Poker players of 2010 have a tough task on their hands. Whilst we all hope that legalising poker in the USA is more than just a pipedream (and the recent developments suggest legalisation is certainly looking like a possibility) we must be able to beat the game now in order to stay sharp ready for when the games hopefully become a little bit easier. So where do modern day poker profits come from?
The answer is that everything you were doing in the glory years of online poker still apply today but in a more refined form. More effort in table selection, game selection and a staunch appraisal of your own game and abilities is essential in order to succeed at online poker so you can turn a profit.
A recent guest on my online poker radio show told me that he regularly plays between eight and ten hours of online poker per day. That sort of volume is not unusual for a semi-professional poker player and a professional player can even play more than that. In today’s poker climate you can expect that during that session of eight or more hours playing poker the individual will be playing more than one table. Because the variance is greater, the edges are smaller the hours played must be larger in order for your levels of profit to be maintained.
Many players believe that considering other variations of poker like Pot Limit Omaha is the way to move forward but I am firmly of the belief that a holdem expert can still do well online. It may not be as easy as it was back in 2004 to 2007 but it is still doable. The thing to remember is rather than being a 7/10 poker player you now need to be playing at an 8.5/10 and genuinely have a talent to succeed. It takes work, time and patience.
There is hope for the average poker player, however, because there is currently legislation making its way through the American political process could potentially legalise online poker for American poker players. At the moment it is illegal for players to make the wire transfers into the online poker rooms thus making their bankroll management and leaving their own money in online poker rooms where it is essentially illegal for them to transfer the money to their bank accounts quite risky. This has meant many players have chosen not to play.
Making it legal once more to play online poker could see many average poker players return to the poker tables thus immediately giving profit making opportunities to many well-seasoned online poker pros. With this in mind, even though the tables are now tough and the online poker games are hard to beat this really is golden practise time that could reap amazing rewards later on if things work out as we hope. The great thing about the USA legalising (and taxing) online poker is that other regions, Europe in particular, are likely to follow a similar path thus creating a better poker environment for all.
Bear this in mind if you are struggling at the tables. You can still win with a bit of hard work as you choose your tables and games more carefully. And the work you put in could reap even more rewards in the future if things work out well for the poker world. Chin up, and here’s to your profits!
By Malcolm Clarke
