Online Poker VS Live Poker

I like live play better. Its always better to see your oppent's face. Theres too many donks online. Don't get me wrong you still have donks in livve play too but not as much. It's alot different when your actually pulling cash out of your pocket to play. It's real easy to click a mouse. That's my opinion anyway.

Live is my preference for playing tournaments.. you have a lot more talking goin on and it just passes the time a lot faster rather then sat at home for 8 hrs playin one tourney...

As for cash games for me its hard to get them, no casino around, so i enjoy the live play and being able to play multiple tables at a time.. my 2 cents haha

I have not played a live game in a casino. I know that it takes more skill than what I have. On line is still something I have not mastered so until I do live is something I will leave to the more skilled players.

konawajim wrote:I have not played a live game in a casino. I know that it takes more skill than what I have. On line is still something I have not mastered so until I do live is something I will leave to the more skilled players.

I have seen plenty of bad players in casinos as well, im really glad that u realize u arent good enough yet... thats the biggest mistake of most poor players... thinking they can beat the game... ha ha im not a pro by no means but i know damn well i love to see those players come in every day to feed on em'!!

I started out playing online w/ play chips and playing the freerolls. After I got the knack of things I started playing live, but mostly just for fun or for a low buy-in w/ the family. After a while I noticed that I was getting good at live play so I'd go to the casino once in a while and come out ahead @ the ring games, although I'd lose big in the tourneys & sng's. But my online play was just the opposite - I'd lose in the ring games but win in the tourneys. I'm still trying to figure that 1 out, but I'd have to say I prefer online then live because I feel I am a better tournament player then a cash gamer.

i think with live games it is important to make sure your not playing at tight passive game. Old people are the most common for this. anyways, in that style of game you wanna win hands but they only play the nuts. be carful of old retired men in ring games they will call you down

Online Poker and live poker are two very different games. I enjoy both of them, for different reasons. I play a lot of online poker simply because it relaxes me. That is my entertainment. Some people sit and watch tv or read a book. I prefer to play online. I don't play online with the kind of money I do in live games. Mostly freerolls or with small deposits now and then.

I don't see online poker as the same game at all as real poker. I especially don't like the people online. So many of them don't have a clue to any of the unwritten rules of respect and appropriate behavior. I would love to play real poker against any of them in a real cardroom.

As for my live play. I am much better at live play. That is poker. That is my ultimate love. I love the challenge, the socializing the whole atmosphere. A good poker game can be better than sex, and last much longer, lol.

I don't see online poker as the same game at all as real poker. I
especially don't like the people online. So many of them don't have a
clue to any of the unwritten rules of respect and appropriate behavior.
I would love to play real poker against any of them in a real cardroom.

I agree with you on both statements Debel. It seems that so many things are different from live play and online poker. For me, I enjoy the social aspect - getting to talk face to face with people but also trying to read people is something that I enjoy doing. I think people are more courteous when they play live too. Also, I'd say that psychology plays a larger role in live play than online.

I think the most common response I've heard with online play is that you don't get to play as many hands. True, but in my opinion, there are so many more other fun aspects with live play that it offsets the slower pace.

For me live play is much more profitable. I make about 3-5 hundy extra cash a week playing 1/2.
On line is good I just cant get a series of wins like I can live.
I do love both. Tournaments on line have some good value for small buy ins, most live tournys buy ins cost 50 and up. But I do like both.

I heard Doyle (Sr.) once mention that poker has changed so drastically. Now there are so many young players that have already played as many hands that he has played his entire life. So I hit online poker hard just for the experience. Of course I didn't play any medium or large limits, mostly the smallest limits and play chips. And I can say I probably fall into that same catagory now.

One thing that I came to believe, that Doyle didn't mention, is even though we can see a lifetime of hands in a short amount of time now with online poker, it doesn't give us the same kind of knowledge and skills that the old schoolers received by seeing those hands the long way.

The random card generators, like I have mentioned before, are designed to favor the big stacks in tournaments so the tournies end in a reasonable amount of time and they are designed to keep the game exciting, to keep people playing. So you will see a large increase in bad beats and the strong hands such as boats and quads, which doesn't naturally happen in the real world.

What I see this creating is a generation of 'wish' poker players, nothing even close to the old school greats. "Wish" poker players use far less skill and strategy and much more aggressive play. They play far more hands than they should and will simply try to scare people out of pots.

Real poker can be seen as boring. I have sat at tables for hours and played only a couple of hands. Online players don't see this. They see what is on tv... exciting hand after exciting hand and they don't realize that a one hour poker program my be 10 edited hours of real play.

One thing that the previous poster mentioned is about how courtious the live players are compared to the live players. I was going to post a topic reflecting this exact subject: Poker Ettiquecy. Online players don't have a clue. If they only knew how immature, crued and ridiculus they come across with the name calling and cursing and remarks about eachothers' "mamma." There is a sense of commoradory in the old school card rooms I have been fortunate enough to play at. Someone acting like that wouldn't last 10 minutes. They would either lose all their money or get thrown out by the Floor or muscle.

