Over the past several weeks, I have discussed many aspects in the hopes that by reading my articles, you will become a more profitable poker player. I’ve discussed strategy for winning online tournaments, advanced strategy such as bluffing and things to avoid such as going on tilt, but I just realized something. I have neglected to go over the basics that all poker players should keep in mind. There are certain things you must keep in mind before sitting at a table and throwing your hard earned money into the mix.

Today I conclude the 2-part series on the subject of getting started in online poker. Here are numbers 6-10 Internet Poker Strategies that, when followed, will get you on your way to becoming a winning online poker player. more about getting started with online poker...

Has this ever happened to you? You’re sitting at a good game, either 5 handed or 10 handed. Countless hands go by and yet, you can’t take down a single pot? This astounds you because the probability of this happening are just so remote that it starts to frustrate you. 10 hands go by, 20 hands and you still seem to be holding ice cold cards while many of your opponents are just snatching pot after pot without even making it to the showdown. This inaction makes you start to wonder what the heck everyone is holding. Is it a conspiracy against you? Not likely. Does everyone have you beat every hand? Even less likely. more about raising...

Why play poker? It seems like a simple question, but the answer is both complex and personal. There are many different reasons to play or not play poker, and often these reasons will dictate what type of player a person is and what limits he or she should play.

Poker pros are commonly described as tight and aggressive. A good player is nothing like that; in general he masters at least three critical elements of poker.

Math skills

Good poker players know general percentages. They know that you have about 1 in 8 chance of hitting a set when holding a pocket pair, and that you have about a 1 in 3 chance of completing a flush draw at the flop. They know the importance of 'outs.' Outs are simply the number of cards that will improve your hand. more about poker skills...

You’ve held your own, took down some pots and knocked your share of players out. You’ve been checking over your shoulder for updates and you see that the player pool has been steadily decreasing. You also check your chip position in relation to the leader and the player average and you’re sure that you’re in good shape.

What a total shame it would be to come so far and still finish out of the money. After all, if you don’t get paid off, you essentially wasted your time and effort, not to mention your non-refundable buy in. I know, I know, you could look at the bright side and view a loss as a losing experience, but personally, I learn a lot better when I’m counting money, not when I’m muttering to myself in disgust...more about tournament strategy...

When action for a hand begins, always act in turn. Although you may see others fold or call out of turn, don't do it yourself. It is considered rude because it gives an unfair advantage to the players before you who have yet to act. This is especially important at the showdown when only three players are left. If players after you are acting out of turn while you decide what to do, say "Time!" to make it clear that you have not yet acted.

A very common thing that online players struggle with is how to handle actual playing cards. You may find it awkward at first to peek at your own cards without exposing them to others. Note that the other players have no formal obligation to alert you to your clumsiness, although some will. Watch how the other players manage it and follow their lead. Leave your cards in sight at all times as holding them in your lap or passing them to another player will result in your hand being ruled dead, you don’t want to do this. Finally, if you intentionally show your cards to another player during the hand, both your hands may be declared dead.more about playing live...

People often wonder how some players deal with the stress of playing poker professionally. Most people would be horrified at the stakes of the games they play tournaments with buy-ins of up to $25,000 and cash games that frequently have six-figure swings. Most professional poker players have become somewhat desensitized towards money. Despite this, they still do experience stress while playing poker, and these are some tips for anyone else who does, too.

Feeling a certain level of stress while playing poker is a key to winning, and that "certain level" varies by individual. To put it another way, to excel at poker, you must always play within your stress comfort zone. You should never gamble with money you can’t afford to lose, as this would be incredibly stressful, not to mention very irresponsible. You should not base what limit you play simply on your bankroll. You must be as emotionally ready to lose a certain amount of money as you are financially in order to justify playing in a particular game. If you are a millionaire but are not emotionally ready to lose more than $1,000 in a given session, stick to $10-$20 limits or smaller. If you’re not emotionally prepared some of the big losses in these games can be emotionally devastating and very stressful. These lessons are very painful to learn, so stick to games in which you are emotionally prepared to lose at least 50 big bets, because it can and will happen frequently, even if you are a great player who rarely tilts.more about poker stress...