Poker is one of the most popular card games in existence. It used to be played exclusively in smoky bars and casinos but the rise of excellent online casino platforms has elevated this once recreational activity into a full-fledged industry. Online poker offers players a way to play for a wide variety of stakes ranging from pennies all the way up to satellite entries into some of the world’s largest live tournaments.
Several types of software are available to help you with your game such as hand databases that save, sort and recall your hand histories and can display previous statistics with known players next to their name (known as a heads up display or HUD). Other software includes tells and odds or equity calculators which are especially important in online poker where information is often missing and a good read can be the difference between winning and losing.
Another factor that should be considered is the tendency for some profitable players to leave money in their online poker accounts. This might be because they view their growing account balance or bankroll as a source of pride and part of their identity as a poker player. It could also be because of a desire to avoid the hassle of transferring funds between different poker sites. Whatever the reason, a player should not take this negatively as it is just part of the game. It is normal to run bad when moving up the stakes, and most players do not lose their entire bankroll when doing so.