How to Develop Your Online Poker Strategy

Why Developing a Winning Online Poker Strategy is Important

All competent Canadian poker players have their own strategies. Some have more than one so that when they come against another player with a particular system of their own, they can change their gameplay approach accordingly. Then there is online poker tournament strategy, which is different again.
To be adequately equipped to play well in any situation, against any class of opponent, playing to a certain strategy is essential. Without the right gameplan, your bankroll will disappear more quickly, and you won’t get the full enjoyment out of the game that you should.

Where to Start Your Poker Strategy Onlne Learning Curve

If you’re a newbie to playing online poker in Canada, the first thing you must do is learn how to play the game. Understanding the basic rules is key, as is becoming familiar with the rankings of the various hands. This is how they look, starting with the weakest.

• A single card
• A pair
• Two pairs
• Three of a kind
• A straight – a running sequence of cards in any of the suits)
• A flush – all cards in one suit but not in any sequence
• The full house – three of a kind plus a pair
• Four of a kind
• A straight flush – all cards in one suit and in sequence
• The royal flush – A, K, Q, J, 10, all in one suit

This is how all online poker best strategy preparation works, putting these elementary skills under your belt before moving onto the next step – playing a few games. There is simply no substitute for on-the-job learning.

Develop your Low Stakes Online Poker Strategy for Free

Most online poker casinos in Canada offer free games. It’s a great place to start a playing poker online strategy without having to splash out any real money. Okay, so it’s not exactly the real thing. When Canadians play with pretend money, many tend to resort to an “all in” strategy to scare off the opposition – something to be avoided.

Don’t keep playing freebies for too long because it will get you into bad habits. Play long enough to get “a feel” for the game.

Start with a Low Stakes Online Poker Strategy

Starting off playing with low stakes is a must. Remember that you are still gathering that all-important experience, and you want to lose as little money as possible while doing so. The most popular variant of all poker games in Canada is Texa Hold ’em, so it’s the best online poker strategy for which to aim.

The Main Components of a Winning Online Poker Strategy

Knowing when to strike and what stance to adopt at all stages of playing a poker hand is important. So, let’s look at some of the individual components of an online poker cash game strategy, starting with betting.

Selecting the Right Bet Mount Strategy to Win Poker Online Play

Looking at a typical game of Texa Hold ’em, a good strategy is to triple the big blind and add one big blind in relation to each limper in the pot. It’s best not to count forced bets in either the small blind or big blind stages. This play will often succeed in reducing the number of players.

Don’t do what a lot of newbie Canadians do and bet too much. Take for example having pocket Aces and wading in with everything before the flop. Yes, your opponents might throw their hands in, but and you would win the blinds. By betting more astutely, you could make more profit. It’s all about striking a balance between lessening the number of players and maintaining the pot’s size.

Why Any Playing Online Poker Strategy is Reliant on Positioning

What many poker players in Canada overlook when formulating their online poker best strategy is the importance of positioning. The dealer button is the best position as it means you can play last for the remainder of the pot. The post to the right is next best, and so on until we reach the small blind.

Top tip – You are likely to win more money from the dealer button across your poker playing career.

Variation Poker Strategy Online Planning

Canadians love to play all of the popular variants of online poker, including:

• Texas Hold ’em
• 5-Card Draw
• 7-Card Stud
• Omaha Poker

They are all variations of the basic theme but with slightly different rules and betting conventions. We don’t have the room in this review to explore strategies for each. So, for now, bear these key points in mind as they relate to all variants:

• Don’t play too many hands, but those you do play, be aggressive
• Don’t allow yourself to become the first player to limp
• Fold if you are unsure
• Be bold when opponents display signs of weakness
• Only play when you feel in the mood

The importance of Bluffing as an Advanced Online Poker Strategy

Skill will only get you so far when playing poker. The best online poker players in Canada have mastered the art of bluffing. There are 4 types of bluff:

• The continuation bet bluff is when you have the initiative, and you take advantage of an opponent not connecting with play.
• The semi-bluff comes when you have a weak hand, but you still have a chance of making a flush or straight draw.
• The nada equity/ bold, cold bluff is one whereby you have very little chance of improving your hand, and you hope for fold equity to turn a profit.
• The opportune bluff can happen when no one else shows any interest in the pot. It can work on occasion – enough to show a profit if your opponents don’t feel they have strong enough hands.

Master all of these bluffs, and you can expect to win more often.