My first live experience.

Hello, since my hubby and diablo are having this OK Corral thing going on, I wanted to ask you all a question. Which is more difficult, playing on-line or live poker? I have had about five months experience playing on-line. The ONE time I played live was at Foxwoods casino. I sat down at a table and everyone there had at least 100 bucks in front of them. I pulled out a measly 20 dollar bill and my hand shook as I gave it to the dealer. My first hand was pretty good.....A J off suit. I tried to go all in, and the guys at the end of the table started saying how good I was. The dealer looked at me perplexed and said, "Lady, this is a limit table." I laughed it off and bet the limit of 4 dollars. I won that hand, seems I scared everyone off willing to bet so big from the beginning (I also had a pair of A's on the flop) . But ended up loosing all my money about an hour later trying to bluff. I did not have enough experience (or intellect for that matter) to know that bluffing was not a good tactic in limit hold em. So for those of you who have played both live and on-line poker, which takes more skill?

I don't get to play live much so I find it easier to play online.

Hope to rectify that when possible

and welcome to the site ;]

Hi Combusto - Your first live experience sounds like mine. I was nervous and playing in my first live tounament. All men at my table and the guy to my left was very serious. Luckily, the guy to my right was very nice and made me feel at ease. I guess my first mistake was that I said it was my first tournament. Won't make that mistake again. Anyway, I was out about 40 minutes into the tournament and didn't feel like re-buying. I was really there to get my feet wet. Next time, I'll feel more at ease.

I think live takes more something, not sure its skill but you are now face to face with your opponent and not a circle with a name in it.

hi and welcome combusto, im in Mass. to, Fall River to be exact,you will love the site lots of info and such and nice people here>.lots of luck at the tables>>>>>>>>>>>> buckster436

Live is usually a higher skilled game. I'm not taking anything away from the online guys, but you any donkey with an internet connection can play online. In order to play live (especially where I am because casinos are nowhere close) you have to have the determination to find a game, network your way into a game, be smart enough to milk the game but not knock it dead, and be willing to lose real money. I know, I know, online is real money also, it just isn't the same. Having 100.00 of your hard earned cash in a pot right before your eyes is a unique experience, and I have had much more than that on a table at one time.
There is no substitute for table time, further, there is no table time like live table time. I quit playing online about 2.5 years ago because I burned out on it and I got involved in some lucrative cash games locally. I decided then, that live play was better for me. I tend to have a pretty good read on people fairly quickly unless they are very, very good. In my estimation it takes a completely different set of skills to succeede online vs. Live. Additionally, if one ever plans on playing poker professionally or semi-professionally you will at some point have to have that live experience to fall back on. You definately don't want to go into your very first tournament with NO cash game experience.

There aren't many Moneymaker stories out there and I venture a guess that there won't be many more like him in the future. Sure a lot of unknowns will win events, but most of them are going to be rounders wherever they were from or have competed at some level in a live game situation. You have to have the skills that live games bring if you want to be successful in tournaments and the like.

So would you say that Poker is more skill than luck....to add to the live vs. on-lime thing?

In any one session it can be 100% luck, but over the course of time its almost 100% skill.

That is the best answer I ever got to that question.

That's hard to believe...you being four dogs' better half and all.

The dog and I have debated that question many a times. Personally, I believe poker is 80% luck and 20% skill. The dog disagreed with this answer on many levels probably trying to tell me what you said but I was just too thick to get it. Anyway, I do believe the worst player can beat the best player if the cards are in her/his favor. But probably, just like you said, in the end the better player wins overall and over time. Great talking to you Diablo, and I cant wait to see you and my hubby arm wrestle.

Glad I could help, tell four dogs I said good luck. And make sure you don't tease him when I beat him, we males have a fragile ego. JK.

You know diablo I was just wondering when was the last time you played an online freeroll? For all your talk bout odds and how to play, I would like to know how you finished. I'm interested cause it takes a really good player to work their way through the garbage to get down to even the bottom 50 players nto to mention the final table and I haven't seen you bragging bout anything like that.

When I first started playing poker, I believed it was almost all luck and all this talk about tactics and skill was rubbish. Now I truly believe it is 95% skill, 5% luck. Yes, you need luck when you have a hand, you need the coummunity cards to be kind when your AA goes up against 22 but I if the game was 80% luck, then you would get any Tom, Dick or Harry winning big money. I play at ladbrokes and you always see the same names near the end of the tourneys? So they get their by luck every time? NO!

It takes patience, skill, bravery, determination and (yes) luck to win or get to the final table of a big tourney but I firmly believe that skill takes up a huge percentage over luck

Ive never played live poker before, for the simple reason that gambling is illegal in my country. Though they have yet to amend the Malaysian Gaming Act which was passed in the early 50's to include computers so Im fine for now (as if that would stop me). Ive heard alot of how much more exicitng and fun it is to play live and I cant wait to have a shot at it. And come to think of it Id probly suck at it real bad so If I happen to be in the USA and anyone of you are short of cash invite me to your house tourneys I can wet my feet and you get a donation lol, win win situation.

An eight-hour drive from my home to the nearest casino with live poker. Needless to say, my "live" experience is pretty much limited to private games. The nice thing about that is the poker boom is producing many more options there. There's a regular Thursday night game in an upper room over a local tavern that, so far, hasn't attracted any sharks. Just some friendly beer-swillers willing to swap $100 bucks or so back and forth around the table for a few hours. I try to make it home with $30 or $40 more than I left with. Could do better, but why muck up a pleasant date?

In general, the competition is much stiffer on line than any I face locally.

Bubbasbest....I have never, and don't plan on playing freerolls. Nothing against those that do, just a lot of work for a little reward. -EV.