More and more I see players at a live game whom I know for sure that they learned and play online. Those are the ones that don't know poker ettiquecy, such as:
1. Tipping the dealer
2. Protecting hands
3. Not discussing folded hands while the game plays.
4. Not discussing hand possibilites according to the board. (someone must have a flush) Especially if they are not in the hand.
5. Whispering to the person sitting next to you.
6. Waiting for other players to return to the table before you step away for a few minutes.
7. Tipping a chip runner for bringing you chps and tipping the cashier if you win big.
8. String bets, half bets, table stakes, exposing your cards before the hand is finished.
9. Extending a 'good luck' to cash game all in's, especially if you are not in the hand.
10. Rubbing in a win.

I could go on if I thought about it, but you get the idea. And even though they make the game unpleasant, I will play against them all day long, live.

There isn't anything I would prefer to do more than sit back at a NL table in a small card room in Cali.

Debel wrote:

More and more I see players at a live game whom I know for sure that they learned and play online. Those are the ones that don't know poker ettiquecy, such as:
1. Tipping the dealer
2. Protecting hands
3. Not discussing folded hands while the game plays.
4. Not discussing hand possibilites according to the board. (someone must have a flush) Especially if they are not in the hand.
5. Whispering to the person sitting next to you.
6. Waiting for other players to return to the table before you step away for a few minutes.
7. Tipping a chip runner for bringing you chps and tipping the cashier if you win big.
8. String bets, half bets, table stakes, exposing your cards before the hand is finished.
9. Extending a 'good luck' to cash game all in's, especially if you are not in the hand.
10. Rubbing in a win.

I agree with pretty much all your points Debel. Experience is important in poker but its not just the quantity but the quality of the poker playing experience that matters. But I would go as far to say that experience beyond the poker table is what makes the great players who they are.

A while ago, I came across this blog by Gus Hansen and his experience at this year's Main Event - Gus Hansen Blog; an interesting observation.

And for the matter of the poker etiquette, I can definitely identify with your frustrations. I don't think newer poker players are equipped with the proper poker etiquette knowledge. Admittedly, I haven't been playing poker for that long, but I find that each time I play a live game (especially at a casino), I learn more about poker etiquette.

I wonder if we should create a poker etiquette thread? Perhaps Debel, you can do the honors by starting the thread since you had some good ponts? Everyone can add to the list and ask questions regarding proper behavior. I really don't see many resources out there regarding poker etiquette so this could be a nice thread to have.

I've played 2 or 3 times in casino and there was always one big problem for me - I couldn't count that fast how many chips are in the pot, esp. on turn and river and approximately how many chips my opponents have (besides of big stacks and short stacks). I assume that is due to the lack of live play experience I have. As all of us know, playing online gives all that information in clear numbers on the screen. That makes it much more easier to calculate odds and take the right decisions in online games than in live games at casinos.

My only problem in live games is smoking.
When I play online I can smoke cigarettes and drink what I want,and when I go to live table I can't do this!That's killing me!

I've entered a live tournament this weekend and will take with me some of Debel's list of etiquette, wish me luck.

shnura wrote:I've played 2 or 3 times in casino and there was always one big problem for me - I couldn't count that fast how many chips are in the pot, esp. on turn and river and approximately how many chips my opponents have (besides of big stacks and short stacks). I assume that is due to the lack of live play experience I have. As all of us know, playing online gives all that information in clear numbers on the screen. That makes it much more easier to calculate odds and take the right decisions in online games than in live games at casinos.

It's good that you've identified this as something you need to work on. I have the same difficulty since unfortunately, I'm more used to playing online than live right now. What I've been trying to do is ignore the number the displays the total pot when I play online and try to figure out the approximate pot size manually.

And good luck in the tourney konawajim - hope you do well!

Good luck, Konawajim.

I love POKER..............came in 4th. Had a GREAT time!! I think I still would have had fun even if I hadn't finished in the money. lol I've already sighed up for my next live game. I think I could really get addicted to live poker. Everyone was really nice and helpful and I heard "Nice Hand" many many times. Great first time out

i like live play better u can get a better read most times and when ur in online play everyone thinks there a pro and calls way to many draws and very low %hands

I never played in a live tournament but I am like playing online. I only won 1 tournament so far but I am getting better everyday. Once I find some live tournaments in my area I will pick which one I like more.

I the live poker I like it better! but I play a lot online poker!

I myself draw any kind of poker ... no matter that is or LIVE ONLINE ... in general how many times I played live I was not lucky ... ONLINE but we better luck ...

Well i would have to say my preference is live play. Online has its elements of skill to a small degree. but really your at the mercy of some computer random number generator.
The advantage to online play is that i don't have to spend so much time away from my family(my wife might disagree and say i should go more-LOL),Tounaments where i live usually last 8 hours, due to the number of players....so i dont get home till the wee hours of the morning.
But there is no feeling like trapping someone brutally and watching their expression change when you flip your cards over.....when it hits them.....i was never ahead....LMFAO .
Thats my personal take on it.
Luck To All!!!

There are so many different ways to make money online and so many things to learn that it can be very intimidating to the beginner. One of the bad things about playing online poker is that there is a record of everything you do.

Playing live cash game poker, however, is a whole different ballgame in many respects including the risks of not paying taxes.

playing online its hard to read your opponents, as with real games you have a better perspective, eye contact, certain movements, etc. i get together every week with some friends. its a $20.00 buy in, winner take all. i've gotten to know the way they play pretty good. so i definitly prefer live over online. but online is a great way to sharpen your game skills and better your game when your ready for live poker tourneys. i love watching my buddies when they get a good hand. you can always tell because of the shaken thier hands are doing before they lay a bet down...