Kick Start Your Poker Career With Some Smarts

The "first time" always brings up fears and questions no matter what the occasion happens to be. Fear of the unknown and questions about going about the new endeavor, as well as questioning your own reasons for doing it are shared by all neophytes. There is a thrill along with the mystery in new undertakings, whether it be your first dance, first stage performance or your first day at a new school. Somehow we survive the "first time jitters' and grow to become adept and comfortable in whatever the activity.

Playing cards with friends and family was new once. Experience aided our performance and alleviated our fears. Many have played poker along with other home games. Now it's time for that online poker experience. Online poker is simply a different format from the brick and mortar game with friends and is enjoyed by millions. If you want to give it a go, there are a few things you must learn before you dive in. Online poker is competitive and challenging, a strong mental attitude and certain physical considerations must be acknowledged and practiced before you lay down that first bet.

You need to build a strong mental attitude as well as be physically fit to successfully compete and enjoy the games. Online poker will be scary at first. It's not the same as a friendly gathering for a few games with buddies. Online poker rooms offer a much different ambience than the home den. But have no fear. Take a few deep breaths, relax and allow yourself time to understand the basics of cyber poker.

When you first visit the online poker rooms, and you should definitely try out more than one site before playing for real, take advantage of the site's simulators, practice programs and "play money." Once your comfort level has risen, you can move on to a real game with real money. Do understand though that the right attitude to have is to accept whatever comes your way and think of it as a training ground for which you are paying your tuition.

During this initiation period, think about the games you like and why. Do you prefer tournament or cash games? You will have many questions as do all beginning poker players. You can find answers by reading poker articles, visiting forums and training sites. If you know anyone who plays online poker, they can be a wealth of information for you. In any case, proceed slowly and build your knowledge as you go. This is the best path to success. The more cautious approach will also allow you to build up your mental and physical stamina essential to remaining alert.

Don't forget your computer and internet connections must be sound, stable and reliable. Technical failures during critical decisions are major deal killers. Take advantage of the complimentary software packages offered by many sites that can augment your gaming skills.. They won't all work for you, but some of them may make a real difference. Be sure the sites you play on have a rakeback feature. Rakeback can give you that needed edge.

You want a comfortable space to play your games. Get out your favorite chair, some snacks and drinks. Turn on some soft music, get the temperature and lighting right and rid the space of any distractions. All this will add a positive note to your mental and physical state, especially if you are in for a prolonged session.

Lastly, take your time. Research which poker sites you want to enter into and open an account. Obviously you want a reputable one, but you also must play regularly on a site that offers rakeback. Do your homework and you should enjoy many hours of online poker comfortably, enjoyably and maybe even profitably.

Common Poker Mistakes of Newbies

Poker is serious business. It's a game that requires concentration and skills. No one wins poker by just luck. It takes more than that to be successful.

Despite that fact, poker games like Texas Hold'em are still gaining popularity. As a matter of fact, some people have even quit their jobs and took poker as their primary means of livelihood. This is the reason why more and more people are joining the poker community. Poker rookies can be found in a lot of online poker sites and these rookies, without proper education, makes the same mistake over and over again. If you are one of them, read on and discover the five common mistakes that beginners like you should avoid at all times.

1. Playing too many hands before the flop. This could be the worst mistake that any rookie can engage himself into. When does this happen? Normally, it does when players get used to the rules of the game and then became impatient. What happens is that eventually, they play too many hands then folds much too late in the game. Of course, this is not the best move. Poker is definitely a lot of when you are in the hand. It's just unfortunate that you cannot play every starting hand if you want to win the pot.

2. Bluffing too much. This is another very common mistake that rookies make. This is also very critical. You cannot bluff anytime you want. You need to pick and choose the right time to bluff. Ask expert poker players and they will tell you that bluffing is a very minute part of the game but it's very essential. It can be a tool that you can use to hit the pot. Pick your bluffs wisely and do not overdo it. Poker players who have been on the game for too long will definitely know when your bluff is authentic or not.

3. Playing more than your bankroll will allow. Bankroll management is one aspect that most rookie players tent to overlook and fail to understand. One success, even the lack of it, can make newbies greedy and play at a buy-in level which is relatively higher than the games that they should be actually playing. One thing that has to be remembered is that anything can happen in a poker game as it is a gamble. Second thing, risks are always involved if you want to win the big bucks. For these two reasons alone, you have to learn how to properly manage your bankroll so you can backup your actions for the stakes that you are playing.

4. Bad positional play. Good positioning is simply anticipating what your opponents will do first before it's your time to act. Observe your opponent's betting and behavior and you will definitely make informed decision about the things that you want to do next. Rule of thumb: play more starting hands in the latter part of the game and play it more aggressively.

5. Not thinking about the long term. Poker should always be viewed as a lifelong game. You may play bad hands from time to time but if you make correct decisions based from your previous game experiences, you will definitely play better hands the next time.