Difference Between Online And Real Poker
How would you compare live poker and online poker?
On the one hand, whether you play poker in a casino or play poker on a computer, it's still the same game. A flush beats a straight in both. Players in both games bet and bluff and deliver and receive bad beats. Many of the skills developed in one format translate readily to the other.
Mar 01, 2018 What makes real poker so different from video poker or other online or land-based casino games? We’ll show you! Follow us as we break down the difference between real poker and other gambling games. Social Dynamics One of the most exciting aspects of playing real poker is the fact that you are not playing the dealer or even the cards you are. The majority of the online poker players find only some differences between a computerized game and a face-to-face game. Though the feelings of the cards remain absent and it is impossible to see your opponents’ face, online poker strategy remains the same like on the table plays. The differences between slot machines, ‘bingo’ machines and vlts Slot machines seem simple enough. Pull a handle, the reels spin and either you win or lose.
Then again, many players have persuasively argued the games couldn't be more different. It's like comparing chess and checkers, some have suggested. Online poker, a video game, live poker more likened to a sport. One's 'virtual,' the other 'real.'
There was a time in the not too distant past that the contrast between 'live poker players' and 'online poker players' was quite stark. Many pros belonged to one group and essentially ignored the other. You'd hear stories of 'live pros' venturing online and not faring well (with some complaining the game wasn't 'real' poker). Then there would be 'online pros' showing up at live events and struggling with handling cards and chips or game etiquette.
Today there is a lot more overlap, with most top players and many at all levels playing both online and live. Those who do engage in both have to be aware of the differences between how the respective games tend to play.
What are some of the differences between live and online poker? And among these differences, which are the most important ones for players making the jump from one to the other? As you think of an answer, here are several differences to consider.
Bet Sizing
In live cash games you'll often encounter different bet sizing than happens online, primarily when it comes to opening preflop raises. While an online cash game might feature players opening for 2x, 2.5x, or 3x the big blind, in live games it isn't unusual to encounter players opening for 5x or 6x or even more, particularly in the lower-stakes live games (e.g., $1/$2 NL).
Tournaments are a different story, although there, too, you'll occasionally find live players overbetting, particularly inexperienced ones who struggle with keeping track of pot sizes.
Multi-Way vs. Heads-Up Pots
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That said, in the live games you'll often encounter looser play, generally speaking, in the form of players doing a lot more calling. One consequence of this trend is more multi-way pots occurring live than online where the preflop betting more typically creates heads-up situations.
It isn't that unusual in a live cash game session to witness a number of limpers preflop and/or several callers of a preflop raise, thereby creating a multi-way situation.
Calling vs. Folding
Meanwhile, if live players are often looser than online players with their preflop calls, postflop things tend to go differently. You'll find that online players are in fact more apt to make big postflop calls with weak- or medium-strength hands than tends to happen live. That means big river bluffs tend to get through more often live than happens online (although of course, everything depends on the player and situation).
One explanation for this tendency is the fact that it is easier for many players simply to click a 'Call' button than to make a tough call live. Not having to endure in person the embarrassment of guessing wrong with such calls make them easier online.
Frequency of Bad Beats
In part because of this tendency to run into more callers online, many players report experiencing 'bad beats' more often online than happens live. This is especially so at the 'micros' and lower limits online, where the small stakes further encourage calls with subpar hands that occasionally do outdraw better ones.
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The sense that the bad beats are coming more often online is enhanced, of course, by another big difference between live and online poker, namely..
The Pace of the Game
One of the more obvious surface-level differences between live and online poker is the pace of play. Online poker plays considerably faster than live poker, and some who prefer playing online find the live game too tedious to tolerate. Whereas you might be dealt around 30 hands per hour in a no-limit hold'em cash game, online you'll see 60 hands per hour (or more) at a given table and even more in short-handed games. The ability to multi-table online also means playing a lot more hands per hour than is possible live.
For this reason, the impression of getting more bad beats online can be exaggerated. The fact is, you can seem to experience more of everything online because you're playing many more hands, which in turn affects..
Variance in Online Poker vs. Live Poker
'Variance' is a term often used generically to describe the 'swings' one endures in poker, with the higher 'variance' translating into bigger gains and losses in the short term when compared to your results over longer periods. The faster pace of play online again artificially affects what the 'short term' actually is. You might play a week online and log 10 times the number of hands you'd play if you played live poker for a week, thus giving the impression that your variance has been accelerated greatly.
Even if it is an artificially-created difference, this 'higher' variance when playing online can mean faster, more marked bankroll swings over shorter periods than generally happens live. That means bankroll management has to be approached differently when playing online, where you generally want to maintain a bigger bankroll (in terms of cash game buy-ins or tournament entry fees) than you need when playing live.
Online Tells vs. Live Poker Tells
An obvious difference when playing online is not being able to see your opponents — or for them to be able to see you — which means, of course, the role of 'physical tells' gets omitted from the online game. This also obviously affects table talk, which can be important in live games but becomes a non-factor when playing online (aside from chatbox 'talk'). Experienced live players maintain it is much easier to 'profile' opponents when playing live, especially less experienced ones who tend to give away lots of information very quickly at the table.
That doesn't mean there aren't any 'tells' in online poker. Check out '7 Ways to Get Better Reads When Playing Online Poker' by Nathan Williams for discussion of several examples.
