Quite often you will sit playing at a table and the person winning all the time never says a word. When I say “never says a word” I mean “never uses the chat box” of course. They might be talking but you’ll never know as they’re at the other end of the country. Or in another continent entirely.
It’s no coincidence that they’re the ones winning. While everybody else is mildly abusing each other and finding new, ingenious ways to swear, he’s watching and remembering each person’s strategy and tells. He’s then using this information to take all your money.
The good thing about online poker is that it does act as a social vehicle connecting people and enabling them to chat to strangers. Some people get a buzz out of this and if they are also a big gambler, online poker is their Utopia! Those who chat too much though risk losing their focus and taking their eye off the ball. You can be so busy trying to find the right symbol for a smiley that you didn’t notice the last three player’s actions. This leads to poor play and money down the drain.
On the other hand you can occasionally use the chat box to your advantage. For example if you have a particularly hot headed player who is losing and becoming aggressive, he is most likely ‘on tilt’ and can be exploited. A few choice wind-ups in the chat box can have him betting hands he should be leaving and giving you some easy wins.
You can also use the chat box to bluff. It’s more difficult to bluff online and I would almost discourage it in nearly all cases. However the chat box can be your aid in a good bluff. You can drop a comment or two in between hands, or before any betting, to try to confuse your opponents. Or lull them into a false sense of security. One thing you will find is that often players will ask you what you had if you have caused them to fold without betting. This is a good time to lie if you’ve bluffed or bluff if you had a good hand.
The chat box is there and it can be your friend or your foe – use it wisely grasshopper.