If you’re about to embark on your first online poker tournament, congratulations! You are in for the time of your life, and whether you win or lose, you should be proud of yourself for taking that next step. Many people dream about playing in an online poker tournament, but they feel that the process is a bit too difficult for them to actually have a good time. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth — you will actually have a good time playing against other people, as long as you keep a few things in mind.

First and foremost, you need to make sure that you know what type of poker game you’re playing, and what the stakes actually are. For example, you might want to play a low stakes poker tournament, where you are playing with play or virtual cash rather than the real thing. When you’re still trying to improve your game, jumping right into a real cash tournament can be something that just doesn’t make sense. When you don’t have the bankroll to support a real cash tournament, a virtual tournament where there’s no financial risk can be just what the proverbial doctor ordered.

On the other hand, if you’ve already played thousands of hands and you’re getting better and better, you can check out what’s referred to as “micro-stakes” poker. This is usually something that’s popular within the No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em arena, but other poker variations have this as well.

From there, you will also need to keep in mind that you’re going to be playing against poker players of various skill levels. You will want to make sure that you treats everyone with respect, even the people that aren’t as good as you are. Calling people out for dubious hands or making mean comments towards other players will only get you disliked — remember that behind the screen is another person that has feelings. When people are trying to learn something new, they can take what would otherwise be friendly criticism very seriously.

Brushing up on the specific tournament rules is never a bad idea as well — you will need to have as much information as possible under your belt before you can really join the ranks of the best poker players online.

Ready to go tournament style? Make sure that you keep practicing, keep connecting with members of the poker community, and keep having a good time — it’s really that easy!