Guide on How to Become a Strong Poker Player to Achieve Better Results

There's a major gap between the blatantly weak poker players that crowd online casinos and the real professionals. That's not to say that weak poker players don't win the pot from time to time. But it's more likely to be due to fortunate happenstance rather than the fruitful working out your own poker strategy. In order for your winnings to be a regular occurrence and not just a fluke from Lady Luck, you need to keep improving your knowledge and skills. Firstly, you need to learn the rules of poker thoroughly by familiarising yourself with a few popular variants of the game, such as Texas Hold'em, Omaha and Stud. Secondly, you need to learn self-discipline to avoid big poker losses. Finally, you need to develop your own poker strategy that will make you a better winning player. So, we are here to give you some tips on how to become a stronger poker player at online casinos.

Know More Than Just the Rules of the Game

This is probably the most obvious tip, but if you get into the game without understanding the rules then your bankroll will be melting before your eyes. We recommend starting with Texas Hold'em as the world's most popular and easy to learn version of poker. Although online casino websites such as VipArabClub offer some rare versions of poker, it is better to start with Hold'em as this game is played at a moderate pace which means you will have more time to think your moves through. On the other hand, learning less popular versions of poker will help you shape up as a professional player. When studying the game of poker, focus on aspects such as card combinations, drawing hands, pot odds, and a few others. Then, study optimal game theory (something like basic strategy used in blackjack) to take a serious step towards becoming a poker pro.

Get More Practice

Any knowledge you have won't do you much good if you can't implement it in practice. The days of gathering friends round the living room table to practise your poker skills are over as there are plenty of online poker websites now offering a risk-free way to play the popular card game. Keep in mind that there are real poker pros with hundreds of hours at the table. Then you can switch over to freerolls, which are poker tournaments with no entry fee. Although you don't have to pay to join the freerolls, there is a prize pool so you won't be wasting your time from a financial point of view. You can also start off with video poker, which is a slot machine using the rules of five-card draw poker. By choosing Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild or Joker Poker you can learn the basic poker combinations quicker so you don't have to waste time doing simple things like evaluating your initial hand.

Choose a Reliable Poker Website

To ensure your gambling experience is not marred by poor service, too high commissions or delays in payouts, you need to start by choosing a good poker destination. There are plenty of poker rooms and online casinos available to Arabic poker players. Among them perhaps the best known is VipArabClub, a very popular iGaming platform designed with the Arabic gambling enthusiasts in mind. Licensed by Curacao eGaming, VipArabClub boasts a long track record of success in the online gambling industry, as evidenced by user reviews. VipArabClub is home to many popular versions of poker including video poker, live poker and many more. The good news is that VipArabClub also supports a risk-free online poker game mode, so you can practise your poker skills on this website without wasting your hard-earned money. A generous rewards program with bonuses and incentives for new and returning customers, responsive customer service, as well as fast and secure financial transactions - these are just some of the many advantages the VipArabClub platform has to offer. While choosing the right poker website won't make you a professional poker player overnight, it will save you from various obstacles and unnecessary things on your way to becoming a stronger player.

Play only Potentially Winning Hands

The whole point of poker is to form a competitive hand in order to tip the odds in your favour. There are so-called loose players who seek to play as many poker hands as possible, no matter how promising they are. The opposite is a tight player who only plays strong hands with high odds of winning, and you should become one of these players. It is extremely important to understand the players you are sitting at the table with. There are many software solutions that allow you to keep track of hand statistics so you can get an idea of your opponents.  

Learn the Art of Bluffing

To become a true professional poker player, you must learn how to bluff and use it when it can bring you some benefit. Whether you prefer cash games or tournaments, a good bluff can be a great tool for you. However, note that bluffing does not work when you are playing computerised single-player poker (video poker). Keep in mind that bluffing will work when you're going after weaker opponents. If you really want to make a living playing online poker, then demonstrating that you have stronger cards than actually, you will be able to make weaker players give you the slack.

Choose Your Suitable Pace of Play

A high payout ratio is something every professional player should be aiming for, after all, we all go to an online casino to get ahead of the game. And you have to decide on an average number of big blinds that you play a certain number of hands. So, you have to win at least 10 big blinds in 100 hands to avoid losing money. The higher this number is, the better your profits will be. 

We also recommend keeping track of how much you spend on poker and how much you win. For example, if investing $1,000 a month and winning $5,000 from it, you can calculate your profit margin percentage with a simple formula: (5,000 - 1,000)/(1,000x100) = 0.04 or 4%. Although this is a pretty low ROI, it still means that you are in the black. According to professional poker players, a ROI of 15-20% is what every poker player should strive for.

Adhere to the Rules of Sensible Bankroll Management

Managing your gambling budget wisely is a vital skill. You can't lose too much if you don't allow yourself to spend too much. Keep in mind that you will need a substantial amount to handle buy-ins. Plus there is always the risk of getting caught on a losing streak, so you should have a margin that covers your losses. To successfully fight back from taking big losses, play satellite tournaments where you can win good money without spending too much on entry fees. If you're a beginner, start with a small deposit and play cautiously, gradually building up your bankroll.

Play Responsibly

To become a poker pro, you need more than just learning the basic rules of the game. You also have to understand the maths of the game, be flexible, choose the right version of the game and know the limits when it comes to spending your budget. Although poker is a strategic card game, the element of luck still influences your results so knowing how to manage your budget correctly and play responsibly is essential. 

There are poker players who are also into some other gambling options or sports betting. And if you want to become a poker pro, you have to keep your poker bankroll away from outside spending. Open a separate poker account and never spend this money on anything else. If you are having trouble managing your poker budget, you can request the services of a financial advisor. Although this will result in additional costs, you will learn how to manage your bankroll as efficiently as possible.

Approach the Game with a Cold Mind

We are all human and therefore prone to making emotional decisions. However, before you sit down at the poker table, you must leave your emotions at the door. Even by following all the canons of perfect poker strategy, you may find yourself in a situation where the odds are against you. If someone defeats you several times in a row, don't be jealous of their luck and try to be philosophical about it. Even if you fail a few times, you should realise that your smart strategy combined with smart bankroll management will make you a winning player in the long run.

Final Words

Poker is a popular casino game which is easy to learn but difficult to master. It will take years of learning and practising your skills before you can fight on equal footing against really strong opponents. However, following the advice above will set you on your way to becoming a professional poker player and develop consistently with minimal embarrassing mistakes.