Playing poker requires a degree of skill and some luck but there are ways even first timers can boost their chances of winning. Below are five top tips on how you can improve your play and win big but remember everyone is different so what might work for some will not necessarily work for others.

1. Choose the right site

When it comes to online gaming there is a huge amount of choice available; this is why it is so important that you find the right site for you. Players who have mastered several types of poker are at a distinct advantage of having their pick of games and the best poker sites offer a range of games such as Texas holdem and Omaha. Good poker sites will also have excellent customer support teams to help solve any problems.

2. Play in tournaments rather than cash games

If you want to make the most money, then playing in tournaments is the best way to proceed. Popular poker sites will open tournaments of 100 to 500 people and this simply means you have more chance of winning some money and are likely to win more often. Some sites offer ‘gargantuan fields’ in tournaments and this means if you are successful, you receive a huge prize. However, be warned, the chances of hitting the jackpot are slim.

3. Choose your game wisely

Seven card stud, Omaha, five card draw, Caribbean stud, if the following card games are foreign to you then perhaps you need to do more research into poker, a game that comes in many forms. There is no rule to finding the perfect game for you and just as some people are better at football than tennis, so some players may prefer the demanding seven card stud to the more popular Texas holdem. The best thing about playing online is that you can try out a wide variety of games from the comfort of your living room.

4. Remember the differences between online and regular poker

There are huge differences between playing on your computer and playing against opponents face-to-face and it is important to bear in mind that online play is much faster. From home you could play several hands in a few minutes; this means there is a higher chance of losing quickly so pace yourself. If you are really worried about losing all your money in the first hour stick to low bet tables and if you do so, remember to play tight.

5. Tell-tale signs

A lot of people think there is no such thing as an online poker ‘tell’ but they are wrong. As with any poker games (spend a day playing some of the Ladbrokes poker games and see), online is no different, there will be ways of working out your opponent’s strategy and noticing tell-tale signs that could give away their play. The best online poker ‘tell’ to watch out for is if someone quickly checks, this could mean they have selected the ‘super-fast check’ tool that allows them to automatically reject play.

So, even before the game started they were ready to quit. In this situation you could win the pot with a decent wager but be warned some players can use this tactic against you. Other signs to look out for include betting patterns and make sure you check on average how long it takes for them to make bets (if they take a suspiciously long time they could be bluffing).

With all this advice you are ready to enjoy your first online poker tournament. For more regular players, any of the tips given above could simply improve your play further and even the poker professionals are always on a learning curve. But perhaps the best tip of all is, do not worry if you don’t win, a game is a game after all and a lot of enjoyment can be had playing for entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!