Online Poker For the Live Player - Understanding the Differences
If you are a live poker player who wants to start playing online then you might be in for a surprise: Online poker is tough! To win online, you have to realize the three main differences between live and online poker, and adjust your game accordingly.
1. Online poker plays tighter and more aggressively.
If you have been around poker for a while, you will know most of the great players advocate a tight and aggressive style -- something you don't see very often at the local 1/2 game.
With online poker, things are different. As long as you are playing $0.10/$0.25 no-limit (25NL) or above, you will encounter a fair number of players who only enter a pot for a raise, and will continuation bet on most flops.
To combat this style, you will have to play fewer hands. Limping in to see a cheap flop just won't work.
Another place you see more aggression online is the re-raise pre-flop, also called a 3-bet. In a low-limit live game, most players only 3-bet with their ultra-premium hands. Online, sure, people will 3-bet with Aces, but they will also throw in the occasional 3-bet bluff. You've got to be ready for this and have a game plan in mind when you face the inevitable pre-flop aggression.
2. You will play many more hands online than live.
In a live game, the number of hands is limited by the dealer having to shuffle and distribute the cards. Of course this is all automated online, so you should get about twice as many hands per table. Plus, it is not uncommon for online players to play multiple tables at the same time.
The extra hands means that you can win a lot of money very quickly... or lose very quickly. If you are new to online poker, the main thing to remember is not to play too many tables. Most new players can handle two without losing focus, but any more than that will lessen your ability to develop reads and make the best play.
3. Online poker players tend to be more knowledgeable at any given stake.
A good rule of thumb is that the average $.10/$.25 game online plays the same as the average $1/$2 live game.
There are numerous factors affecting this difference in difficulty, but the biggest is just that the average new player will start at the lowest buy in allowed. Online that might be a $2 game or even lower, while live poker tends to start with $200 games. In other words, the complete beginners are playing extremely low stakes online, while you might find them player much higher stakes in a casino.
Another reason online poker players are generally better is that the ability to play multiple tables at once from your living room makes poker a realistic work-from-home job opportunity. Many online poker players treat poker as a part-time job, and thus spend many hours a week studying the game. To level the playing field you need to be constantly trying to improve your game.
If you keep these three differences in mind, you should be able to easily transition from live to online poker.
If you are a live poker player who wants to start playing online then you might be in for a surprise: Online poker is tough! To win online, you have to realize the three main differences between live and online poker, and adjust your game accordingly.
1. Online poker plays tighter and more aggressively.
If you have been around poker for a while, you will know most of the great players advocate a tight and aggressive style -- something you don't see very often at the local 1/2 game.
With online poker, things are different. As long as you are playing $0.10/$0.25 no-limit (25NL) or above, you will encounter a fair number of players who only enter a pot for a raise, and will continuation bet on most flops.
To combat this style, you will have to play fewer hands. Limping in to see a cheap flop just won't work.
Another place you see more aggression online is the re-raise pre-flop, also called a 3-bet. In a low-limit live game, most players only 3-bet with their ultra-premium hands. Online, sure, people will 3-bet with Aces, but they will also throw in the occasional 3-bet bluff. You've got to be ready for this and have a game plan in mind when you face the inevitable pre-flop aggression.
2. You will play many more hands online than live.
In a live game, the number of hands is limited by the dealer having to shuffle and distribute the cards. Of course this is all automated online, so you should get about twice as many hands per table. Plus, it is not uncommon for online players to play multiple tables at the same time.
The extra hands means that you can win a lot of money very quickly... or lose very quickly. If you are new to online poker, the main thing to remember is not to play too many tables. Most new players can handle two without losing focus, but any more than that will lessen your ability to develop reads and make the best play.
3. Online poker players tend to be more knowledgeable at any given stake.
A good rule of thumb is that the average $.10/$.25 game online plays the same as the average $1/$2 live game.
There are numerous factors affecting this difference in difficulty, but the biggest is just that the average new player will start at the lowest buy in allowed. Online that might be a $2 game or even lower, while live poker tends to start with $200 games. In other words, the complete beginners are playing extremely low stakes online, while you might find them player much higher stakes in a casino.
Another reason online poker players are generally better is that the ability to play multiple tables at once from your living room makes poker a realistic work-from-home job opportunity. Many online poker players treat poker as a part-time job, and thus spend many hours a week studying the game. To level the playing field you need to be constantly trying to improve your game.
If you keep these three differences in mind, you should be able to easily transition from live to online poker.
No comments:
Post a Comment