Poker vs Online poker

Cherry13

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Just been planning and booking a trip to Las Vegas for my FiL 60th next year. I’ve been a few times now, but it wasn’t until my last visit that I was really interested in playing poker. Had a few games but inevitably lost it all and come away empty handed.

Once I got back i then got into online poker quite a bit (low stakes tournaments). But after a while the novelty kind of wore off and I stopped.

So after booking the holiday, my interest has returned. My question though, is how do I transition from being ok at online, to being ok in person? What’s the main difference, and any hints tips in general for playing poker either online or in person.
 

fundy

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First thing first, live poker is way way softer than playing online, if you can cut it online youll be fine live. Standard of online has improved exponentially over the last 5+ years, whilst the standard live apart from at the higher buy ins hasnt changed a great deal. This is mainly because those playing live are older, richer and see it as recreational (a night out) compared to those online who tend to be younger and take it more seriously (as well as using HUDs, forums, discussing hands, simulation models etc etc).

The other thing you will notice playing tournaments (especially over here, less so in US) is the stack sizes and structures have changed greatly. Games where you used to get 5,000 start stack (or even less) nowadays 20,000 is seen as standard but not unusual to get 100,000 (or even more).

I would try and play some smaller online stuff and if possible get to the casino for the odd tournament or find a local game (albeit not a fiver pub game as that wont do you too many favours!) I assume Newcastle is your nearest casino, Aspers there certainly used to run a decent tournament schedule

If you want to improve technically theres plenty of options (all of which require playing some volume of hands afterwards to put into practise). Plenty of decent poker books out there (especially for getting some core fundamentals into you game), alternatively there are coaching websites (usually winning players playing online and talking you through specific concepts etc), software that will analyse your play online and recommend areas to improve based on your stats, coaches who will watch you play online whilst discussing on skype, review hand histories etc it all depends how much time money and effort you want to put into it, what level you are at etc.

If you want any more info feel free to ask, happy to help if/where I can (even if its sending a book or two, directing you to the better websites, chatting through a few hands etc)
 

HughJars

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^^^what he said, plus, you'll find the weekends much softer, especially late on with some booze thrown in. Through the week the tables are heavy with local pros.
 

Orikoru

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I would have thought the main difference is that in a live scenario you actually have to maintain a poker face, and not give yourself away with any noticeable tells - all of that is removed when playing online.
 

Cherry13

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Cheers all for the replies. Yeh Newcastle is my nearest, been to aspers a few times for poker, but just at the end of a night out for cash games. I’ll have a look at there tournament schedule although I’ll probs struggle to get the time with a young family. Online is probably best to build up my limited ability into something a bit more decent.

The coaching and software sounds interesting, but probably a bit overkill for what I want. ( to Avoid embarrassing myself at the table haha). But some books on basics and fundamentals would be great. Any recommendations?

I have read up on tells and noticeable traits, the only noticable one I ever spot is when playing with mates and they double check they have a decent hand.
 

HughJars

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I would have thought the main difference is that in a live scenario you actually have to maintain a poker face, and not give yourself away with any noticeable tells - all of that is removed when playing online.
Most people haven't got a clue about tells, or when they see one, know what it means.
 

GG26

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My main advice is to be patient. In real life the pace of play is slower and there is a temptation to get involved in hands that you should steer clear of.
 

Cherry13

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Sorry to revive an old thread, but I thought I’d post an update and ask a few new questions!!
So one year on, we had the holiday, it was amazing and I got the chance to play in two tournaments. Both were 35ish people big, and the first one I finished 7th, second one I finished 6th. Missing out on money both occasions. Good experiences and I was happy to get so far, I think I only got that far by being really really tight though and I’ll come back to that in a bit.

I never got the chance to play or focus as much as i wanted to in preparation for the holiday (kids and house move) but the last 3 month I’ve significantly upped my online play and started reading more. Currently reading super system two and have started trying to get my head around odds/value/equity etc.

My main technique questions are regarding tournament play. I’ve found online that I probably make the money 2 out of five tournaments (5er buy in) the issue I’ve found though is that I’m never really strong going into the money. So yesterday for instance I had 10BBs as the tournament entered the money, I got in by relying on others going out. I often early on build up a nice stack, get up to top ten on occasion in 1000 man tournaments early, but then as the tournament progresses I gradually drop down. Any advice on this?
It’s exactly how the first tournament in Vegas happened, as I had to go all in on BB as I had just ran out of chips pretty much.

