The differences between online poker and more traditional poker table games are sometimes not quite as obvious as they may seem.
Unlike sitting down at a poker table with friends
or even strangers
online poker has an added dimension these days. There is a lot of pressure from many quarters to make online poker illegal
particularly in the United States. You will almost always know if the table game you are playing is in an area where poker is legal
but it is getting harder to know if this is true about poker played online.
In spite of these gray areas
millions in the U. S. and around the world regularly enjoy participating in online poker games from the comfort of their own homes. Just to give this some perspective
in 2005
the revenue from online poker was reported to be in the vicinity of $200 million.
Not only is online poker generating huge amounts of revenue and creating new millionaires
among players
site owners
and affiliates of poker sites
but
due to its pervasive influence
the appeal of poker in general is growing. The public is not only gaining knowledge about poker
but is showing an interest in all things poker. From the tables to the chips at the table
to the people who play at the tables
poker is huge.
Poker players such as Chris Ferguson (Jesus)
Annie Duke
and her brother Howard Lederer (The Professor)
and Hoyt Corkins (The Alabama Cowboy)
to name a few
had never been heard of by the public a few months ago. Now they are celebrities in their own right. Even people who have been celebrities
such as Jennifer Tilly
Ben Affleck
and Mimi Rogers have traded in the bright lights of Hollywood for the green felt of the poker table – at least on occasion.
While many of these famous people play in tournaments sitting at the table with the celebrities of poker
most mortals enter the poker arena via online poker websites such as partypoker.com
pokerstars.com
ultimatebet.com or fulltiltpoker.com.
Sitting at a poker table can be intimidating
particularly for the new player and just is not that inviting for the beginner. They are apt to feel out of their league
and
if others at the table have more experience or are strangers
they are apt to feel intimidated.
The online poker experience is quite different. There is an anonymity which protects the psyche of the “newbie”. They can watch games as long as they want before actually taking part. Additionally
most online venues will have tutorials and practice games for beginners that help ease the learning process. Sometimes the main site will actually have a completely separate site set up strictly for the beginner. Another helper for the beginner is that online games tend to have buttons labeled for the various actions and often include on-screen prompts for the appropriate action.
Internet poker sites also offer a range of limits so that the beginning player can actually start betting pennies. Not only is the betting easy
but so is the access. Unlike a table game
an online game can be found 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world that there is a computer and an Internet connection.
There are
however
two drawbacks to playing online
particularly if one’s goal is to eventually participate in the highly televised poker tournaments occupying more prime time slots on TV. First
there is the hurdle of actually sitting and playing at the table itself. No amount of online preparation can duplicate or offset the first few times you find yourself in a chair across from a Doyle Brunson
Chris Moneymaker
or Daniel Negreanu.
Second
although it IS possible
it is exceedingly difficult to bluff at an online poker game and even harder to learn how to read your opponents.
Look on the bright side
however. It IS easy to learn basic poker skills and improve your technique online
and you won’t ha
ve to worry about your poker face!
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Poker Etiquette – Mind Your Manners
Poker etiquette is no joke. Enthusiasts would tell you that poker is not just a game
but a way of life. And
just as in real life we stick to a certain code of behavior
when playing
there are certain behavioral rules to keep in mind. Following proper poker etiquette not only makes us more pleasant players
but also allows us to concentrate on the game and better dominate difficult situations.read more
Most Popular Live Poker Tournaments
As we all know
the poker industry's most highly regarded live poker tournaments are the World Series of Poker (WSOP) as well as the World Poker Tour (WPT). However
today the WSOP and the WPT no longer stand alone. The global gaming industry has witnessed the launch of numerous new live poker tournaments and competitions which offer great action away from the two “majors.” read more
Six Characteristics of a Great Poker Player
First off Id like to express that I do not think I am a great poker player. I have been outplayed thousand of times
some of my opponents constantly outplay me. I tilt
play in bad games
gamble too much
drink too much and make countless other…
