Its hard enough to keep it in mind when youre playing with chips in a casino, but in an online poker room its even easier to forget that youre wagering actual money. When all youve got to do to stay in the game is click a button, you can get yourself into loads of trouble, if youre not careful.
To keep your head (and your trigger finger) in the game and under control in the online poker room, follow these simple but vital guidelines:
Stay Focused
In a land-based casino, distractions come in the form of cocktail waitresses, bright colors, loud music, flashing lights. In an online poker room, they come in the form of the TV, the phone, the kids (or the parents), the refrigerator, the dog, other websites…
Before entering the online poker room, minimize all distractions as best you can, because in the end distractions will do worse by you than even your opponents. Dont start playing when youre in the middle of cooking or homework or doing laundry. Dont sit down to play right before you have to leave the house for an appointment. Dont play when youre so exhausted, you can barely keep your eyes open.
Staying focused also involves...