The fact is, it’s easy to get carried away with the virtual nature of playing online, where money ceases to be the notes in your wallet but just abstract figures at the bottom of the screen. This virtual money however, is as real as it gets and we need to keep reminding ourselves that this is not free poker but actual currency we are winning or losing.

When you play online poker it is dangerously easy to lose concentration and become detached from the game at hand; the fact that you do not physically have the chips in front of you or the money present means that you must always bear in mind the reality of the situation. In order to help you do this I advise always playing with a maximum budget you are prepared to lose, this way you can’t get too carried away and end up going all in every hand, as if you were playing free poker.

It is too tempting to go on tilt online, perhaps even more so than in an offline casino because you are by your self and there is no physical presence to raise an eyebrow or suggest you play more conservatively. Now, if only they could introduce a full tilt alarm the next time I played at 32red poker!