Wanna Be an Online Poker Pro?

Twenty years ago, no one could have predicted that millions of ladies and gentlemen would be able to sit in their living rooms playing online poker. Even more amazing is the idea that tens of thousands of them could actually make a living doing exactly that. That's called progress.

If you are interested in becoming an online poker pro, the opportunity to do that is there for the taking. All you have to do is want it bad enough to take a leap of faith. In this writing, we'll advise you on some of the things you'll need to consider if you want to be successful. Take a look and see if the following information might help you get to the promised land.

Setting Realistic Expectations

Before you quit your "9 to 5" job, you'll want to be realistic about your prowess as a poker player. At a minimum, you should only give professional online poker playing a go if you have a track record of success at the tables. It's fine if your prior success has been in brick-and-mortar poker rooms.

With that said, some level of online poker success should also be a prerequisite for quitting a job and staying home to play poker. Why? Online poker is a slightly different beast, something that requires experience to become effective and efficient.

Above all else, you should not take the leap of faith until you have accumulated hundreds of hours playing against other professionals. You need to know from the get-go that you can take the heat when stacked up against other online poker players who are already making a living as poker players. Their ability to make a living at this is a testament to their prowess.

Be realistic about your skills in the world of online poker. Remember: Successful online poker players love to take advantage of the wanna-be suckers at the table. You don't want to be one of those suckers! To be clear, top pros like Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and Chris Moneymaker are always on the prowl, looking to pick up a few thousand dollars a night from lesser players.

The Characteristics of a Successful Online Poker Player

It might be that you are not sure how you stack up against good online poker players. What we have discovered is that all good players have certain characteristics that help them claim success at the tables. Here are a few of the characteristics that seem common.

Fearless Risk Takers

No matter what type of gambling one might do, there will be inherent risk involved. Online sports bettors face the dreaded "backdoor covers." Online casino players are always playing games that heavily favor the house. Poker players? They always face the possibility of landing at a table where better players are lying in wait. They also face the possibility of getting a bad run of cards that are too bad to use as bluffs.

As an online poker player, you have to be fearless. You have to take risks and be willing to endure the pain and frustration until the momentum swings in your favor. If you are good enough, that time will come.

Disciplined and focused

Anything you do in life will require discipline and focus if you want to be successful. That's especially true if you intend to spend dozens of hours a week in online poker rooms. Here are a few things you can do to ensure you stay on top of your game:

• Never play when you are tired or sick. You need rest to ensure your mind stays sharp and your stamina endures long, boring hours.


• Try to play in an environment that is free from distractions. That rules out places like coffee shops and the bowling alley. Make sure there is good lighting to help avoid eye strain.


• Keep track of how the other players are playing. That means you need to focus on every hand, regardless of whether or not you are participating in it.


• Don't play hands just for the sake of playing hands. Before you make that first call, you need to have enough discipline to know exactly what your intentions are based on the cards you are holding.


• Let your losses be bygones and move on to the next hand. Tilting over a "bad beat" is the surest way to destroy your bankroll.
  

Know the Rules and Fundamentals of Your Chosen Games

When you enter an online poker environment, you'll immediately recognize there are dozens of poker variations from which you can choose. Our advice is to master one or two variations and not try to be a master of the poker universe. We feel this is good advice because a complete and thorough understanding of the game (rules and fundamentals) you are playing is vital. You can wager everything you own that the players you will be facing know exactly what they are doing. You cannot survive if you give them any leeway at all.

One of the hardest things to master is bluffing. It's a survival mechanism that helps online poker players stay afloat when the cards aren't exactly flowing in their direction. We would suggest you spend extra time learning the fundamentals of bluffing if you want to be a serious poker player.

Good Money Management

Your bankroll should be set prior to entering the poker site. It should represent the amount you are willing to lose before you call it a day/evening.

Once your bankroll is set, you need to control your wagering. If you have a really good hand, no one will blame you for firing some of the bullets in your bankroll. However, you should never fire all of your bullets unless you feel your win probability is above 70%. Even so, you have to be prepared for the possibility that you will be wrong. Was it good enough of a hand to go "all in?"

By the way, part of good poker bankroll management involves playing games that you can afford. If you play poker above your financial worth, it will be easy to find yourself wagering with "scared money." That's a poker no-no. Always pick games that match your affordability.

Are You Ready to Give It a Go?

If you intend to play as an online poker pro, you should consider that you don't have to immediately jump into the deep end of the pool. There is nothing wrong with easing your way into the online professional poker-playing community.

Here is an approach worth considering. Start your quest at the lower limit tables. Stay at the lower levels until you are clearly one of the top players at that level. That's when you should take the next step up the ladder. As you progress, your prowess will improve. If you are patient, you might wake up and find yourself playing successful online poker against some of the best players in the community. Be humble, and let yourself become the best player you can be, one step at a time.

Final thought Any form of gambling comes with risks. One of those risks is that you might push the financial envelope too far. Many players have learned the hard way that a problem gambling issue might be lurking one bad losing streak away.

As a rule of thumb, your gambling money should never exceed what you can afford to lose. You can consider that your discretionary money. That's the money that remains in your bank after you have covered all of your financial responsibilities and put something away for a rainy day.

If you follow these guidelines, there is a chance you can survive as an online poker pro. At a minimum, you can enjoy your quest while avoiding the grind of a "9 to 5" job. Good luck!!