Not long ago, poker players used to play their games in live casinos or have to set up a game at home. However, due to technology, those who cannot access casinos and can’t set up games can now play within the comfort of their home. In addition, it gives live poker players a chance to play their game comfortably instead of having to get out of their houses constantly.
If you’ve been playing poker live for a long time and want to transition to an online game, you can use these tips to transition easily. Although both share the same game mechanics, some elements make live and online different.
Adjust to the new gaming environment
The most noticeable distinction between playing poker online and in person is that you play in a virtual setting rather than at a table. As a result, you must familiarize yourself with your preferred poker site’s features and user interface. You’ll quickly learn that playing online has many enjoyable benefits, like graphics and animations that indicate when it’s your turn, the number of chips in the pot, and other crucial details.
Change the hand ranges
Your opening, calling, and 3-betting ranges should differ significantly from those you typically employ in live games, just like your raise amounts.
On average, online games are substantially more complex than live games. You must play more balanced ranges to have a high win rate at these tables.
Small pairs and suited connectors, which you are used to calling raises within live games, are two examples of this. In online poker, there is a lot of 3-betting; therefore, if you choose to flat call raises with these cards, you will frequently get eliminated.
People will 3-bet you in position and challenge you on each of the later streets, so make sure to narrow your early position-raising ranges. You can increase your online bankroll using a variety of casino bonus offers, but you can’t just give your money away.
Learn to manage your money
It’s crucial to manage your bankroll, but you can’t do it online the same way you would in person. That’s because the best poker sites can host numerous real-money online tournaments round-the-clock, and you can participate in several games simultaneously because they don’t have the same physical restrictions as real-world poker rooms.
Poker also proceeds more quickly online. The software deals you with a new hand as soon as your current one is finished. Instead of waiting for the dealer to shuffle and pitch the cards, you can simply press a button to take action.
All of this translates into the ability to play more hands per session, which allows you to take on more risk and could deplete your wallet. It’s best to start with far lower stakes than you may be used to when playing at a live table to learn the discipline necessary to stay within your boundaries.
Start at low stakes
There is a significant difference in skill level between games with the same stake in live and online poker rooms. A $1/2 live game is frequently the lowest game you can play in a casino, but online, this game can be challenging.
Most live professional poker players participate in games with buy-ins of $200, $500, or even $1,000. Online tournaments with $500 buy-ins are usually tricky and contain very few fish.
However, because you can play at multiple tables and the cards are given out much more quickly when playing online poker, you can play many more hands every hour. Beating the $0.5/1 game online should result in similar hourly winnings as beating the $2/5 game in your live casino.
You will ultimately earn more money if you can advance, increase your poker bankroll, and beat online games at the same level you were playing live. Additionally, you will have improved your poker skills in the process.
Stop cold-calling and limping
Since no one will penalize them in their live games, many live players can get away with limping their weaker hands. Additionally, they will cold call when holding small pairs and short stacks because doing so usually results in a flood of calls behind them and the opportunity to play a rich multiway pot.
Online players are far better at 3-betting, jamming, and generally squeezing. When cold calling, you must scan the stacks behind you to check whether someone has 10 to 25 big blinds. These stacks frequently jam pre-flop to attempt and grab all the money in the center when they see it. Be cautious when making cold calls there.
Online players are accustomed to isolated raising continually and turning the test back on you, so if you want to limp a hand, be aware of this.
Start with one table
You can play at numerous tables at once in online poker, which is one of the ways it differs from live poker. This feature is adored by many players, who move between tables and play great poker to their heart’s delight. But hold off till after you have familiarized yourself with the online environment.
Once you have mastered playing at one table, you can consider playing at two tables, then three tables, and so forth. Before playing at more tables, it’s crucial to ensure you are already confidently playing at a single table and earning respectable profits.
Think about the GTO Strategy
Whether people want to accept it or not, Texas Hold’em has a specific way it should be played, and computers have immensely aided in figuring out what that way is.
You should study the GTO poker strategy and how to use it if you intend to play any higher-stakes online poker.
It doesn’t necessarily imply that you must approach problems analytically or create the ideal GTO play every time. However, knowing how solvers operate and why they make their own decisions can undoubtedly improve your poker game.
Finding balance in your ranges in any circumstance is fundamental to GTO. You must play fairly if you wish to succeed against tough opponents; else, you will fail.
Conclusion
Online poker shares similar rules with live poker games; however, some elements of online casinos differ from live. Playing online is faster, and players are more aggressive, so you must prepare for this environment. With these tips, you can easily transition from live to online without being overwhelmed on your first game.
