Playing paid or free poker online is a game of skill, chance with a little luck thrown in for good measure.
As we all know, 52 cards make up a deck and whatever 5 cards are dealt out, one of those will always win. It could be the ultimate hand of a Royal Flush or the lowest possible pair of 2's. In some cases, it could even be A high. This is the wonderful world of poker, not knowing which hands are going to win the game.
When dealt cards you must first decide whether they are suitable to your style of play. Then the decision is whether to fold, call or raise the big blind.
Each and every poker player has a unique style of play. Some will play 3 4 off suit, whereas others may only play face cards. That is a style of play. I know of many players who will play nearly every hand pre-flop as long as the bet is within their comfort zone.
Once the flop is seen, it becomes more interesting and a bigger decision needing to be made. If you are holding 3 4 off suit and the flop shows AKJ, what is the likelihood that you will continue with the hand? I would imagine you would fold, unless it is a check through until the turn card is shown.
No poker player is the same, and its important to remember that you can never bee 100% sure how each player will play a hand. I have been in a game once where a player had a 3 4 offsuit and they made a big bet after the flop. They were obviously bluffing, but they pulled it off. This isn't something that I would do personally, but it proves how each player is very different.
That is why it is always important to observe and study your fellow card players. In time, you develop enough information on their style of play to fairly accurately predict what they will do.
Does that always work to your advantage you may ask yourself. Well, the answer would be no. As I stated earlier, any given 5 cards will win a hand and they may very well be holding Q 10 and flopped a straight. But the odds are in your favor to predict certain scenarios after learning others' style of play.
As much as you can rely on studying opponents playing styles to help you win, you must also remember that its your own playing which will win you a game of poker. Have a go playing free poker online and practice, practice, practice before moving on to money games.