Relative Stakes
One last difference we can add to the list concerns how stakes compare between live and online poker. For various reasons, an online game played at the same limit as a live game will usually feature higher-skilled players, relatively speaking. For example, a live $1/$2 NL cash game generally won't have as many tough opponents around the table as you'll find in a typical $1/$2 NL online game, in part because while there usually aren't any lower-stakes games available live, there are plenty of them online (down to just pennies).
Some have suggested as a rule of thumb a '10-to-1' guideline when comparing live and online stakes — e.g., a $0.50/$1 NL game online would play as 'tough' as a $5/$10 NL game live. Of course, you'll still encounter both good and bad players at all levels, both live and online, so don't take this as a rule without exceptions.
Those are some of the most significant differences between live and online poker. Which would you consider to be the biggest difference out of all of these? Share your thoughts in a comment below.
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Variance
Fri, May 24, 1:58pm by Mia Chapman
Last Updated Tue, Oct 8, 12:24am
Some people place gaming and gambling into different categories, while others look at them as one in the same. For these latter individuals, both words refer to wagering money at games like pokies, roulette, and blackjack in the hopes of winning even larger sums of cash.
The average bloke tends to refer to the hobby as gambling, because that’s exactly what the definition of the word refers to. Whether they’re wagering money at a land-based casino or in the back of their local pub, they’re not ashamed to admit that they’re gambling.
The gambling industry, however, isn’t too fond of the word “gambling.” They think it presents their customers as greedy deviants and unlucky losers, as well as fostering the idea that casino games are a major risk to the player’s wallet (which is correct). To combat this negative stereotype, they cooked up the word “gaming” and started using it in place of gambling. It makes the process of wagering money sound more fun and less random, which is a great way to draw more patrons into their establishments.
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In summary, anyone who uses the word “gaming” around a casino is probably an industry insider. If they call it “gambling,” then they’re likely a regular individual. But either way, they’re talking about the same thing.
A Stark Difference
For others, the terms “gaming” and “gambling” mean entirely different things. In the next two sections, I’ll define the terms and offer a number of examples.
Types of Gaming
If someone uses the term “gaming” and they’re not talking about pastimes such as poker or blackjack, then they may be talking about one of the following hobbies:
Video Games – It might surprise you to know that video games were being patented as early as the 1940s. However, it wasn’t until Atari came out with Pong in the 1970s that the video game revolution got underway. Arcades thrived during the ‘70s and early ‘80s, and home gaming consoles by Atari, ColecoVision, and others started appearing in homes in record numbers.
The second half of the ‘80s saw another boom in the industry with the release of the original Nintendo, and advances in technology slowly resulted in the decline of arcades in favour of more sophisticated home systems.
The video game revolution is still underway, as systems such as Nintendo, Xbox, and Playstation amass record sales for home and portable use. The age of the Internet is also involved, as multi-player online games like World of Warcraft bring in droves of new subscribers each year. (See also: Video Casino Games)
Miniature Wargaming – The hobby of miniature wargaming has been around for centuries, and you can still find it alive and well at hobby shops and gaming conventions. Intricate miniature figures comprise entire armies, and players use a complex series of rules to manoeuvre them around detailed landscapes and engage in battles. These armies can take the form of actual troops from history, while others are comprised of fantasy creatures such as orcs and dwarves.
Role-playing Games – Popularized by the release of Gary Gygax’s Dungeons & Dragons, role-playing games allow players to take on the persona of a fictional character and engage in all manner of adventures. Numerous genres are available, from horror RPGs such as Call of Cthulhu to sci-fi games like Nova Praxis.
Varieties of Gambling
If someone is talking about games of chance, there’s a strong chance they’re discussing one of the following:
Poker – Players compete against one another to make a poker hand with the highest rank. Numerous variations of the game exist, but the current favourite is known as Texas hold’em. This is due to the success of amateur players like Chris Moneymaker at the World Series of Poker Main Event, where the winning individual walks away with millions of dollars.
Blackjack – The objective of this popular casino game is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over (and having a higher total than the dealer in the process). The art of card counting can greatly increase a player’s chances of success.
Sports Betting – Players wager money on various sporting events, from football to auto racing. The payout for a win is determined in advanced by fixed odds.
Craps – The player rolls a pair of dice and attempts to throw certain totals while avoiding other numbers. Those not currently shooting the dice can also bet on the outcome. A wide range of betting options is available, and craps is known for its community experience.
Pokies – Called slot machines in other parts of the world, pokies offer various cash prizes for players who match various symbols on the machine’s spinning reels. Pokies have become more advanced in the last decade, especially those featuring audio and video clips from popular movies and TV shows.
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Video Poker – The player receives a hand of five cards on a video screen, and they can then opt to exchange one or all of their cards for new ones. In order to win, their final hand must usually contain a pair of jacks or better. With perfect play, the house edge can be eliminated.
Keno – Similar to the lottery, keno allows players to choose a series of numbers. A drawing of 20 numbers is then held, and the player wins money for all numbers that result in a match. In the history of keno, no player has ever matched all 20 numbers.
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For some, gaming may mean pokies or blackjack, while others may limit the definition to pastimes such as video games or role-playing; meanwhile, gambling is almost universally regarded as participating in various games of chance, although the connotations of the word can range from neutral to quite negative. Keep in mind these are just terms and whether you game or gamble, most importantly, enjoy it.