Online poker takes the familiar idea of a home game and turns it into something that can be played on any computer, tablet or phone. It can be played for free, for the smallest stakes imaginable, or for satellite entries into some of the world’s best live poker tournaments.
One of the great things about online poker is that players can play in any country. However, it’s important to remember that there are still some countries where playing online poker is not legal. It’s also important to understand how to protect yourself from illegal sites that may try to scam you out of your money.
To play online poker, you’ll need to download software that will allow you to connect to your chosen site. This will take a small amount of memory and should not cause any issues with your internet connection. You can also use the no-download versions of the poker games, although they will not offer the same level of playability as the downloadable software.
Another key piece of software that every online player should have is poker tracking software. This software is used by the vast majority of serious online players and allows them to track their own performance as well as their opponent’s. It can be used to find leaks in their game and help them make critical decisions when they’re at the table. This is the biggest edge that an online poker player has over their opponents and is why most serious players will not play without it.
There are also many poker training courses available online that will teach you the fundamentals of the game as well as advanced strategies. These courses are delivered via video and will generally include hands and statistics to help you learn the game better. The cost of these courses varies from free to more expensive options, depending on the course and the level that you’re hoping to reach.
The landscape for learning poker online has changed dramatically since the heyday of the Moneymaker boom. Back then there were only a handful of forums worth visiting, a few pieces of poker software and a limited number of books that were worthy of a read. Nowadays there are a huge number of poker forums, Discord channels and FB groups to talk about poker in and hundreds of different poker programs you can train and analyze your game with.
Depositing and withdrawing money is extremely easy at most online poker sites these days. Most sites accept a wide variety of credit and debit cards as well as third-party eWallets. It’s also very quick to get your winnings back once you’ve hit your target. In the past you might have to wait weeks and even months for your winnings to be processed, but this is no longer the case.