Best Poker Sites for Beginners
If you are a newbie to online poker, then one of the first things you'll need to decide is which poker site you want to use. This can be something of a challenge, largely because there are so many to choose from. Even experienced players sometimes find it difficult when looking for a change.
There are several things to consider when choosing a poker site, but not everyone has exactly the same requirements. For that reason at BookMob.ca, we rank sites based on a range of different criteria and rank them in specific categories. Below you can see our choices for the best poker sites for beginners.
Ranking Beginner Poker Sites
When we rank poker sites for beginners, a few factors are particularly relevant. First and foremost, we take great care to only recommend places we feel are completely reliable and trustworthy; it's important to play where you know your funds are going to be safe.
We then also take a look at the minimum deposit you can make, what stakes are on offer, and any perks for signing up. The minimum deposit is important as we know that many beginners like to deposit small amounts at first. In addition, many feel more comfortable playing low stakes when starting out, so this should be an option.
The perks you get for signing up need to be taken into account; they can help to grow your bankroll a bit and give you more to put into play. The most common, and usually the biggest, benefit you get for joining a new poker site is a sign-up bonus where you get additional funds added to your account.
You usually have to make a deposit to claim such a bonus. There will generally be certain terms and conditions that have to be met before the bonus money is actually considered yours and can be withdrawn. However, providing the terms are reasonable, a sign-up bonus can be a real benefit to beginners.
All of the sites listed above score well in the key areas mentioned, as well as others. We really cannot recommend them highly enough and believe them to be the very best beginner poker sites of 2015.
Playing Online Poker for the First Time
When you play poker online for the first time, there are a few pieces of advice you would do well to follow. We've provided a few tips to help get the best out of the experience and ensure that you have an entertaining and enjoyable time.
First, we suggest that you only deposit money you are prepared to lose. Even if you are an experienced card player, making the switch to online takes some getting used to, and there are no guarantees you will be successful right away. Of course, if you are completely new to the game, there is every chance you will lose a bit while learning.
You should spend some time adapting to the software and figuring out how it works. Many online sites have a play-for-free option, whereby you can try things out before actually risking any of your own money. Many places also invite new customers to a number of freeroll tournaments, so take advantage of this when you can. Freeroll tournaments have no cost to enter; and although the prize money is usually pretty small, they are a great way to get started.
Also, don't be afraid to try out a few different sites before deciding which one you like the best. Our recommendations are all very high quality, but you will probably find that one or two of them are more suited to you. A lot of players play regularly at different places, and it's an option if it works for you.
It helps to have at least some idea of the game's strategy, so you should take a little time to learn about this subject. If you are only planning on playing for fun, you don't need to spend ages studying up, but a bit of basic knowledge is somewhat necessary. If you are striving to be a top player, then obviously you'll need to put more effort in.
Poker Strategy for Beginners
As a beginner, you really don't want to over think things too much. The best approach when you first start playing is to keep it simple. You shouldn't play too many hands, and you shouldn't try to bluff too much. If you just stick to playing very good hands, and playing them strongly, you are unlikely to get yourself in situations where you don't know what to do.
Remember to pay attention to what your opponents are doing and to think about what cards they may have based on their bets. You'll need to take position into account, too, which means thinking about who is going to act first. If you can get your head around all this, then you should be able to enjoy playing without making a boatload of silly mistakes.
Once you are ready to start improving as a player and considering other strategies and concepts, you can do more studying on the subject. We have a very detailed poker strategy section that you will no doubt find very useful.
Article Details
Author: Brad Johnson
Updated: March 2016
Related Poker Articles