Use software functionality to the utmost advantage.
While some players are against utilizing software while playing online poker, the author takes the stance that as long as it is allowed by the site's terms of service then it is a tool available to all, and therefore is fair game. There are different types of software available to assist a player in becoming a better online player, and to neglect all types of poker software is to miss out
on finding ways for the player to significantly improve his game.
The best place for a beginner to start with using software is through a feature already present on most poker sites: the note-taking function. Oftentimes, an opponent will do something at the tables that the live player would have taken a mental note of had it occurred at his local casino, such as, "That player tends to over-value the strength of holding top-pair.
" One of the great things about playing online is that this mental note can often be directly recorded to stay with the player whenever you encounter him again, such as by adding the simple note, "Over-values top pair hands."
Also available on many poker sites is the ability to color-code players. Developing a color coded system for identifying the relative strength of players can make table selection a nearly instantaneous process. For example, let's say that a player decides to give every shark he plays with a red note. If the player is thinking about playing a sit 'n go, but notices in the lobby that eight of the registered players have red tags, he would quickly see that table as not a profitable one.