On the internet, whether you are playing poker, Blackjack, roulette, or anything else, you typically are not going to know whether you are playing with Steve or Bob or Bill. Online monikers are necessary, screen names, nicknames, et cetera. The good players have them and the bad players do as well. “BluffMaster.” “King-of-Hold-Em.” “RunnerRunnerMaster.” In some ways, screen names are another way of talking smack. They are designed, sometimes, to intimidate other players.

That is why, no matter what, you really cannot pay attention to the screen names you see in an online poker room. Just because someone claims to be a master at bluffing means he or she really is. Strange names abound and most of them are quite deceptive. Disregard them. Focus on the player, not the player’s screen name.