There was a time in the poker world when the contrast between live and online players was very stark. There were many “live pros” who would not play online and vice versa – some even complaining that online poker wasn’t real poker. However, things have changed and most top players at all stakes now play both. In fact, they often move back and forth between the two.
There are some important differences in strategies between live and online poker, but the core concepts remain the same. For example, understanding your opponents’ tendencies and betting styles is essential in both types of games. Luckily, many poker sites offer tools that allow you to track your wins and losses and your opponent’s tendencies and tells. Using these tools is an important part of learning poker and can make the transition between live and online poker much easier.
One of the main differences between live and online poker is that the pace of play is much slower in live games. This is due to the fact that it takes time for a dealer to shuffle, deal, collect chips, and distribute pots. In addition, live players often talk and take their time at the tables. This can be frustrating for new online players who expect to see more hands per hour, but it is a reality of the game.
Another difference is that live poker players are expected to tip the dealers and wait staff. While this is not a requirement in all games, it is common practice and is something that new online players need to be aware of. This is an additional cost that needs to be factored into the decision to play live or not.
A major downside to playing live poker is that you have to actually get dressed and travel to the casino to play. This can be a big hassle for some people, especially those with family obligations. In addition, a lot of live casinos have plexiglass on the tables, which can be distracting. Lastly, live poker can be expensive and requires you to pay for food and drinks while you are there.
Online poker is a much faster and more convenient experience than live poker. With the ability to multi-table, you can play a lot more hands per hour than you can in live. This makes it possible to get a larger sample size and study your play more effectively.
The other major difference is that online poker has a lot more variety than live poker. There are typically hundreds of tables running at any given time and you can play anything from heads-up to KO MTTs. The selection of games and formats in online poker also make it more difficult to get bored, which is a problem that can happen with live poker.