10 Tips for Winning Online Poker – Part Two

6. Make your work area a positive environment.

Small measures that help create an ideal playing environment also include: a small refrigerator for cold drinks and healthy snacks, a playlist of the player’s favorite songs, and personal mementos that will lend an uplifting vibe to the work station. Painting the room in a cheery color, and including flowers or plants can help achieve the goal of maintaining a positive environment.

Creating an ideal environment for playing online poker will have many positive effects, such as: the player maintaining a professional attitude that can translate to better in-game decisions, helping the player avoid tilt by being in a room full of positive energy, and better physical comfort for the player that results in the ability to play longer sessions.

7. Use software functionality to the utmost advantage.

While some players are against utilizing software while playing online poker, the author takes the stance that as long as it is allowed by the site’s terms of service then it is a tool available to all, and therefore is fair game. There are different types of software available to assist a player in becoming a better online player, and to neglect all types of poker software is to miss out on finding ways for the player to significantly improve his game.

The best place for a beginner to start with using software is through a feature already present on most poker sites: the note-taking function. Oftentimes, an opponent will do something at the tables that the live player would have taken a mental note of had it occurred at his local casino, such as, “That player tends to over-value the strength of holding top-pair.” One of the great things about playing online is that this mental note can often be directly recorded to stay with the player whenever you encounter him again, such as by adding the simple note, “Over-values top pair hands.”

Also available on many poker sites is the ability to color-code players. Developing a color coded system for identifying the relative strength of players can make table selection a nearly instantaneous process. For example, let’s say that a player decides to give every shark he plays with a red note. If the player is thinking about playing a sit ‘n go, but notices in the lobby that eight of the registered players have red tags, he would quickly see that table as not a profitable one.

8. Consider purchasing software.

Programs like Hold Em Manager and Poker Tracker have many benefits. First and foremost, they contain a customizable head’s up display feature (HUD) that gives information about one’s opponents by tracking all of the hands they have played together. There are numerous options for which data to display, which is an important feature, as a player specializing in head’s up cash games will want to have different stats displayed than a hyper-turbo sit’n go player.

Another great aspect for beginning online players in programs like Hold’em Manager is their hand history replayer. While a lot of poker sites have a hand history tool, they lack much of the functionality available in other programs. The ability to replay a cash session or entire tournament away from the tables is an invaluable study tool for any poker player.

Sit ‘n Go Wizard is an important learning tool for tournament players. It allows one to analyze hands both from the perspective of Chip EV and ICM (independent chip model). It’s a great tool for improving one’s calling and shoving ranges. This tool is a must for those learning how to win online poker tournaments.

9. Explore free software.

Some of the best internet poker software (for use while studying) is actually free. PokerStove, and other such programs, allow a user to calculate their equity versus a range. Universal Replayer is a great tool for replaying a tournament hand history, especially for those not yet willing to pay for a program that includes a HUD. HoldemResources.net has many features useful for tournament players, including a Nash Equilibrium calculator, and head’s up Nash Equilibrium push/fold charts.

10. Explore efficiency software.

While software that enables an online novice to improve their poker playing abilities is very important, other poker software aims to assist the grinder with multi-tabling. As the novice makes the gradual transition to intermediate player and beyond, this type of software can be very useful.

Programs such as Table Ninja, Auto Hot Keys, and Place Mint help a player act in ways to maximize efficiency. Down the road, the player can also look into table mods, which modify the appearance of the online poker tables and cards to the user’s preference.

For a live player, transitioning to playing online poker can pose many challenges, but remembering to begin gradually, create an ideal environment, and utilize software are all keys that will aid in the player having a successful journey towards becoming a winning online poker player. The above tips will help you to win at online poker games easier.