online v.s. live

[Vegas King 0]

I am sure the reason many play online is because there is no live poker close by, but for those of you who live near poker rooms, why would you play online?First there is the much greater possibility of cheating or websites not being on the up and up.The website tend to be slow and cumbersome many timesThe issue of getting paid in a timely manner is an issue with many places.Not being able to read opponents emotions and tells is one I just can't get past.I have friends that would rather sit alone at home playing 2-3 games at a time online rather that come to the Bellagio or Mirage. It boggles my mind. I can maybe understand the comfort, but I think for the best players, especially those who can read others well, it levels the playing field a bit. Obviously some online players like Moneymaker have one huge tourny wins after only playing online, but I think that is more of a fluke than anything. How can you possibly win consistantly in live games and tournaments without hours and hours of live play?Any thoughts?FYI, I have never played online for real money.

[dna4ever 2]

I am sure the reason many play online is because there is no live poker close by, but for those of you who live near poker rooms, why would you play online?

That sums it up for me. Closest place is Tunica about 3 + hours away and with a wife and 2 little'ens its very difficult so playing online is a great option. I can play online and still be parental (ie sit out, play after kids have gone to bed, etc) where that is simply not an option to goto casino or B&M.I goto Vegas every September for a week and I agree nothing beats a live game.

[tekn0wledg 0]

I play online but I also make regular trips to AC, Vegas and wherever else I feel like going to get some live action. I love live play since I have the ability to read people, but while I am more successful live, I am still in the profit column online [why would I waste my time otherwise]I really think it's a matter of making due with what you have access to. If you have online play at your disposal great, and if you have live play, great. For those who live in a live area they can make the decision of which is best for them. Me personally, I'd mix it up and do about half and half. You always have the game selection online that you can't always find in the card rooms.

[justblaze 0]

there are many reasons i play online despite relatively easy access to live games. - comfort and convenience. I can sit at home listen to music check my email etc all while playing. plus theres no waiting for a seat, a multitude of games and stakes available, and tournaments at almost every buyin amount running constantly. - ease of game. The online games are generally populated by absolute morons at almost every level, and i have found are easier to beat than live games for many limits. - time constraints. i dont like to play live without 6-8 hrs to devote to it. i have to travel to get to the games, wait to sit down, etc. whereas online i have no qualms about jumping in for an hour.- pace of game. despite what u may think, the games move much quicker online, usually dealing double the hands per hour. - good practice. live tells are great, but only in compliment to a sound strategic game, which cannot be built by anything other than seeing thousands upon thousands of hands. consider online play to be practice. i dont play for nearly as high stakes online, but the pure number of situations i see online help my game for sure. With regards to online winners being flukes, Moneymaker stinks but Raymer was a solid player before hitting it big and continues to play big limit games both online and live at foxwoods casino, winning consistently.

[proletartiat 0]

Two Words: Small BlindsI learn the game cheaper online. Seeing more hands for less.I'll see you at the tables when I'm ready.-p

[GoBucksIndy 0]

"The website tend to be slow and cumbersome many times The issue of getting paid in a timely manner is an issue with many places. Not being able to read opponents emotions and tells is one I just can't get past."I actually prefer to play online and find online action to be much more profitable. Here are a few thoughts:1. I play almost exclusively NL S&Gs and MTT. Playing online allows me to play multiple tables at once and even watch TV at the same time. I love having the ability to play three tournies at once. It eliminates much of the dead time you can have in live games.2. Playing online takes less time, since I don't have to commute back and forth.3. Playing online allows me to stay smoke free, which doesn't happen at the live games in my area.4. The strongest part of my game is reading betting patterns, which is ideal for online play.5. I play at Party and have had virtually no problems over the past 6 months. Granted they had some growing pains, but as of late the site has performed well.6. I have my bank account connected to Party and rarely have a problem being paid quickly.

