Before I started playing online poker I read magazines and blogs looking for advice and tips.  There are literally thousands of poker-related blogs on the Internet and many of them rehash each other and the same old content each day.  Each month the magazines offer you tips and guides on the best and worst hands etc.

The thing about poker (and in fact most rule-based games) is that the rules don’t change and what hand is best doesn’t change.  So if you play the odds and only the odds, then you’ll never beat the best.

I believe I was reading Poker Player magazine and they said that rookies will all too often concentrate on the odds of a hand for an indication of how to play.  I sub-consciously took this on board myself.  Basically since I had no interest in learning dozen of common odds before even hitting the tables I let common sense take the lead.

Starting out is fairly simple.  Learn the basic rules of poker: what wins and in what order.  Learn table etiquette and blinding.  Then find a poker website where you can play for free (I use www.a-winning-hand.com) before depositing money.

Next steps find a table where the blinds are low and preferably table-limits too.  Then start playing.  If you are playing for free, having low amounts on the table will help accustom you to playing your first money hands.

Before you start looking for betting patterns and tells, simply play a few hands and get a feel for how the game flows.  You’ll start to learn the hands that work and those that don’t and this is the sub-conscious learning of odds that I employ.  Common sense dictates that a pair of 2s when you enter the flop is not as strong as any other pair but when you are playing against 3 people it is a lot better hand than when you are playing 7 others.

So my advice is this, learn the basics and start in the free rooms - this way you won’t be left wondering WTF after entering the flop with a pair of Kings only to loose half your stack just because you didn’t listen to your thoughts.  If you made that play with real money you’d be really unhappy and it would affect your play for next few hands at least.

Once you know your plays that work and you can bet without thinking too much about how impressive your hand is you can move onto reading other people’s play.  Some say that you can’t read people at online poker - but any regular player will tell you that there are still tells in online poker.

The next stage is to enter the paying rooms and don’t be afraid to take this step.  What is important to remember is that the rules are the same whether you are playing for money or for free.  I know this sounds obvious but it is surprising how many players change their tactics and style of play just because money is involved. 

Again start low to get over the initial nervousness and watch out for players looking to take money off rookies.  Try to find tables where the standard of play suits yours so you can ease yourself in.  If you don’t then there is the possibility that you’ll get fed up and give up.  Having spent time working on your new talent it’d be a shame to stop now wouldn’t it?