Most people who play poker today do so online. Playing online is simply more convenient and accessible, with lots of online poker sites to choose from. However, live poker still remains highly popular. Both live poker and online poker share the same rules, although there are some major differences between them.
Because of the differences between live poker and online poker, it’s often best to adjust your strategy slightly before sitting down at a live table. While you don’t need to make major changes, there are a few things you should consider before you play.
The Differences Between Live Poker and Online Poker
The major difference between live games and online is that when you play live, you’re facing your real opponents. Online poker is fun and convenient, but you don’t get the same experience because you can’t see the people sitting at your table. They’re just names on a screen, which means you won’t be able to read their facial expressions or body language. Reading your opponent is a major part of poker, especially when it comes to spotting bluffs and learning tells. The more information you have, the easier it is to outplay them.
Another big difference between live and online poker is that live poker is generally played at a much slower pace. You need to wait for the dealer to shuffle and deal the cards, plus count out the chips in the pot. In comparison, online is quicker as this is all done automatically. When you play online, you could play up to 80 hands an hour compared to just 30 for live poker.
Finally, live poker is generally a bit less competitive. When you play online, you’re often sat at a table with players who regularly grind at poker tables in order to make money. Live games are more likely to include players who just play for fun. This means that when you’re at a live table, you can often get away with a lot more than when you play online.
Strategy Difference in Live Poker
If you’re used to playing poker online, you may need to make some changes to how you play when you join a live game. Because the game speed is slower and you’ll be sitting in front of real opponents, you’ll have more time to observe them and make reads on their behavior. This can take a while to get used to, but once you have some practice, you’ll be able to gather a lot more information about your opponents and their hand ranges.
Generally speaking, the slower nature of live games can also mean that a less aggressive strategy is more appropriate. However, if you want to take advantage of the softer tables when playing live, you can still have a lot of success playing aggressively. In most cases, an aggressive style will beat out a more passive style, provided you’re smart and use it effectively tunai4d.
Pre-flop raises in online poker often range from 2-3 times the big blind up to 4 times. This raise size is sufficient to force opponents to fold if they have a weak hand while still giving middle and strong hands a reason to stay in play.
Live games more commonly see raises of around 5-7 times the big blind during the pre-flop betting round. This can lead to much larger pots, as many players will still feel compelled to pay this price in order to see the flop.
While you won’t need to make too many big changes to your strategy, there are still some adjustments you can make. Live poker works in more or less the same way, but you will have a lot more information to make use of. Although it’s slower, it can be much more enjoyable and potentially more profitable too.
