Online Poker is a card game that can be played on a variety of websites. Some are standalone sites while others are part of larger poker networks. The majority of poker players play at the top poker sites, including PokerStars, Full Tilt and the iPoker network. These top sites offer the most lucrative payouts and tournaments. They also have the highest traffic.

Many of the same rules apply to both live and online poker. In addition to the basics there are some key differences. These differences include the speed of play and the ability to multi-table.

One of the most difficult aspects of transitioning from live to online poker is the speed of the game. In some cases the hands are dealt more than twice as fast as a live table and when you factor in turbo Sit ’n Gos and Fast-fold cash games this can be extremely taxing on your decision making ability.

Adding to this speed is the fact that you are often playing a much larger amount of hands than you would at a live table. This can lead to a higher number of bad decisions. This is especially true if you are new to the game and still getting used to the pace of an online poker table.

A good way to combat this is to take it slow and play smaller hands. This is particularly important in online poker where you are generally dealing with less competent opponents than in live action. Keeping your starting hand count low can help you avoid the temptation to chase bad draws and improve your long term winning percentage.

Another way to speed up your decisions is by using a Poker Tracker or other HUD. These programs overlay your online poker table and give you real-time statistics about your opponent’s betting habits. By studying these stats and taking notes you can make better call and fold decisions.

In addition to a HUD there are a few other tricks that can help you improve your online poker play. Specifically learning to read your opponents tells is an important skill. This is much harder to do online than in live poker where you can see your opponent, chat with them and pick up on their various nuances. Instead, many of these tells can be summed up by their betting history and the timing of their bets.

Another trick is to keep in mind that you are only playing for chips and not for anything else. This is a hard concept for some people to grasp, especially when they are losing money at the tables. By avoiding the urge to spend your poker winnings on food, drink and other things you can be much more successful at the tables.