Second question, and a bit more random... how do I know when I’m good? And ready to start playing higher stakes?
 

fundy

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Short answer or long answer????

Congrats on doing so well in the 2 live tournaments!!!!

Youre basically going the path the majority of newcomers to the game go and play based mainly on what youre cards are. This leaves you a bit 1 dimensionsal and open to be taken advantage of by good players, that said its a good foundation. What you need to learn is to play hand ranges, table position and learn to exploit the tendencies of other players otherwise you will continue to be fighting an uphill battle where you just cant win enough of the chips to make the big prizes.

To move on from here I would look to do 3 things; 1) get a HUD (heads up display, like Pokertracker 4) that you use when playing online but also then use to review some of the hands after the tournament has finished and you have more time to evaluate (and learn how to use it fully) 2) Ideally find a forum or someone you can run a few hands by which will help to see how you should evaluate hands and 3) find more up to date learning materials once youre happy with the basics (either book or preferably video format) - I would recommend Jonathon Littles books as a decent starting point to ensure the basics, Winning poker tournaments one hand at a time series (albeit older these talk through a lot of actual hand scenarios to drill in some of the theories) video wise again Jonathon Little is good (albeit more of his stuff has got expensive of late)

The very best way to learn is to pay a coach and get them to basically watch you play sessions (usually on a screen viewer or similar) and identify your weaknesses and then teach you how to address those areas. That said this is a very costly way of doing it, depending on how serious you want to be about the game.

Happy to help if and where I can, what I would say is the game is an ever moving feast (its still not fully solved) and the players get better all the time as there are so many learning resources out there enabling learning much quicker than it used to be when you have to play thousands of hands to learn. If you ever want to chat in more detail or ask more questions feel free, will happily help where I can


Edit: looks like Ive regurged my post from last year haha, seems I havent moved on!!!!
 

HughJars

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To move on from here I would look to do 3 things; 1) get a HUD (heads up display, like Pokertracker
Now banned by all the major sites I believe. I'm no longer involved, but it was clear they'd all gotten together because over the course of a day or two all the sites announced they were blocking their use.

Long long overdue, and way too late for most. The world awaits a fully open USA re-entering the poker market and the games may recover somewhat.
 

fundy

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Now banned by all the major sites I believe. I'm no longer involved, but it was clear they'd all gotten together because over the course of a day or two all the sites announced they were blocking their use.

Long long overdue, and way too late for most. The world awaits a fully open USA re-entering the poker market and the games may recover somewhat.


Slightly inaccurate. Rob Yong at Partypoker has indeed banned them (and introduced mygame which is starting to give you some of the HUD information on your own play and hands that you can review), you can use HUDs on all the other big sites including Pokerstars still, albeit that may well change in the future as they continue to make changes to their site

Ive always been an advocate of them not being allowed but if others are using them and you are not youre putting yourself at a huge disadvantage. They are also excellent for reviewing your play when studying not playing

As for America re-entering, not sure there will ever be a fully global market for online poker again, more likely it fragments further if anything for me
 

HughJars

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Slightly inaccurate. Rob Yong at Partypoker has indeed banned them (and introduced mygame which is starting to give you some of the HUD information on your own play and hands that you can review), you can use HUDs on all the other big sites including Pokerstars still, albeit that may well change in the future as they continue to make changes to their site
My apologies. I was sure it was widespread, but I don't follow the market much at all anymore. Didn't iPoker & 888 also ban them?
 

M1ndPrototype

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I can easily say that poker and poker online are two different things but essentially the same. I would prefer poker in a local casino than a poker in front of the computer and I will explain why. There are players that have more than 10 years experience and they understand that it is more comfortable to see the opponent's face and emotions, to know how to react in every situations than to guess what is going on the other side of the screen especially when you play on big stakes and a lot of money on the poker table, sounds a bit crazy.
 

Shannon Holt

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Agree. Poker and online poker are not the same. I prefer to play live but sometimes I play online, why not. It helps me not to lose my skills :)
I've been studying neteller casinos lately, in case I soon have a chance to play at a real casino. Poker and casinos are not the same too...
 
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