Getting Started with Online Poker

If you're a fan of playing classic card games like poker played at a table among friends, you may be wondering what's all this fuss about online gaming. Just like its live counterpart, online poker is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world, from total newbies to high rolling professionals. Read on to discover more why is it so exciting for so many people.

The benefits

Not everyone can tell the pot from a pony, so playing online poker is an excellent medium for learning the ropes of the game, not least the variety of tournaments and games that are on offer. Believe it or not, playing those first few poker games can be incredibly intimidating for some people, especially when there's a cash pot involved, but online poker is anonymous so you won't be put off by whoever is in front of you.

There's also no real etiquette involved, beyond common sense and responsible play, so you won't run the risk of saying or doing something out of turn.

If the game of poker is new to you, learning to play online is a great place to start. You will be able to develop your poker knowledge, skills, and strategy more efficiently than playing table games. Besides, the abundance of online poker rooms offering free play and money-saving offers also makes it easier on your wallet.

Then there's the accessibility element. If you want to play regular games and are perhaps considering starting a poker career, playing online will ensure that you get your hours in - especially if there's a shortage of live cash games in your local area.

You're not just limited to playing at home on a desktop, either. There's no longer any need to download software to play poker because most of the leading operators have released mobile apps for gaming on the go.

How to play

As mentioned above, these days, there are quite a few options to choose from when it comes to online poker. You can access online poker rooms quickly and easily, with the vast majority of online casino platforms also offering some form of poker (whether that's video poker or games with live dealers).

There are plenty of real money mobile apps to play poker on smartphones and tablets, including both iOS and Android devices. And you've also got a whole range of online tournaments to choose from, including low buy-in amateur all the way up to elite World Series of Poker events.

You should only sign up to play in legitimate and reputable online poker rooms and casinos, especially if you are going to play real money games. Luckily, the global online poker community is a strong one, so you can find plenty of platform and operator recommendations in online forums like Cards Chat, as well as the numerous online directories and review sites.

Start slow

It's easy to get carried away playing online poker, so if you want to enjoy what you're doing and build a sustainable poker career, take it easy. There's no shame in starting with free play games, where you can learn the ropes of the game, get to grips with raising, folding, doubling up, etc.

Once you've got a good grasp of things, progress on to super-low buy-in games, some online games have stakes that are as low as a penny. There's absolutely no pressure whatsoever to play high from the off, remember that slow and steady is the way to go.