If you’re into poker and you want to start playing online poker tournaments, there are several things you need to take into account before that. Online tournaments aren’t that different from land-based ones, but some things can be used to improve your skill and achieve better results.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones.
Use the HUD
HUD stands for a Heads-Up Display, and it’s part of every online poker platform. It tells you some essential information about the game, your opponents, and more.
Live poker players don’t have HUDs, so they sometimes completely ignore them when they start playing poker online, which sometimes results in poor performance.
Start Small and Increase Stakes With Time
Many USA online poker sites will offer you a wide range of tournaments, and some of them are more costly than others. You want to start small, even if you have the budget for bigger ones.
That way, you’ll get accustomed to the online poker interface and get more comfortable after some time. Once you feel ready, you can switch to higher stakes.
Don’t Get Distracted
If you play poker in poker rooms, you usually focus on just that. But that can be more difficult if you play online, and you often have the need to check your social media accounts or just get carried away doing something else on the Internet.
Therefore, the golden rule you should remember — once the online tournament starts, try logging off from all social media and focus only on playing poker.
Don’t Let Emotions Take Over
Online poker is fast-paced, and that can sometimes cause players to experience an emotional rollercoaster ride. The point is to stay cool-headed and not let your emotions dictate your actions.
To use the poker terminology: Don’t tilt. It’s even easier to tilt in online poker, so try working on recognizing your emotions and using them to work in your favor instead of against you.
Take Frequent Breaks
The good thing about online poker is that many tournaments don’t last for a very long time, and you’ll often get a chance to take a break. This often happens during the tournament, as players are often given five minutes or so to rest from playing poker. Make sure to use all the breaks you need.
If you don’t have experience playing poker on the web, check our Bovada review, as Bovada is one of the best platforms to start your online poker journey.