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There are many decisions to make when playing Internet poker, but one of the first and most important will be where to play. Site selection is a necessary element of the online poker experience and before you choose your favorite poker site, you should be armed with some foreknowledge.

Questions to Ask When Selecting an Internet Poker Site:

Which Sites Accept U.S. Players?

Clearly if you are in the U.S., whether a site accepts U.S. players will be your most important criterion. However, it is important for those outside the U.S. to consider this question as well. Allowing U.S. players means a larger player pool, meaning more players who may be weaker than you and more playing options. The most popular sites for U.S. players right now are PokerStars and FullTiltPoker.

What Kind of a Bonus Can I Get?

Internet poker is all about the bonuses. You should be on the market for the biggest sign-up bonus you can find. That usually means at least a full match of your deposit and a large maximum allowable deposit. While an online poker bonus is an important factor, it shouldn't be the only one. There's no point in dumping a bunch of money in a site if the playability of the site is so weak or the level of competition is so strong that you'll never want to play there. You definitely don't want to put a lot of money in a site that is not reputable. Among appealing sites with verified reputations however, look for those juicy bonus offers.

Does the Site Look Fun?

Unless you are planning a career as a poker professional, which is a very precarious route to take, one of the most important features of a site should be that it is fun to play there. Does the site have an appealing graphic interface? Some sites now have the option to change the "skin," meaning the way the game appears on your computer can be tailored as you see fit. Does the site offer interesting tournaments and promotions? Is it easy to find the game you like to play? Observe the various sites and read reviews to learn where you will enjoy playing the most.

Does the Site Have Appealing Competition?

If you are looking to make a big online poker score, you'll probably want to find a site with many soft games. On the other hand, you may be a skilled player of financial means who is actually looking to challenge himself against tougher players. Review the different sites and find out if they feature the types of competition you like to play against.

Multi-Tabling Tips

One of the great features of Internet poker is the capacity for multi-tabling, playing more than one game at the same time. Your local casino isn't going to give you a seat at another table if you're already playing, and jumping up to run back and forth between seats would be somewhat awkward anyway. Online poker presents a different situation entirely. On many sites, you can sit down at four tables, five tables or more. If you're going to make multi-tabling your thing, here are a few tips.

Get a Big Monitor

The more space you have on your screen, the easier it will be to switch tables as necessary and see where the action is. With the added ability to focus and see clearly that a large monitor provides, it may even pay for itself. You might even want to hook up two monitors to your computer to give yourself an even wider playing field.

Organize Your Tables

Once you have a nice big monitor on which to set up your tables, organize them. Have a system where tables are organized the same way every time. For example, Texas hold'em is always on top, tournaments are to the left and tables are lined up left to right in order of ascending stakes. You always have to know where you are when multi-tabling, and proper table organization makes this much easier and cuts down on mistakes.

Be Alert/Take Breaks

Multi-tabling requires heavy focus. If you slow down even for a minute, you could get buried. That's why it is important only to get involved in heavy multi-tabling when you are alert and ready to play. You should also schedule frequent breaks. If you get too absorbed in the games, you may be playing at a sub-optimal level for hours before realizing it, not to mention the detrimental effects that sitting motionless for 20 or more hours can have on your health.

Keep Records

You may be a winning player at one table, or even two, but four may divide your focus too much. The best way to know is to keep careful records of your play. Track your win rate with a certain number of tables for a month or so, then add a table or two and track it again. Compare the results. If you're getting the same win rate per table, you can continue with the current number of tables or add more. Even if your win rate drops slightly, it may be worth it to continue at the new level since your win rate is multiplied by the number of tables. If there is a significant drop however, you may want to consider a few more months at the previous number of tables while you build up your multi-tabling skills further.