For all you online poker players, What are the major things you have learned?

Question

Don't be afraid to go into details.

Answer 1

I don't play real money games. But I do enjoy the play money tournaments and freerolls.
When playing in freerolls/play money tournaments, people act extremely stupid. Often before the flop on the first hand, you already knew how many on your table were going bye-bye. You'll rarely see first-hand pre-flop all-in moves in a live games (unless you have a lot of online-specialist); and almost never in cash game.
Half the ones that aren't all in on the first hand aren't there at all. And you're going to be waiting for them. Some sites have instituted policies that you're out if you haven't done anything in a certain time; but most accept it as a viable strategy. I'll say this: if you're going to sign up for a tournament and just wait for the carnage to subside; for pity's sake (and for the sake of the other players' sanity) at least tick the AFK/sit out next hand box that I've seen on almost every engine.
A LOT of players are aggressive; so patience/caution is your friend. Why do you think people aren't worried about missing the first few rounds of a freerolls/playmoney? All risk, little reward. See, unless you've landed a Royal Flush; the more opponents that are in a hand after the river, the better the chance that one of them has a better hand than you - especially if the board has paired.
Until you're comfortable in your own skin, stay away from the real money. I know my limitations: I have an addictive personality, and a volatile one at that. I can't lie worth a damn, and I can't mask emotion. So I don't play regular tournaments, and I sure as heck don't play with real money.
Oh yeah, one last thing. If you are going to play real money, only bet what you can afford to lose; and know when to stop before you start.

Answer 2

It's a pretty general question, so I'm going to give general answers:

- Set limits. Give yourself strict limits on how long you're going to play, how much you can afford to lose and how high of stakes you can afford (both financially and emotionally).
- Take notes. The biggest boost in my game so far has simply been PAYING ATTENTION. Turn off the music, stop talking on the phone or chatting, read your email later. Early on in the game I'm folding a lot, and utilizing the hell out of the note function. 30-45 minutes into a game, I've pretty much got everybody pinned. I cannot possibly tell you how many times this has helped me make a correct decision. Even if I don't take notes (sometimes I multi-table, so I don't have time), at least paying attention has definitely been a huge advantage.
-Think long-term. For me, at least, tilt has been caused by what is happening to me at the moment. Whenever my head is thinking long-term, and accepting a bad run as a single incident in a very long course of events, I can usually remain calm. Poker is like investing. You can't expect a stock to make you a millionaire the day after you buy it. You wait, watch it, let it grow and pay attention every day, and then eventually it pays off big in the end. Any profitable player will tell you that they have spent time in the red before they started making consistent money at it. Just like anything else in life, you pay your dues FIRST before you start to see results.
- Have a life outside poker. Nothing freshens up my game like realizing that my life is about more than just poker. When poker starts taking over, I take a step back, maybe for a few days, and remind myself that I am in control of my life, not the game. I can walk away any time I want, and I can choose to come back and ENJOY it if I want. Why play if you're not HAVING fun? There are other hobbies; there are other ways to make money. Be sure you have something else in your life to clear your head of the game once in awhile; give your brain a breather. Not to mention, while I'm sure your friends and family are happy you have a newfound hobby, if you're as obsessed with the game as I am, I'm sure they're sick of hearing about it already.

Answer 3

Watch the betting patterns of all players and what cards they show. Many times I noticed players will raise with any Ace and if an Ace comes on the flop they bet hard, I can use that info to my advantage when I have a strong Ace. I can let them do the betting.

Play tight and do not be afraid to go over the top on a raise. I often see players raise from the button with any two cards if all players fold. Push back and you will find these players fold-if called be careful.

These are just a couple of things, but there are more.

Answer 4

I will not go into details how you should play, I will only state some facts that may help you.
- Dont play when you are tired
- Take breaks to rest
- Before you join a table try to look at the people that play and see their tactics.

Answer 5

People are even dumber than you think.

You can make a huge raise with AA, and some moron calls. The flop is Q,7,A. You make a value bet, Moron calls. Turn is 3. You go all in, Moron calls, shows 4-6 off suit. River is 5. Moron hits his inside straight to beat you.

Answer 6

Get used to taking a break when the cards are not going your way! There is a great article on this by Annette_15 (WSOPE - Main Event Winner) on her blog: http://betting.betfair.com/annette_15/news/sundays-are-suppose-to-be-fun.html

Answer 7

Pokertracker & GameTime+

If you're playing online cash games without these tools, you are losing money.