Online Poker is a game of chance but it can also be a game of skill. While it is impossible to win every hand in poker, knowing when to bluff and how much to bet can make the difference between winning a few bucks and losing a few hundred. In addition to bluffing it is important to know when to fold. Whether you are holding pocket aces or suited connectors, there will be times when your hand is not good enough and it’s better to just fold.
Many people enjoy playing poker for fun and some go on to become professional players. Before the early 2000s most poker was played in the back of smoky bars and casinos but with the advancement of technology and a Tennessee accountant, online poker went from obscurity to primetime. Online poker allows players to play against each other while being safe behind a secure server and without the possibility of being spied on.
There are many different software applications available for online poker which can help to improve your game. These include programs that save and sort hand histories, scan active tables for players who are known to you and display their previous statistics next to their name (known as a heads-up display or HUD).
Another useful application is a program that lets you ‘search a player’ to see how often they fold to 3-bets. This is not a foolproof tell but can be very helpful in identifying weaker players.