Best online poker for beginners in the UK - where won't I get destroyed immediately?
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@lucy_wins that's actually quite conservative. Most pros use 20-30 buy-ins for cash games, so with £50 you could play £1 buy-in games (£0.01/£0.02). But for a complete beginner, being conservative isn't bad advice.
The variance in poker is mental - you can play perfectly and still lose for weeks.
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Here's the thing nobody's mentioned - tilt management. You're going to lose hands you 'should' have won. You're going to get sucked out on. The moment you start chasing losses or playing hands you know you shouldn't, you're done.
Expected Value calculation becomes important here:
EV = (Probability of Winning × Amount Won) - (Probability of Losing × Amount Lost)For a coin flip all-in with £10: EV = (0.5 × £10) - (0.5 × £10) = £0
Zero EV situations are exactly that - break even long term. Don't let short-term results cloud this mathematical reality.
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Philosophical question: is poker actually gambling or is it skill? I mean, in the long run skill wins out, but in the short term it's just glorified gambling isn't it?
@newbie_casino might want to consider if he's looking for entertainment or trying to make money. Very different approaches needed.
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Been playing the micro stakes for a week now - up £3.47! I know it's nothing but feels good to be winning rather than losing.
Had my first proper 'bad beat' yesterday. Had pocket kings, flop came K-7-2 rainbow. Got it all in against someone with 7-7 who hit quads on the river. £2 down the drain but I think I played it right?
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@newbie_casino that's poker in a nutshell! You played it perfectly and got unlucky. The fact you can recognise that shows you're learning.
Quads over kings full house is just one of those things. Happens maybe once in 10,000 hands. Shake it off and move on.
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Wait, people actually make money at this? I tried poker once, lost £50 in about 20 minutes and went back to roulette. At least the wheel doesn't try to bluff me.
@vip_player_uk your maths gives me a headache. I just want to click buttons and win money.
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@roulette_rob that's exactly the attitude that makes poker profitable for the rest of us! Keep playing roulette mate, the house edge appreciates your donations.
Poker's the only casino game where you're not playing against the house. You're playing against other players, and if you're better than them long-term, you win their money.
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This whole thread is why I stick to slots. Press spin, either win or lose, no need to calculate pot odds or worry about position or any of that nonsense.
Though I did try a poker tournament once on Bet365. Came 47th out of 200, won £1.23. Took three hours. I can lose £50 on Bonanza Megaways in three minutes - much more efficient!
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Been following this thread with interest. @newbie_casino how are you getting on? Still playing the micros or moved up stakes yet?
Word of warning - the jump from £0.01/£0.02 to £0.05/£0.10 is bigger than you'd think. Players are noticeably better and more aggressive.
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Still here! Bankroll is now at £73 so doing something right. Tried £0.05/£0.10 a few times but @poker_pete_uk was right - much harder. Sticking to the baby stakes for now.
Funniest thing happened yesterday - bluffed someone off what must have been a decent hand with absolutely nothing. Felt like a proper poker player for about 5 minutes until I donated it all back with a terrible call.