Difference between Live and Online?

Kamaldihnio

My question is what are the differences between live and online tournaments.

I would say I have played over 1000 online tournaments and if I was really really honest I have played about 4 to 5 live tournaments. Its something I would like to do more but I just don't seem to have the time to get to these when they are on. I realise I am at a serious disadvantage because of this. But how much of a disadvantage am I at? Will my online experience count for nothing?

I was speaking to a very good online player who qualified for the Irish Open online and he told me that he was doing very well in online tournaments but then when he started playing live he initially found it very different and difficult to adjust to.

I know that the blinds go up alot faster in online games so you get to play more poker in live games. I personally would see this as a good thing. As I have not played too many live games I am not 100% though. Reads and poker faces is another thing. I have experience of this from playing live cash games so although a little bit worried, I think I could adjust to that aswell.

Ok so give me your advice and tips. Much appreciated.

Have a good Christmas.

Mellor

Kamaldihnio wrote: »

I know that the blinds go up alot faster in online games so you get to play more poker in live games. I personally would see this as a good thing. As I have not played too many live games I am not 100% though. Reads and poker faces is another thing. I have experience of this from playing live cash games so although a little bit worried, I think I could adjust to that aswell.

This probably isn't accurate. Its true that live games generally have longer levels, but the number of hands per hour online is far higher. This is especially important when shorthanded. Dealing and shuffling eats into alot of time.
Obviously the very large buy in live games with 1hr+ levels will get alot of hands in, but in general an average weekly live game will have less play than an average weekly online game.

charlesanto

Live play is more read dependent !

connie147

Although I enjoy playing both, live play is by far my preferred option. Reads at live play are obviousley more important. In online play, your reads are confined to bet sizing and timing of bets. In live play,theres lots to watch out for,ie: how someone puts chips in the pot, the size of their raises, their posture,how much interest they're showing in the action while waiting for their turn,nervous twitches etc etc etc. (I even came accross a classic one last night where a player who intended to go on in the hand,placed his card protector on his cards,and when he was intending to fold he didnt bother,so I had the advantage of knowing whether he liked his hand or not before I decided what I was going to do. I know that sounds stupidly easy but some players just dont realise the info they can give to an opponnent).

Now these are not easy to pick up on(I find it very difficult myself).But there is no doubt that you do get a better idea playing live how strong an opponnent is than you do on line. Being an experienced online tournament player means you should slot easily into live tournament play. Just get into the habit from day 1 of either announcing the size of your raises or putting in the raise in one stack(movement) as the stringent string betting laws in Ireland sees players jumping down the throats of inexperienced players who hesitate when making their bets.

Also, get into the habit of using a card protector on your cards,especially when your sitting either side of the dealer as if he whips your cards into the muck,theres no getting them back.

Another thing,if you get to a showdown and your opponnent announces a hand that beats yours,dont muck your cards until you see them,because somebody can genuinely misread their hand and if your cards are in the muck, then its too late.(an example of this happenned to me last nite as well.A guy was calling me down on a flush draw,after a check check on the river,I announced two pair while he said I was good,that he had jack high after missing his draw.He threw out his cards to show,he had J7 and the river had made him a gutshot but because he was just looking for a club, he didnt spot it.) In online play,this cant happen obviously.

So good luck to you if you decide to have a crack at live tournaments. What I've pointed out to you here is pretty basic but better to hear about it now rather than through making mistakes at the table. Casino games normally have a far better structure than pub games, outside of casinos,poker operatops like GJP. JP Poker,Big Slick and Poker Events normally give an excellently structured game with 100% prize pool payout.Just keep an eye on the torney section of boards for upcoming events.

Best of luck
Connie.

Gillybean72

Hi there, I have played online since May this year, and only been to one live game when I had been playing about 6 weeks. I found a HUGE difference in the play.
I plan on playing the ladies side event at the IO, and want to get more live experience in before then.
I found my nerves to be the biggest problem, although I had not been playing long, when your online there is no need for nerves at all, especially as the things that bothered me where silly things like keeping an ear out to what it was to play etc, online you dont have to think about that as it states as soon as its your turn what you can do. It was a self deal tournament as well, which I found more difficult, would have much preferred it to be fully dealt by the dealers so I had an idea on the raises etc. But I wouldnt be as clueless next time as I learned a hell of alot these last months.

Obviously I was really green at the time, and now I play 2 tables and play for at LEAST a couple of hours a day. I feel more ready to try and make the jump, as I REALLY enjoyed the live play far more than the SnGs I had been playing.

I found I HAD to play two tables as I was losing interest too quick if I had been playing the same tourney for a long time and it was still 9 handed.

I DONT think I would try to play cash games live, as from my own experience there playing cash online, dropped my BR pretty quick!

Good luck with it anyway.