SharePulling off the bluff
As any decent or half-decent poker player knows, this game is not just about luck. In fact, the greatest poker players can turn a seemingly bad hand into a winner. The biggest bluff takes extreme confidence and calm to pull off, but it can be done if you know the opposition. The problem is: how do you know if someone is bluffing or not, and how can you get any intel behind the mask?
If you are playing offline or with mates, it is somewhat easier. Big hitters tend to be infamous. You can also be pretty confident up close about which of your friends seem to be acting a bit off (or seem rather on edge). However, when you are playing online, getting yourself in front of the house edge or your fellow contestants can be quite another matter. Whether you are playing live dealer or a video simulation of poker, getting the intel is key to success.
Basic information to master
When there were not so many sites or game variants, poker results used to be highly visible. However, private games, crypto platforms, and fragmented gambling products make modern high-stakes activity harder to document and follow. Whatever level of poker you play at, there are some key things you need to know:
• VPIP (Voluntary Pot Putting into the Pot), PFR (Preflop Raise Rate)
• PFR (Pre-Flop Raise)
• Agg (Postflop Aggression Frequency)
• Big Blinds Won per 100 Hands
• 3-Bet% (How often a player re-raises a preflop raise)
• Fold to C-Bet
These three stats give you a clear picture of opponents' playstyles and help you make better-informed decisions. You can find all of these in a Heads-Up-Display tracker tool which supplies real-time statistical data. When HighStakeDB was established, there was no way to know who had won or lost, but the site now offers a database of results dating back to 2007. You can find hand history and all sorts of other useful information that will help you make informed decisions.
Be patient and learn your craft.
Back in the day, all online poker was run almost exclusively on the Microgaming network, but things have changed so much, and poker is much more widely accessible and played for both high and low stakes. Using the available stats effectively requires practice and experience – it is going to take some time to master, so do not give up too soon. Unlike most gambling and casino games, perfecting poker is a long game. Start with the basics and work your way up from there.
It is important to remember that playing online poker for real money is only legal in a handful of US states, although it is possible to find sweepstakes and social casino versions of the game too. There really are a whole host of games that compete with traditionally trackable online poker. These include poker-inspired slots, video versions of the game played against a computer, live dealer versions, and, of course, classic poker sites.
A helping hand
It can be a bit bewildering working out what you can and cannot play and what you do and do not want to play. Which version of what game is the entertainment that you are looking for? Online review site Casino Guru is there to guide you to what is and is not possible depending on where you reside. As well as giving the lowdown on the best online poker sites, the site has the full suite of gambling sites online reviewed and ranked by a whole host of categories and classifications.
While finding like-minded playing partners or programs you think you can beat is key to online play, safety matters too. In fact, the number one consideration should always be safety. No matter how tempting a site might look, if it does not have the right security credentials, you could find that you have come up against the ultimate bluff. You could think that you have won big, just to discover that the site is nothing more than a scam and your winnings (and precious data) are now with someone else.
Playing it safe
When finding the best sites and stats, it is important to give consideration to more than just the headline numbers. A reliable site will not only have the correct licensing and security protocols in place, but will also offer excellent customer service, top-notch software partners, and plenty of payment options. Stats are about more than just being able to psych out the opposition. In addition, some poker rooms are actually more profitable than others for players, so knowing your way around is as much of the game as the gameplay and betting itself.
When you are checking out information, do not forget to consider the casino or poker site's size - is it properly capitalized, and can it pay out in the event of unprecedented player success? While this is unlikely, it can happen, and you need to be confident that your deposits and potential winnings are safe. Also, do your own research and see if players are making valid complaints on peer-review sites. Check out allegations of restrictive or unfair practices by the operators. While these often come about due to player misunderstandings, they can also be a signal of underlying site issues.
Gaming the advantage
Poker statistics can be a powerful tool that can gain you a significant advantage. Even if you do not think they are necessary, the chances are that your opponent will have done their research. Once you understand the basics, you can use them to gradually improve your game; be patient, as success will not come overnight. Professional players use stats to analyze every move and understand how playing styles affect results. Sites like Statname give you every bit of data available on a particular player; however, this service comes at a price, so you need to weigh up the cost versus the payback.
