Live vs. Online

I've been playing mostly live games lately which gets me thinking about the differences and benefits of playing live vs. online.

I haven't been active here at THF because my focus has been on live games and it seems online play dominates the discussion here. Let's open it up here.

These are my thoughts and this is where my head space is.

The one big difference between online and live play that I've seen is the quality of play. In my experience the online play is actually much better. I know that goes against the common thought but I've seen different.

I believe that online players in general see more hands and are more "book smart" in regards to the game. The level of play that I experience live at $1/$2 stakes is comparable to $.25/$.50 that I've seen online.

When playing live I see people routinely over value cards like suited connectors or any suited cards for that matter. That could be a whole thread by itself.

For example: Friday night we were playing 1/2 ring game and UTG limps get one or two other limpers to me on the button. I look down at KK so I raise to $12 which has been a standard big hand raise. Blinds fold but limpers call. Flop 478 rainbow. It's checked to me so I bet $25. UTG comes over the top all-in for another $15. It's folded to me and I put him on a set at that point but I can hardly fold for $15 so I call and he turns over 56s.

I think we can all agree (if not let me know where I'm wrong) that 56s is hardly worth limping UTG much less calling a 6x preflop raise. Now I said, "nice hand", quietly pushed my chips his way and looked for the next hand. That one hurt but frankly I encourage that kind of play because I know that I'll win that exchange 80% of the time.

I just beleive that a higher percentage of online players understand the higher level concepts such as position than do live players. I've run into a lot of "old school" poker players that are there to gamble as opposed to playing the game. Several guys that I play with could just as well be playing roulette.

Thoughts?

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Comparing online players with the players in the casino I don't see a difference. The percentage donkeys is just as big as online as is the percentage of medium players and sharks.

Playing suited connectors are the hands where players can make the most money with. Most players hold back when the board is an Ace but not if the board seems harmless with low cards. Many players just play for fun and want to have a good time and when they get lucky they win a big pot.

I have a story about pokergamblers. A while back I heard a story about a man losing at the tables and he rebought for the full amount: €1,000. He went All In blind and lost. He rebought again; went All In and won. He did that for a half hour and would have continued if the casino didn't close. Noone could tell me how much he lost.

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That's Poker

Live is better, 1 because you just can't hit a button, you got to use chips. Also When you win a hand live is feels better than online. I don't really play online anymore, because I lost that rush feeling. I got to admite though, It seems like when playing online I get pocket K's or A's more than live.

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Thats the bottom line!

Hello


YEs online players are more aware of the value of the cards but once the flop is on the board. That doesn't count anymore.....LIVE

i think that it is there where the pro's are different of the amateurs......
But i do think the game is better to learn online then live.......
LIVE is much to expensive for the average player......
In whole belgium we got 2 casino's where the play cash games at 2€/2€.....
that's not much .......but too much for me...........
Allthough i can assure you that the hands they play are awfull
THE ONLY THING I HOPE I GET BETTER LIVE............because there's much more money to win than online when you play well and have patience

Good luck on the tables guys

I think you must be talking about the higher levels of on line play. Down at the bottom level people are generally totally clueless about everything, not just the value of hands.

I have never played online but it sure sounds exciting. Lol on the other hand I might be too scared!!!!

Hey don't be scared kid. Most sites offer play money tables, but if you want to play for real, most sites have freeroll tourneys that pay (usually) small amounts of real money that you can then play with.

So get stuck in kid!

Two cautions.

1) At that level much of the play is moronic so be prepared for bad beats by the the dozen.

2) If you win real money that way, you will have to meet cash out restrictions before you can take the money out. This can take the form of a requirement to deposit, or playing so many raked hands, or so many loyalty points which you can earn from both ring games and tourneys, sometimes it is a combination of those. Just make sure you read the Terms and Conditions first.

You might even play some of our tourneys

Just play free rolls then if you are scared. Live play, it can take 15 mins before you see the flop. On line one to two mins for the whole hand.

So you get educated quicker with on line play. So think fast, enjoy , relax and have fun.

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COW344

Sorry I meant live!! Feel soooooooo stupid!!

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Life may not be the party we expected but we might as well dance while we are here!