The pitfalls caused by the speed of online poker and how to avoid them

Ask any poker player what the biggest difference between online and real life games is and the odds are they’ll give you the same answer – speed.

Offline games often seem to move at a snail’s pace to those used to the lightning quick online poker that most new players start with these days.

Online there’s an automated dealer who doesn’t make mistakes. There’s no shuffling and cutting of the cards – they’re dealt in a flash. What's more the pot size is always on display and tricky side pot situations are resolved in an instant.

It seems like the ideal environment to learn poker. There are no distractions – players just have to make a decision, move their mouse and click the appropriate button.

But with these advantages come potential pitfalls. Every poker player should play from a bankroll. And most will have worked out what their hourly win or loss rates are at the limit of game they play.

Playing on the internet as opposed to offline means around three times as many hands are played each hour however. That means your win or loss rates will be tripled against what you would expect if you only played offline. Now if you’re a player who wins consistently that’s great news. But show a small loss overtime and it could rapidly become a big one.

So how can new players, or those used to offline poker looking for their first game online, avoid running up big losses quickly? What are the pitfalls that online poker, and the speed of it, presents? Here’s the Big Slick guide to avoiding some costly mistakes:

1) Internet poker is fun
It’s true! Poker is a great game to play online. It’s fun, fast and can be very profitable. But beginners, or players who lose a little but continue to play for fun, can easily fall into the trap of ignoring the cost of playing. It’s easy to get carried away with the game. Of course, this happens offline too. But online it can happen quicker. And there is the added danger of distraction. Maybe the phone will ring, the television will be on or the CD will need changing. Distraction and speed are a dangerous combination and can be a quick way to going bust.

2) Anonymity can lead to poor play
Sure it can. You’re hidden safely behind a username in the comfort of your own home and could be thousands of miles away from your opponents. Whereas in a real life game there is an element of embarrassment in making bad plays for all to see, and always reaching for your wallet, online you are not with these people. They don’t know who you are and can’t see your red face. Anonymity leads to many players making questionable losing plays that they would perhaps be too embarrassed to make in real life. They go on tilt faster online than they would offline and again this will only lead to a diminishing bankroll.

3) The speed of the game itself can lead to mistakes
Increased speed means increased pressure on making your move. For those used to playing offline, or those new to the game, this can lead to unforced errors in itself. Every time it’s your move the clock is ticking, the software is beeping at you and other players are impatiently waiting their turns. So the obvious answer is to play in a low-limit game until you are comfortable with the speed of the online game.

4) Copying the speed of other players can be costly
Most players online play extremely fast. Many use automatic play buttons while others will click their mouse the instant it’s their move. In a real-life game poker players tend to make their moves slower. They may stare at another player, double check the chips in the pot or simply pretend they have a tough decision to make. Online most players will go with the flow though. They too will play very fast even though they have more time to consider their moves available. Copying the quick play of others means less time to make good decisions and that means more costly mistakes. Always play at a speed you are comfortable with, not at the speed others want you to.

5) Playing in more than one game can be costly
It’s something you can’t do offline but is simple in an online card room. Especially if you’re in a ten-seater game playing a tight aggressive style and folding pre-flop a lot. But playing more than one table at a time will cost you sooner or later. Even the best players make mistakes, or have another screen pop up demanding they make a move just as they were about to make one on another screen causing them to make an error.
Play more than two games at once and the risk is even greater. It is possible to play at more than one table but it requires greater concentration and means you can’t study your opponents playing habits as much as if you were concentrating on just the one game.