Have you been playing online poker for a while now? Read further to know about the important signs that indicate you are making good progress as a poker player.
Do you play online poker for fun or to win prizes? Whatever be the reason behind you playing the poker card game, such is the engagement level and thrill of this game, that it makes you want to do well every time you play. As a newbie, you need to give yourself some time to adjust to the nuances of online poker games, practice more, and try to gain confidence for competing against skilled opponents at the online poker table. More than focusing on winning, your focus should be on the process of improving your game.
Once you improve your game, winning will become a by-product. You need to focus on the process of improving your skills so that you can maximize your winnings in every online poker session. So, how do you know that your poker game is progressing well? Are there any indicators for the same? Let us find out below.
Profits At the End Of A Playing Session
You would have known by now that poker is a game where you win some and you lose some. However, the ones who play well are those that manage to have more winnings. As soon as you realize that you are consistently making more out of your entire session of online poker play, you know that you are improving your poker game. It means that you may lose a few games during one session of play, but you are managing to claw your way back and maximize your winnings at the end of the day. This proves that you are able to think long term and ensure you remain profitable.
Handling Multi-tabling
It is advisable not to go multi-tabling till you start playing well at one table. However, if you find the right mix of tight and aggressive playing style for maximizing your winnings from two tables at a time in an online poker game, you know that you are pretty close to making the right decisions. And if you are able to emerge profitable at the end of the multi-tabling sessions as you play poker online, you know it’s a clear sign of significant progress in your game – where you are able to handle the pressure of making appropriate decisions to give you good chances of win on two tables (or more). In other words, you are not allowing multi-tabling to compromise the quality of your poker decision-making.
Controlled V.P.I.P
A professional or expert online poker player has a V.P.I.P (Voluntarily Put In Pot) of about 18 to 20% – which means they generally get involved in one pot for every five hands that they see. For lesser experienced poker players or newbies who play poker online, this V.P.I.P is higher as they tend to play more hands and see more flops with the excitement of trying to win more. However, one of the best poker game strategies is to play slightly tight and see only those hands that are relatively stronger. When you analyse this V.P.I.P statistic for your gameplay, and find that it is decreasing, you would realise that you are getting better at your poker game.
Effective Bankroll Management
As a newbie to poker, you may not find it easy to manage your bankroll. It means that often you are likely to come across situations where you end up without enough chips to play a particular game where you have got strong hands. The whole idea behind your poker game is to play for long term during a particular session. It is not about playing just three to four games, but instead surviving long enough for more than ten games. This gives you enough time to make a comeback and win a few pots, thereby maximizing your winnings. But, if you don’t manage to handle your chips well, you may not be able to win bigger pots when the opportunity presents. When you start finding yourself with enough chips towards the later part of your online poker sessions, you know you are making good progress.
Winning with Bluffs
Bluffing is a strategy in online poker that can help you to win a few games occasionally. You cannot overdo it, but you should definitely have it as a part of your overall strategy. It is a good way to keep your opponents guessing and not allowing them to find out your playing style easily. As soon as you observe that you have started making occasional bluffs with relatively weaker hands and winning at the online poker table, you know that you have become smart enough to fool your opponents occasionally. Once you master the bluff play, you could become an expert poker player.
Final Thoughts
The above-mentioned are some of the key indicators that your online poker game is improving at a steady pace. You cannot achieve poker progress overnight – you have to work hard towards it and play this poker card game with a lot of discipline. Several hours of practice followed by real gameplay on online poker apps like MPL can help you to take your poker expertise to another level. Look out for the signs of improvement and keep working on areas where there is less improvement.
