And here's where we need to update things a little. All of this is good advice to be sure but it's not always going to be enough to win AND enjoy the benefits thereof. As someone on the boards said not too long ago "it's all about the Benjamins".

Update your Basic Strategy

It's easy to get the impression that Basic Strategies are cast in stone but that's generally not the case. The internet gambling scene is all based on software and software is notoriously malleable. The bottom line is that the Basic Strategy is only as good as the game rules that it is based on and if those rules change then the Strategy may need some tweaking.

Take Blackjack for instance. Let's say you've got the "Single Deck, Dealer stands on Soft 17" Strategy cased and then you learn that your casino has changed to "Hit on Soft 17". Same Basic Strategy, right? Wrong! There are 4 changes that should be made in the Basic Strategy when the game changes from Stand to Hit on Soft 17. Or, just to prove the point, there are no less than 17 changes in the Strategy when the game changes from Single Deck to Multi-Deck. How's that for "cast in stone"?

Manage your money

Any serious player has read and learned about building, maintaining and managing your bankroll. That's basic stuff and you've already done this if you plan to be in the game for the long run.

Online however, it's not just your bankroll that you have to manage. You also have to manage what the casino is doing to your account. Take a bonus for example. As soon as the casino puts that bonus into your account you now have to live by the rules of the Terms and Conditions that are attached to that bonus and sometimes these T&Cs can put a serious crimp in your bankroll management by controlling how much you have to play in order to "qualify for withdrawal". So look at the T&Cs because they may well indicate that you're much better off _not_ accepting that free money they've just dumped into your account without telling you.

Patience and Confidence

Wow, there's two barrels on a much mishandled gun! Patience usually means having the patience to follow your Strategy and let the numbers do their work. But in today's online scene patience is required elsewhere too. Like the patience you may be forced to muster when you've been asked to submit your identification to the casino via fax for the umpteenth time. Or the patience to wait 30 days while the casino "processes" your withdrawal request on that big windfall you just received. But most of all I think that patience is required, indeed it's mandatory, when it comes to slowing down a little and skimming over the casino's Rules and T&Cs every once in a while. More than once recently we've heard of players being shocked and dismayed by retroactive Rule or Bonus changes but unfortunately we're seeing that type of thing more and more of late.

Confidence: ah yes, the suit that everyone presumes will fit when they choose to wear it. Not so, not so. Sometimes a player's basic confidence in their game needs a little help and that can come from knowing that if you run into problems with your casino that someone will go to bat for you. And who might that be? Try an affiliate manager for instance. These folks promote the casinos and receive a cut from the casino if you go there via their site's ads. Ok, fair enough, everyone's gotta make a buck. But what if you need a hand convincing the casino that they should pay a little closer attention to your Customer Service request. Go back to the affiliate manager, tell them your troubles and you might be surprised. Some of these guys can carry a pretty big stick when it comes to getting the casino's attention.

So there you have it, a few ways to tailor your Profile on your route to becoming a successful online player.

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