Tips playing online

After playing several years online I came across some usual tactics for playing online. I'm gonna give some tips that you should be aware off when your playing onlinepoker.

Online Poker Networks

When you signup to a pokernetwork you could Google the network and check for signup bonuses. Why? Because it's more likely they have some pointsystem or loyaltysystem and as long as you are playing poker online, the extra money wouldn't hurt, would it? I usually checkout Bonuswhores for bonuscodes. Be sure to read the terms of the bonus. Some network requires a sum of playingpoints, and others the bonusamount X times.

The pot of the tournament

Next step is the tournaments, if you prefer playing tournaments. I usually only play NL Holdem Freezeout. The first thing I check is the total pot of the tournament, or in some cases guaranteed money. Why? Well, it's no use playing a tournament and spending 5 hours only to win a 100 dollars, even if it cost's you 1 dollar. Also look for the entry fee. I normally don't spend more than $25 on a tournament. I could play 3-4 tournaments with that sum, and still have a better chance of winning some more.

The amount of players

If the tournament has too many players, you have to realize the tournament gonna take a long time to play, and believe me, you will get tired at the end. But, the more players could also mean more places paid, but be aware that the sum of the last places won't be high. Also be aware that if it's a low entry fee, the chance of people playing like idiots is high.

Freezeout or Rebuy

The biggest reason why I don't play rebuys are because of idiots just playing lotto with a massive all ins. Their tactics is to double up fast and if the buy-in only costs ex. $3, you could expect at least 10 all in from some player. But if it costs $10 they usually don't use that tactic. I have seen some players make 30-50 rebuys.
With a freezeout you can only go all in once and either win or loose, that why I prefer freezeout. You also get rid of the players. Rebuys take longer time.

Check your place position

I always check how faar away I am from the last paid place. Thats a good way to know if you have to go all in and double up. If the blind is high you could figure out that the ante + blind is gonna eat up your stack fast. If your close to the last place paid, play tight, meaning only play high pockets and AK, AQ, AJ, KQ.

Use the time

I have seen some players gone all in when there is only 5 more players out to get some money, even if they had a good position in the tournament. Why risk something like that when you have played for 4-5 hours and gone out 3 places behind the money? Let's say there are 40 places paid and 46 players left in the tournament. Your at the 39th place. This is the time to use your decision time. Some networks only got 15 seconds to decide if your gonna play a hand, and some networks up to 90 seconds. Even if your not thinking of playing the hand, use the time! If you use the time, the risk that someone else going out before you is higher. You could say your freezing your play and letting the other tables have players gone out. This is a tactic many players use.

Keeping notes of players

Almost all networks have a built in notefunction that allows you to store your own notes about a player. I use this when playing cashtables. This has been very effective to store notes of players that play a lot of flushhands, suited hands and bluffs. When in doubt of the river, check the notes and you could figure out if the player got you on a flushdraw.

Some actions are alike

When playing either cash or tournaments there are some action that you will see a lot of times. Small stack left after going all in = probably going all in next hand. If your in the tableposition before of that player and thinking of limping in, don't! I would say almost 8 out of 10 times the player goes all in.