10 Tips for Playing Online Poker Like a Pro

The lure of playing online poker to make money is pretty powerful. One can conceivably roll out of bed at any hour while still in their pajamas and fire up some online poker tables. It's a dream existence in the most literal of ways because it doesn't exist. In truth, playing online poker professionally requires one to behave, at least somewhat, as if they are a professional. That means giving focus and discipline to the task at hand each day. Here are a few rules worth following if you hope to make any serious money playing online poker: online poker 468x60 1. Create a distraction-free workspace. Your online poker grind-station should be free of children, significant others, and almost all forms of external stimuli. 2. Ignore your phone while playing. Get a text message? Missed call? You'll get back to them. You're working. 3. Prepare in advance for meals and breaks. Don't sit down for a poker session without a plan of how you will eat that day or approximately how long you expect to be working. Get organized. 4. Close all instant message windows or put up a busy signal. The only people you should be IM'ing with during sessions are fellow poker players just as busy at work as you are. 5. Maintain a zero content consumption policy while grinding. This means no web articles. No podcasts. No TV on in the background. 6. Get a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Put some music on low volume. Preferably lyric-free music. 7. Do at least an hour of homework for every poker session played. This can be some combination of reviewing uncertain hands, watching poker training videos, reading and contributing to poker strategy forums, or having focused, high-level discussions with a poker peer. 8. Keep good records. You should have a deep familiarity with your bankroll situation and what it means to your poker track record. 9. Take care of your body. Your mind doesn't work as well when you are feeding yourself junk, failing to train your body, or using drugs and alcohol. Playing good poker starts with taking care of yourself as an individual. 10. Sleep adequately. A million studies have demonstrated the link between sleep and cognitive function. Occasionally the best decision you can make in a poker session is to not start one at all.