When it comes to job satisfaction online poker ticks so many boxes. Think about it. No more shrills from the acrid alarm forcing you out of that dream with Angelina Jolie, a Mars bar and a bucket of fish; the voice of the ever-annoying boss silenced forever; camaraderie via Skype with only people you really like, and the opportunity to earn a ton of money whilst expending as little of your energy as humanly possible.
If only it were that easy!
Here are 5 tips on how to improve your online poker game by some of the best in the business.
1. Don’t Try and Win Every Pot…You Can’t
David Vamplew is a former European Poker Tour (EPT) Champion, who learned his art playing online poker.
So what advice does the canny Scot offer to the wannabe professional button clickers?
“You can’t win every pot…so don’t try to.”
Sound advice, particularly if you’re over flowing with testosterone and want to crush everyone at everything. Actually, I can simplify that.
Sound advice, particularly if you’re a man.
2. Keep Your Laptop Close…and Your Family Closer
Roberto Romanello is a former World Poker Tour (WPT) and EPT champion, who found his way into poker after breaking his leg playing football.
The Welsh wizard was lying on the settee with a chopstick wedged down his plaster when an advert came on the television for Full Tilt Poker (FTP). Romanello called his brother into the room, told him to rush to Comet and buy a laptop and the rest is history.
The world of online poker can lead to an isolated existence, but Romanello believes its family that makes him a truly great player.
“I would not have been successful without my family around me. A large majority of the truly great players have gambling in their blood and the poker scene takes you to some amazing places. You experience some beautiful things. But you are also experiencing the highs and lows of your game. What is important for me, is the understanding that I am always going to go home. I am always going to be able to put my feet up and relax in the comfort of my own family. Having an amazing family around me has made me a successful poker player.
Whenever I have had a big win I have always come home and given the money to my family. We invest the money and do good things with it. If I didn’t have such a loving family environment, if I was more isolated and alone, I think I would probably be broke.
Just knowing that my family are always there for me is special. It helps me get through the inevitable downswings. I always give advice to other players, who don’t necessarily have a family like mine, to try and get some sort of support system surrounding them because I feel it is that important.”
3. Play Hard and Work Harder
Toby ‘810ofclubs’ Lewis is one of the most accomplished online poker players in the world, and with an EPT title under his belt, and $2.1m in live tournament earnings stuffed under his cashmere and silk mattress, he is equally adept at the live version of the game also.
So what is his secret?
“Play hard and work harder…nothing comes for free in this world.” Says Lewis.
Never a truer word has been spoken.
4. Have an End Game in Mind
Ben Wilinofsky is another professional poker player who learned his trade online before gravitating to the live scene where he picked up €825,000 after winning EPT Berlin in his very first live tournament cash.
For Wilinofsky success is more likely to come if you have an end game in mind.
“Online tournaments force you to block out huge amounts of your day. Make sure you are not just grinding away because it is all you know how to do. Have something in mind you want for your life; have an end game on how you want your life to look. Have meaning, but more than anything else have a goal that represents a turning point in your life, whether that’s having your own place or having enough capital to travel and play poker tournaments, winning a million dollars and giving up the game. Make poker a means to an end, don’t play just to play.”
5. Anton Wigg
Anton Wigg is a former EPT champion who has numerous online scores on his resume including a Sunday Million victory.
The suave and sophisticated Swede believes passion is what gives him an edge in the game.
“Passion is by far the most important principle. Not only in poker, but also with whatever you decide to do. If you’re not on some level passionate about what you do you might want to think about doing something else that will make you happier.”
What trait, emotion, skill or tactic makes you a great online poker player?
