Getting the edge in online poker

Poker is as much about psychology as skillful card play - it's one of the reasons it's such a fascinating and compelling game.  But has online poker destroyed this psychological element?  After all, you can't see your opponents, so there's no opportunity to read their tells or to use your bluffing skills.  Nevertheless, you can get a psychological edge, and this article will give you a few ideas about how that might be done.

Time Difference

When you play online poker, you're playing against opponents from all over the world.  You might be playing on a Saturday night when you feel charged up and energetic, but your opponent might be an insomniac on a different continent playing at 3 o'clock in the morning.  Since a tired opponent is easier to beat than one who is fully alert, it makes sense for you to play at a time when you feel most energetic and alert.  The law of averages state that at least some of your opponents will be playing at a much lower ebb.

The Advantages Of Distraction

The great thing about online poker is that you can do it whilst you're doing something else - watching a big sports match on TV, for instance.  It's a great thing for you, that is, because you can automatically get the psychological edge by giving the game your full attention.  A distracted player is always going to be easier to beat.  Only play at times when you can absolutely focus on the game at hand.  Again, the law of averages state that at least some of your opponents will be distracted by other things.  If you can sacrifice the big sports match and go online at those times, so much the better!

A Sneaky Online Poker Trick

In most online poker sites, if you hover the cursor over your opponent's name, it will tell you where they come from and what time zone they're in.  This is useful information, since it allows you to use the two tactics outlined above.
In online poker, as in real life poker, you need to use whatever advantage you get - it's part of the game.  So don't be afraid to be sneaky!