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But up until two years ago,  the thought of playing online for real money bothered me.  In my first book,  How to Beat Low Limit 7-Card Stud Poker,  I said online poker has some advantages,  but I preferred not to play online.  I still do prefer to play in the “brick and mortar” environment.  There’s something about having a nice felt,  holding the chips,  talking to folks,  and most importantly,  watching my opponents and how they play.

In hindsight,  though,  I was too narrow in my views about online poker.  Then,  one day,  I decided to play for free.  I downloaded UltimateBet’s software,  playing Texas Hold em tables and some 7-card stud. UB has a promotion for the high hand of the hour,  and I caught a straight flush on the turn in one game,  making me that hand.  Because it was just for play money,  I received only 10% of the prize money,  but five bucks is five bucks.  To make a long story short,  I took that five bucks and now play 30/60.  Well, not exactly ...  I actually lost that money,  but playing the small stakes tables online was enjoyable.

From that point, I tried out other sites offeringpoker,  liking the software from PokerStars the best.  For about a 6-month period,  I played only for free.  But when they offered a deposit bonus  (20%)  I decided to give it a shot.  I started out high,  playing the four- and eight-cent tables,  and now have moved my way up to playing the fifty-cent and dollar tables.  (I’m not sure if that qualifies me as a whale,  but I think it’s close.) ...(more)

I love poker.  I think I’ve become a solid small stakes player.  I’m not a high stakes guy,  and odds aren’t good I’ll be on ESPN anytime soon.  Maybe you are a “low-roller” as I am,  and are considering playing online.  Now that you’ve read my short novel about my journey into online play,  here are some of the reasons I've enjoyed online poker,  and what you can expect if you take the leap into an online card room:

24/7 Action:  Any casino might have this, but it is quite frustrating to make the trip to a card room, only to have to wait for 2 hours to get a seat.  Many casinos are experiencing long waits.  Other times,  you can’t find a game.  If you are a stud or stud 8 player especially  --  in many casinos there just isn't as much stud action anymore.  Online,  there is always a game going,  in any game you’d like to play in,  and the waits are minimal.

Levels Galore:  You name the level,  you’ve got it.  As I said,  I started playing four and eight-cent tables.  There are even one and two-cent tables on some sites.  Or maybe you feel like a $300/$600 game.  There’s that too.  Playing online allows you to play any limit you want.  My current game of choice is $.50/$1 Stud 8.  Good luck finding that level in a public card room.  Public card rooms generally offer nothing lower than $2/4;  it’s just not worth it for the house;  the rake is too small.  Playing the very small,  micro limit tables is a great way to build a bankroll gradually,  or earn some extra spending money.  There are also “play money” tables if you just want to play for fun;  but these games are typically very loose.

Low Rakes, No Tips:  At PokerStars,  the rake is 5% and you never tip a dealer.  This adds up over time,  allowing you to keep more of your money.  Many players like this advantage, especially if you play higher stakes.

Notes:  Online poker rooms allow you the flexibility of easy note-taking.  It is easier to gather information on your opponents.  While you miss out on being able to watch opponents live,  you can key in information as you play.  What’s especially nifty about PokerStars is the appearance of a small  “N”  under a player’s icon,  indicating you have notes on that player.  If you are a stud player,  you can also write down the cards as they are folded if you have a hard time memorizing them. ...(more)

Stats:  Ever leave a home game and wonder how many hands you actually won at the showdown?  Or ponder if you saw the flop too much?  Online sites give you plenty of information:  information you can use to improve your play.  You can also get hand histories if there is that one hand that drove you nuts,  and you can go back and  “look at the film”  to see how your opponent played his hand and if you made mistakes.  Unless you have access to security tapes, that isn’t going to happen in a traditional casino.  PokerStars also has the nifty feature that lets you know the average pot and how many players see a flop  (or fourth street in stud),  so even before you “sit” down,  you have an idea of how tight or loose a game is.  Pretty cool,  huh?

Chat:  Talking with players is a fun part of the game for a lot of us,  myself included.  While you can’t “see” your opponent at his or her computer,  you can talk via chat.  Or you can choose not to talk by turning off the chat feature.

Tourneys Galore:  Perhaps the nicest feature of online poker rooms is the availability of tournaments.  There is always a tournament going on,  from a $1 satellite to a $200 large tournament.  There are also  “Sit & Go”  tournaments,  where you can play heads-up against someone or at just one table.  Many tournaments in traditional casinos can be deep,  and do not always go off at the most convenient of hours.