How to Get Started in Online Poker
Poker is one of the most popular card games and it’s easy to see why. The game is fun, sociable and can be profitable if you play well. But it’s important to remember that poker is a game of skill and it takes time and effort to get good at it.
Online poker has taken that concept and ratcheted it up a few notches. Not only can you now play the game from a computer or smartphone anywhere there’s an Internet connection but you can play for just about anything. From freerolls to satellite entries into some of the world’s most prestigious live tournaments to high stakes cash games.
In addition to the plethora of sites offering real money play, there are countless poker learning resources. These are available from many sources including books, online articles and video content as well as paid poker courses that will teach you how to play the game. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned pro the quality of poker learning resources is amazing and there is something for everyone regardless of budget.
Once you’ve decided to play poker online, the next step is choosing a site to play at. The selection of poker sites is huge and there are new operators popping up all the time. Some of these will offer a free trial period while others will require you to deposit money to get started. Make sure to read the terms and conditions of each poker site before making a decision.
Most reputable poker sites will have a number of banking options and most of these will allow you to deposit using credit cards, debit cards, pre-paid cards or third-party eWallets. Withdrawal can also be accomplished using these same methods as well as wire transfers. Getting your money on to and off from a poker site has never been easier than it is now.
When you’re ready to start playing poker online, you’ll need to download the poker client. This software is relatively lightweight and should run on most computers without too much trouble. Alternatively, you can also play poker in an online browser-based environment which will give you a slightly different experience but doesn’t have quite the same level of performance.
Most poker players will want to start off at a beginner table where they’ll be seated with other players who have marked themselves as beginners. This will level the playing field for new players and help them get accustomed to the speed of poker play. Once they feel confident enough, they can move onto the paying tables. Some players may even choose to play at multiple tables at once. This is possible because, unlike in a live casino, there’s no physical limit to the number of tables you can play at once. However, unless you’re extremely fast-paced at poker, this will likely result in a large amount of stress.
