Getting
Bored with Online Poker?
By
Keith Alberts, Shark Vet “GUMBY”
Sitting
on the computer playing sit n go tournaments, multi-table
tournaments, ring games, or freerolls may become boring
for any player. Whether you are playing poker recreationally,
professionally, or trying to become a poker star doesn’t
matter, you can find yourself staring at a computer screen
for hours a day, losing interest. This constant poker grind
can lead to boredom with the game and even start draining
on a poker player. I’m going to offer some helpful
tips to try to make this grind a little easier to handle.
Try
a New Game
This
would be and has been my first instinct when I became bored
with whatever I was doing in regards to online poker. If
I was primarily playing limit ring games, I may try playing
in a no limit ring game. Possibly for smaller stakes, but
its still a change in style. If I only played hold em, I
may opt to try a new game such as 7-card stud or Omaha,
which are becoming more and more popular as there is an
increased amount of traffic to the online poker rooms.
There
are many variations of each game. For 7-card stud, there
is RAZZ, 7-card stud high/low, and regular 7-card stud.
For Omaha, there are even more variations. Limit Omaha and
Omaha high/low, and pot limit Omaha and Omaha high/low.
Each of these games has a different poker strategy behind
it, so I would recommend researching these games online
before I jumped head first into them. If you want to jump
in right away, I’d suggest playing a game with lower
limits than you normally play to get yourself accustomed
to it before moving to a higher limit.
Change
Up Your Favorite
If
you’re primarily a sit n go no limit hold em tournament
player and find yourself bored with the same old same old,
then maybe its time to try out the multi-table tourneys
for a while or vice versa. If you love playing limit or
NL ring games then you might consider playing in a few tourneys
to change up the normal routine.
With
the growth of online poker, there are many more specialty
tournaments popping up all over. I’ve seen more RAZZ
and pot-limit Omaha high/low tournaments than ever before,
as well as HORSE (Hold em, Omaha, RAZZ, 7-card Stud, 7-card
stud eights or better, also known as high/low). The final
table plays no limit hold em. The World Series of Poker
introduced a $50,000 HORSE event this year, where poker
pro Chip Reese won the WSOP bracelet.
Multi-table
Do
you play poker online and become antsy? This used to happen
to me. Then I started playing more than one table at a time.
Numerous positive things come out of multi-tabling. First,
it adds some excitement because you are no longer playing
in one game. You see more hands per hour. Second, you don’t
become anxious to play many hands because you are seeing
more hands. You tend to only play solid starting values
and don’t settle for playing bad hands just because
you want to play. Third, if you play solid poker, you have
a chance to win even more money while reducing the variance
you face (cards and flops fluctuate). Lastly, if you bonus
chase, which I’ll get to a little later, you will
clear bonuses more quickly.
I
tend to play in at least two tables at a time. Depending
on which site I’m on, I usually cap my playing at
three tables when I multi-table short-handed limit games.
If the games are moving slowly, I can add more tables and
be comfortable with each game. I don’t like to rush
decisions, especially if I’m playing in a tournament
at the same time. I usually like to play in one multi-table
tournament and 1-2 ring games at a time. This way, I play
the right number of hands in each game. Poker is about patience,
but that’s a whole different topic. The only downfall
to multi-tabling is when you get good hands at three different
tables at the same time. It takes a little practice, but
is definitely worth it.
Change
Poker Sites
With
the explosion of online poker, there has been an explosion
of new online poker sites. There is no shortage of sites
where you can deposit and begin playing within minutes.
A change of scenery is never a bad thing, unless you live
in Hawaii or Las Vegas. You may find yourself a site that
you actually like better than your home site or the one
you love to play at.
Each
site has it’s own feel, with different speeds to games,
different avatars, and a different look and overall feel.
Sometimes the table backgrounds are even changeable where
you can choose the look of the table that fits your preference.
More
importantly, though, you will be playing against different
players. When playing at the same site for a long time,
other players, at least ones that pay attention, record
notes and hand histories about you. They will know what
you hold, how you play certain hands and will play solid
against you. This will slow your bankroll building.
Bonus
Chase
While
downloading all these new sites, you can get massive free
money with each deposit. Most sites now offer huge deposit
bonuses to attract the mass amounts of new poker players.
This is called bonus chasing and some players spend their
entire poker playing by doing this. Jumping from site to
site to get the max bonus per site can be extremely rewarding
in the old wallet. Other players add this to their arsenal
of bankroll building because of the free money you get on
top of playing poker. You’re already playing, so why
not bonus chase. This can also help when you are running
poorly at the tables and need that extra boost.
Some
poker sites have a monthly bonus and this can be received
each month by following the terms and conditions. Make sure
you read all the terms and conditions of any bonus that
you chase. Some bonuses are easier than others to clear.
Depending on the level you play, it may be nearly impossible
to clear some bonuses playing lower limits.
It
would also serve you well to do a little research on each
poker site before beginning to play there. There are many
online poker site reviews listed here and online. You can
always ask questions about any poker site or poker site
bonus in the Shark Poker Tour forum http://sharkpokertour.com/phpBB2/
and get feedback from many of the top Shark Poker Tour players.
Online
Casinos
I
know I know, we are poker players. This doesn’t mean
that we can’t get added money to our bankroll by playing
casino games with great deposit bonuses and free money added.
Some sites, like the ones listed here on Sharks Vegas Strip,
have promotions where they let you play with the casinos
money to try and win. These can be rewarding promotions
that will allow you to build your bankroll by risking very
little. I played a free hour of blackjack and won $174 to
use in their online casino. Sharky only lists the best online
casinos on his site and his integrity is impeccable. I would
also recommend using basic blackjack strategy to maximize
your winnings.
Once
again, review the games, terms and conditions, and anything
else you may not understand before chasing these casino
bonuses. These can be profitable if successfully and knowledgeably
attempted.
I
understand the bouts with boredom online, but I hope that
these tips will guide you to successfully building your
bankroll and reducing the monotony that can come with playing
online poker.
Good
Luck at the Tables,
Keith
"Gumby" Alberts
Keith Alberts likes to write, play poker and compete against
the chip tossin’ loons on the Shark Poker Tour.
Check out his great blog at http://www.pokerbonus4u.blogspot.com/
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