Side-by-side hands holding a phone and poker chips, with the text “Poker Strategy Online vs Live”

For die-hard poker players, making the switch to online poker might seem like a breeze. As with any change, though, there are always differences to consider and adjustments to make. One of the most important is how you adjust your strategy. Understanding the differences between online poker vs live poker strategy can be tricky. Where do you start? What are some quick changes you can make to take your competitive edge from the felt to the screen, and vice versa?

We’ve got you covered.

Let’s dig into some of the top online vs live poker tips available in Australia. These strategies will help you as you get up to speed with everything that online poker has to offer.

Read the Rules

When it comes to refining your online poker vs live poker strategy, it’s best to start with the basics. Much like in-person poker, online poker has strict regulations around betting, card combinations, and hand ranks, many of which differ across games, regions, and casinos.

For instance, online poker rules in Australia vary depending on whether you’re playing Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, or Omaha Hi-Lo. What’s more, the traditional rules of live poker don’t all carry over to the digital space. Before you start tweaking your strategy, make sure you’re familiar with the differences.

Person in a hoodie facing a desktop screen showing the word “RULES” in large text

Look for Patterns, Not Tells

When you play poker online, you can’t see your opponents. That means that you can’t use physical tells — like lip-biting, fidgeting, or a bouncing knee — to read your competitors. On the other hand, it also means you’re safe from opponents picking up on any physical tells you may have.

This then begs the question: how can you read your competitors when playing online poker? The answer: focus on playing patterns.

As you keep an eye on your fellow players, ask questions that will help you identify their tendencies. How much are they betting? Are they placing higher bets from certain positions? Are they quick to fold when they’re pushed to raise?

Taking a closer look at these behaviours, with an eye to timing and pressure, will help you figure out exactly what type of online poker player you’re up against. From there, you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

Tailor Your Aggression Levels

Adjusting the aggression of your play is one of the best strategies for online poker. Specifically, adopting a tight-aggressive (TAG) playing approach is an excellent choice.

What is a TAG playstyle? Put simply, it’s all about making calculated decisions. In general, taking on this approach means you’ll play fewer games, only playing your strongest hands. However, when you do play, you’ll make aggressive moves, such as betting or raising rather than simply checking or calling.

Adopting a TAG playstyle offers a host of benefits. Because you won’t play most hands, you’ll avoid having to make tricky or risky post-flop decisions that could cost you. It also gives you the power to exploit the weaknesses of loose-aggressive (LAG) players and passive players alike.

LAGs play more hands and tend to over-bet and bluff, leaving them vulnerable to their more cunning TAG counterparts. On the other hand, passive players (also known as Nits) are timid in the face of aggression, meaning you can often push them to fold or limp into pots, depending on your preference.

Close-up of a red-lit gauge with the needle on low, labelled "Aggression Level"

Play Multiple Tables to Maximise Your Earnings

Another great online poker strategy is to play multiple tables simultaneously. Unlike live poker, online poker grants you the ability to be in several places (i.e. at several tables) at once. As a result, you’re able to play more hands per hour. While you may see an average of 50 hands per hour, this jumps up to 150 hands if you play at three tables at the same time.

In turn, you have the potential to increase your winnings without any additional time commitment. This is ideal if you’ve got a tight schedule but still want to maximise your profits.

Make the Most of Bonuses, Offers & Promotions

Whether you’re playing online or in person, a key part of your poker strategy should be stretching your bankroll as far as possible. Fortunately, this is made easier online, thanks to bonuses, offers, and promotions available exclusively to online gamers.

For example, Ignition offers the Poker & Casino Welcome Bonus, granting new members up to $3,000 in bonus cash. There are also poker-specific offers available, such as the Bad Beat and the Royal Flush Bonus. The former helps you shake off brutal defeats and get back in the game with a payout of up to 100x the big blind of your previous game (to a maximum of $1,000), while the latter could see you earn up to $200 in bonus cash.

With more money in your account, you’ll increase your playtime and opportunities for strategy experimentation. The risk of testing out these strategies is also significantly lower because you’re not putting your own money on the line.

Implement a Stop Loss

One of the best poker strategies for online games may be simple, but it’s often easier said than done: know when to walk away.

Bad beats are inevitable, particularly when you’re first getting started in the online poker world. In the face of these hands, it can be easy for tilt to take over, those feelings of frustration, anger, or confusion. In these moments, playing on could lead to poor or impulsive decisions that could result in bigger losses.

This is where a stop loss comes in. A stop loss is a self-imposed limit that determines how much you’re willing to risk in a single gaming session. By setting the limit in advance (and sticking to it), you can avoid unnecessary losses and keep your head in the game.

A red stop sign with a hand icon in front of a blurred poker table on a screen with the words “STOP LOSS”

Put Your Online Poker Strategy to the Test at Ignition Poker

Now that you’re equipped with the best poker strategies for online games, it’s time to apply your knowledge — and the best place to do it in Australia is Ignition Poker.

At Ignition, you have an extensive range of poker games and formats available at your fingertips. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick round of Texas Hold’Em or an Omaha marathon, to try your hand at Zone Poker or video poker, you’ll find it here.