The online gaming industry has seen unprecedented growth in the past decade thanks to improvements in internet connectivity, gaming technology and mobile connectivity. But everything is better when you get to do it with friends. Video-streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube showcase how millions of gamers can form communities around their favorite games and players, while other platforms such as forums and social media also give them space to connect and discuss gaming.
Using these platforms, online poker has formed its own online gaming community. As this game grows in popularity and becomes increasingly legalized across the world, you can expect to find a wider international community of people who play poker online. Even if you prefer to play online to avoid making any major poker etiquette mistakes, you don’t need to isolate yourself. You can still find like-minded players in the online poker community. Keep reading to see where you can find your poker clan online and offline.
Why should you join online poker forums and communities?
Poker is a game that requires plenty of study and practice. Professionals know that you can’t learn everything from books, you need to learn from other players as well. Online poker groups provide a platform for players to find answers to questions, share tips to improve strategy and share in the enjoyment of the game. Debates and discussions are necessary for the improvement of any sport or game. An online community can present new perspectives and ideas on things you may have overlooked in your own experiences. Even if you’ve had a bad run at a poker table, you can review your game with online friends and they can show you your mistakes and how you can improve in the future.
Above all else, communities are a fun way to interact and meet new people. Even if a forum only shares poker-related jokes and memes, it’s a great way to unwind and de-stress after a tense game. Everything’s better when we share it with other people, and poker is no exception. Let’s help you find your tribe.
What kind of poker groups can you join?
Here’s a list of some of the best poker communities that you can join to converse with other players who are passionate about this enduring casino card game.
Societies
There are many different types of poker players and some aren’t ready to take the leap and play online. If you’re one of those, you might be looking for an in-person community to join like a society.
If you go to your local casino over the course of a few weeks, you might see familiar faces. As a result, societies or clubs form in areas so that players who enjoy live poker tournaments or poker games online can meet together. These societies are often based on location. Most universities have their own society that organizes games and tournaments. The best thing to do is to search for a society in your area. Almost all have an online presence and will direct you to some like-minded individuals. Some examples are the Intercollegiate Poker Association, the Women’s Poker Association and the American Gaming Association.
While societies and clubs are often centered around in-person poker, the rise of live poker online is tempting many to start branching out to online poker tournaments.
Online communities
While societies are often based on location, online communities are based on culture and strategic approaches to poker. Societies will have a website predominantly as a space to post meeting information; online communities host their members’ engagement and interactions on the website itself. So, in a way, the virtual community experience is more organic. It’s built on real connections made by players discussing the game away from the felt itself.
While communities for online poker players have existed since the late 1990s, they dramatically grew in popularity after 2003. One of the main contributing factors was Chris Moneymaker’s World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event victory. Unlike most champions, Moneymaker had qualified for the event by playing online poker tournaments. This immediately gave credibility to online poker players and proved that online poker skills could transfer to in-person games. With online games in the spotlight, the need grew for online communities to help players learn how to improve and develop their strategies. Today these groups can be found in community poker chat rooms, poker online forums, social networks and streaming services.
Where to find a poker community online
Here are some of the best communities online – which resonates with you the most?
PokerNews
PokerNews releases updates of the latest news, live reporting from poker tournaments and multimedia content, including videos and podcasts about poker and the industry. It’s a great place to dive deeper into the game and discover the latest international developments.
ReplayPoker
ReplayPoker is an internationally-focused community site where players can enjoy playing online for free. One of the most interesting offerings from ReplayPoker is that you can play in a choice of eight languages, whereas most online communities default to English. There are also Player Reps on this site who will offer guidance on strategy when requested.
YourPokerDream
YourPokerDream is an online community that focuses on sending members information about the best tournaments, deals and promotions. It also offers support to members who have questions or problems. This thriving community has existed for more than a decade.
The best poker forums online
Forums are a great way to learn from – and bounce ideas off of – other players from around the world. With the developments in Google’s search algorithms, any player can ask questions when they are stuck or puzzled and be redirected to an active forum that has already answered the same query. Forums are also a great way to interact with people on a regular basis who share a keen interest with you. Many forums help to forge friendships between people who would otherwise not have met.
In this way, poker players have connected and helped teach thousands of others about various rules and strategies to help them improve their game. Here are some of the best poker forums that you can find online to help you level up.
TwoPlusTwo
TwoPlusTwo has facilitated conversations that have helped countless players understand the game in finer detail. It is perhaps the biggest poker forum in the world. There are easy ways to find the types of discussions that you’re looking for and the layout is intuitive. Chances are, if you’ve ever searched a question about poker online, you’d have been taken to this site.
PokerStrategy
PokerStrategy also draws on years of discussions to help players improve their game. There are thousands of threads to explore that cover every nuance of poker. This site also houses discussions outside of poker, giving the community an opportunity to express themselves more and get to know each other.
Beasts of Poker
Beasts of Poker has an in-depth forum that hosts conversations based on various categories. These include learning about poker, hand histories, general discussions, gambler’s diary and lifestyle. There are also discussions on recent online poker tournaments and the best online poker moments.
CardsChat
CardsChat is a worldwide poker community forum that’s run by poker enthusiasts. Poker experts on the platform share strategy guides for beginner and advanced players, as well as unbiased poker site reviews, information about upcoming promotions and much more. Some of the best online poker players use this popular forum.
Social media platforms with growing poker communities
Social media is centered around communication between remote-based individuals. It’s no surprise that many of the most active online communities are on social media. Here are some of the best places to find communities and forums for those who play virtual poker.
Facebook is perhaps obvious, but not all people know how much you can find here. There are countless poker pages and groups that are either region-specific or internationally focused. Not only that but there are many apps where you can play poker for free online through Facebook. Given the social nature of the platform, it’s a great way to make friends with other players.
Reddit is another excellent way to discuss all things poker. You can do so semi-anonymously (you only need to share your email to create your own unique username,) which helps to encourage users to ask questions without feeling stupid. There are “subreddits” (think of these as dedicated community forums within the site) for almost any aspect of the game, including playing styles and strategies. If you want to explore this type of community, it’s incredibly easy to make an account and start posting.
YouTube
YouTube first started out as a video-hosting platform, but now it is also a legitimate career path for some people. Part of the reason for this is that it lets you subscribe to channels so you can stay up to date with your favorite content creator’s latest videos. Many poker fans enjoy watching the best online poker players explaining concepts and strategy tips, or even just playing live poker online. It’s also a great way to find answers to questions by watching tutorials on how to play or what to do in certain scenarios. You can also leave a question in the comments section for the content creator to answer or address in an upcoming video.
Join the thousands of poker players at BetMGM
Once you’re done discussing and analyzing poker in an online forum, you can put your fine-tuned skills to the test in a BetMGM online poker tournament or game. Our platform is every poker fanatic’s paradise, with more than 70 daily poker tournaments with a wide -range of buy-ins to suit every budget. If you haven’t found a community to mentor you yet, read our beginner-friendly online poker guide to learn all the basics before your first game.
It’s important to connect with people who share your love of the game through communities and forums, but you also need to challenge your fellow players in online games. Are you ready for the ultimate test? Register with BetMGM for a mobile-optimized online poker experience with great opponents.