[Ed 0]

Several reasons I play online, though I like live games better:1) I live about 3 hours from Atlantic City. Just getting there and getting back is $50 off the top - considering gas, tolls, parking, etc. I still go about once a month, but it's an expense that has to be accounted for, and this isn't even considering staying up there (which I usually don't).2) Small stakes online play is allowing me to see a number of hands I just never would playing live. Even the relatively small number of 1100 hands or so that I've seen in the last 7 days is more than I could get in my limited trips to AC by far.3) I'm not big on the multi-tabling in high numbers. I'll play 2 tables at a time and that's it. But even that added activity keeps my interest high where it may wane in a casino while folding hands and with everything else going on. Admittedly, this is something I need to improve on, because I need that live concentration to be there for long periods of time, but I find online play is helping with that.4) The variety of games at small limits is appealing, as well. You have a hard time finding an Omaha 8 game in AC to start with, but I can get one online for small stakes, learn the game, play hundreds of hands, and enjoy it.5) We have some good home games around here, but only once every couple weeks at the most. My desire to play is much more fervent than that, and short of moving to south Jersey, online is the best way to get my game for now.The biggest thing I like about playing live as opposed to playing online, however, is meeting people. I've made some good friends who sat around me at tables in tourneys in AC and such, and when I go play cash games, I'm generally at the table for 4-8 hours, and enjoy chatting up some of the people (either for info, or just because they might be interesting). The online chats generally degenerate into:Player 1: You sucked out on the river you !@#$!#@$%Player 2: Ha ha, LOLPlayer 1: You suck!Player 2: You called it, so you suck.Player 1: I'm going to beat you up in real life.Player 2: Shut up you mongrol mutt.And there you go. .. In that respect, yes, playing in casinos is way better.

[Dr of Golf 0]

I really think it's a matter of making due with what you have access to. If you have online play at your disposal great, and if you have live play, great. For those who live in a live area they can make the decision of which is best for them. Me personally, I'd mix it up and do about half and half. You always have the game selection online that you can't always find in the card rooms.

Very well said. I can relate to your statements 100%. I go over to Tampa to play at the brick and mortar when I can, or the cruise ships, but playing online is a conveinece when you don't live close to the real, face to face action.

[jack24bauer24 0]

Once you get your style down at the smaller limits, say up to 50 cents 1 dollar NL...you can make a lot of money online...there are so many terrible players who play this limit cuz its small, that if you are tight but aggressive, you will make a lot of money.As for other reasons to play online...well its fast, convienient, and you can play multible tables at the same time, tripling or quadrupling your profits....and the ability to watch tv, surf the net, talk to friends makes things not so boring when you aren't catching cards.Up here in Canada I don't know of any NL cash games at the casino, so obviously if NL is your game, the net is the place to be.Plus I love being able to trash people online without fear of getting beat up.

[Dr of Golf 0]

Plus I love being able to trash people online without fear of getting beat up.

[Smasharoo 0]

Why would you play online?Let's see:Dramatically reduced rake.Less likelyhood of cheating, dramatically less.No dealer tokes.Can play more than one table.Don't have to leave the house.More hands per hour.etc. etc.There's no way for a live player to come anywhere close to doing as well as an online player at the same limit unless he facing MUCH worse competition.Which, I'll grant, is often the case. For the most part live players are just horrible compared to online players at the same limit.

[tekn0wledg 0]

Yeh there is definitely way more to be made at the online games, the problem is once the skill level is obtained to make it to say 30/60 online you are dealing with people who can probably hold their own in the 30/60 game in Vegas. So your statement about competition isn't entirely true, but for the most part it is at the lower limits.The total number of hands played is a huge factor for me. Over the last month I've played 15k+ hands which is FAR more than I could play in the casino. If you figure your BB/100 at this rate you are making the same number, just over a shorter time.That said it does not go without risk playing multiple tables and more hands per hour. You are more susceptible to larger shifts in your bankroll. So the online player must take those things into consideration when taking up the game on a more serious level.