Online casino games do not get any bigger than poker and some of the major tournaments can be worth millions of dollars. However, poker is not an easy game to master and building confidence is key to your success. Continue below as we assess some of the ways you can build your confidence when playing online poker.
Play the Game
Playing poker as often as you can is one of the best ways to build your confidence. You may have heard the saying ‘practice makes perfect’ and while chance can play a significant role in the outcome of a poker game, nothing beats playing experience. You do not have to keep playing in online poker tournaments, you can play for free using mobile apps until you are confident with the basics of poker. You can take advantage of a poker no deposit bonus, because this will allow you to play online poker without having to use any of your own money. There is no fear of losing when playing online poker using a no deposit bonus and you can enjoy playing the game. Every single game of poker you play will help build you confidence as a poker player. Even when you lose games, there is something to learn and you can take notes about each game to see where you can improve in future poker tournaments.
Strategies
There are many ways to play and win games of poker. To have faith in your own ability as a poker player, it is vital to have some strategies in place when playing the game. These strategies do not have to be rigid and something you follow to the letter each time you play. They can be used a base on which to build your own style of play and tweaked for exceptional circumstances within games of online poker. Having several strategies you can call upon when playing online poker will build your confidence because you know there are diverse ways to play the game that you can bring to the table. The turn of a single card can have a massive impact on every poker game but if you have a set of strategies you can use for various circumstances, you will remain in control and confident about your chances of success. There are many poker websites that provide detailed analysis of poker strategies you can learn.
Controlling Emotion
Poker is an emotional game and it can be easy to feel frustrated when something goes against you. Controlling your emotions when playing online poker is crucial because it will help eliminate mistakes. For example, an opposing player could be playing poorly but get lucky with the turn of a card. This is extremely frustrating if you have been playing the cards well only for someone to take control of the hand through pure luck and nothing else. Getting angry can lead to making a rash decision and losing control of yourself and the game. On the other hand, if the game is going your way and you are on a winning streak, you can begin to get cocky. There is an enormous difference between cockiness and confidence. A cocky poker player believes they are the best poker player at the table, whereas a confident poker player believes they have the ability to win the game if they stick to their strategies. Knowing you are in control of your emotions, whether winning or losing, is a major step in building confidence when playing poker online. Knowing you can keep your emotions under control when under pressure naturally leads to confidence in your poker ability. Practicing mindfulness is an effective way to develop a positive but not cocky mindset when playing online poker. Staying in the moment rather than getting carried away will lead to better decision making.
Confidence Exercises
There are several confidence exercises you can complete that will help build your confidence when playing online poker. Visualization is a good example and this involves visualizing a poker scenario. Sit in a quiet room and close your eyes. Visualise a poker table, you are playing against other players who are also at the table. Think about what cards are on the table and what cards you have in your hand. Visualize making strategic decisions based on the cards you can see and how you can win the game. Picture in your mind how the game could play out having made your decisions and how the strategies you implemented helped you win the game. Think about how winning the game based on your strategies made you feel and take that confidence with you when you play online poker. Goal setting, positive affirmations, and tracking your progress are all exercises you can do to build your confidence while playing online poker.