'em. Around the world thousands of people are playing Texas hold'em online every day. If you have decided to try your hand at this growing phenomenon, you may find the following tips very helpful. As you get more advanced you will realize that understanding marginal situations is crucial in poker.

The Switch -- Live Play to Online Texas Hold'em

Switching from live play to online Texas hold'em is extremely easy in practical terms. You will no longer have to worry about keeping play-dates with friends or finding enough people to play poker at any given time, as there are Texas hold'em hands running 24/7 online.

There is no longer a need to leave your home in order to play or a need to spend money on the venture. Tactically your arsenal has changed, as you will no longer be face to face with the opposition, thus reading their physical tells is not an option and you no longer have to maintain your "poker face" in play.

Instead of physical tells, you will be utilizing data collection on your opponents and paying attention to the speed and frequency with which they bet. There are also many software programs available that calculate poker odds and can assist your decision making process.

Texas Hold'em as a New Experience

If you have no experience in playing Texas hold'em, or poker in general, it is a good idea to prepare yourself ahead of time by learning the rules and basic strategies involved in Texas hold'em. The first piece of advice that you might hear repeatedly is to carefully select the hands you choose to play. Playing too many hands is the most recurring newcomer mistake in Texas hold'em.

Visiting large poker sites with free-play tables or "freerolls" is the best way to get started. Additionally, asking experienced players for advice is a good move to make.

Stepping Up the Game

The odds are against your doing well in your very first game of online Texas hold'em, but don't get discouraged. It could take some time for you to learn and or adjust to online Texas hold'em, but you will improve with time and experience. In fact, the only real way to improve is to continue playing.