When it comes to playing poker, the most realistic experience is at a live casino or card room. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the world of brick-and-mortar casinos to a screeching halt in 2020 and even in 2021, a lot of players who would normally play live have made the transition to online poker platforms for the first time. But before making this move you should understand the differences between online and live poker.
The biggest difference between live and online is that a player’s hands can’t be databased automatically. This means that getting a large sample size to study things like winrates and variance is impossible. In addition, many live games have a minimum rake and tips for dealers and wait staff that need to be taken into account when studying your game.
Another major difference between live and online is the pace of play. Live games tend to be slower than online games because there is a real dealer and the process of shuffling, dealing cards, collecting chips, and distributing pots takes some time. This also means that it isn’t possible to play as many hands per hour at a live table as you can at an online table.
Finally, the playing personalities of live players differ from those of online players. Generally speaking, online games attract players with more aggressive styles and offer tougher competition. On the other hand, live games include more loose-passive players that see a lot of flops and make fewer all in bets, leading to more multiway pots and softer games.
While online poker is a great way to hone your skills, there’s nothing that compares to the thrill of playing in person at a brick-and-mortar card room. The smell of the smoke, hearing anecdotes about legendary hands played in those same rooms and chatting with fellow poker enthusiasts is all part of what makes poker so special.
It’s important to remember that the rules of poker are different in live settings, too. In general, the rules are less strict, but it’s still important to follow them, especially if you’re new to live poker. Players must be prepared to be more flexible and adapt to different situations at the table, such as when a player catches a cold or gets a bad beat. In addition, players should be aware that they might be sat down next to someone who’s had a bad day or is just a little bit more aggressive than them. In this case, it’s best to play a little more conservatively and just try to keep your cool.