why is online poker harder than live poker?

ok i figured i'd start a fun thread. i want to see how many answers we can get to the qusestion "why is online poker harder than live poker" you may have lots of reasons but please post only one then wait until there are atleast 2 other answers before you post another. let see if we can keep this going.

People posting naked pic links in the Cardschat Forums distract me from playing. Haha. You know what I'm talking about if you caught the recent Poker After Dark thread before it got modded.

Because you have to get up to get your own drinks when you're playing online.

Id say its harder because you can multitask. who doesn't like playing poker, cycling through music, and watching youtube videos at the same time?

I think its because you cant see people to get a good read on them!

Since you're at your house, it's too easy to get distrac...


what...


wait...


I'll be right there...


OK, I'm back...


what were we talking about?

My thoughts..... there are ALOT of young players who are able to committ ALOT of time to the game (playing/studying, etc.). Most seem to start out in micro limits and become quite good prior to moving up. Many of them become regulars in online forums as well and have other's who they're able to hook up with regularly (again 'online') and discuss HH's, etc. They are also able to gain a vast amount of experience in a short period of time due to the fact that they can be playing so many games/hands, etc. so conveniently (how many live tourney players do you know who can typically play in over 100 large-field tournaments in one week? 1yr. for that many would be doubtful).
When a typical live player (playing a couple of times per week in local cardroom) who might play normally play above 200NL attempts to play even 100NL online, they are usually way outclassed. I've often heard it said that 10NL online is comparable with 200NL live.

I think it has to do with the atmosphere. When playing live, you are completely thinking about poker with no other distractions. When you are at home playing, there are going to be distractions. Also, the fact that you physically cannot see the cards/person also might affect play.

I think it is weird but I think online poker is way easier to play then live poker. I play online poker and have been really successful and i've play live poker although i do win these tournaments i find it more stressful to play live maybe it's the fact that i have to worry about more factors such as facial expressions and body movement but live poker is way to slow since i've learn how to play on a faster pace with online poker being dealt probably 5 times more hands than i do in live poker.

Because there isn't a television showing the cricket to keep you entertained between hands.

Maybe that is why it is so boring to play live poker next time i'll set up the television in my poker room so we can watch as we play but there is another factor of poker that i hate shuffling the cards myself it's so annoying.

how can you tell ?
I think it depends on the individual I think it has to do with experience

Because you cant take Class-A drugs at a live poker table.

Haha thats funny...was that meant to be a joke? Wouldn't watching cricket make you LESS entertained

No live reads, at all.... And well unless you know the online tells...

Because online poker is rigged...


...Online you play to win, live there are players that play to play a game with other ppl and they aren't that good, because win isn't more inportant than a good night with others...

Online players tend to be more experienced than their live counter parts.

An online player can:-

1. multi-table
2. be dealt cards at a faster rate
3. play more hours per week because of the convenience of online vs travelling to a casino.

The result is that an online player playing just 2 hours a night 5 nights a week whilst multitabling just 8 tables will see about 5K hands per week. (which is a mear 10 hours of convenient play).

A live player will require around 150 hours play to achieve the same result.

So lets assume the live player plays 2 x 6 hour sessions a week. (most players dont actually play this much). The live player takes around 3 months to play what the online player plays in one week.

This means that roughtly speaking, in one year, the online player plays the equivalent of 10 years of live play. (and this is just at the committed recreational level)

Once the online player goes full time (40hrs + per week) the gap widens even further!

The second difference is information.

The online player has more information available via tracking software.

This allows him to more easily categorise players, and to categorise his own game.

Its far far easier to plug leaks with accurate figures than just a rough interpretation, which may or may not be accurate.

So online players have far more experience and information than live players and therefore build a more solid game much quicker.. (or fail and give up).. than their live counterparts.

umm well mabe because you havent got much read because you cant see you opponent and you do see many more hands in a small amount of time than when you play live it takes longer

Players at a Casino consist of Gamblers.
Players at an online poker room consist of people here specificly to play poker.

You can't see tells in a computer, obviously you can read people play styles after a lil while but some people are just while cards.. Also cards are sweetened up online so it looks more attractive and it easier for people to scam other people for money...

I don't think online is "harder" than live play. I actually think the opposite...

You'll see more weak/bad play/players at higher stakes in live games because the "entry level" NLHE game in most card rooms is $100 buy in.

Internet players (even beginners) also have a little more "savvy" than their live counterparts. They own or have access to computers, have internet access, and have gone through the trouble of depositing or won money in freerolls. They're also more likely to have been exposed to poker culture and are more apt to understand that there are some tactics/strategies are more profitable than others. In live games you get drunk people, w/ cash in their pockets, stumbling out of night clubs, saying "Hey, let's play that "new" Texas Hold'em game!" Guys buying their wives (who have never played poker) into 1/2 games so they can go sit 2/5.

Even though the opposition may be weaker, I actually find live play more difficult. Playing online, most of the important information is in your face. Pot totals, the amount of players in the hand, stack sizes, and bet amounts can be referenced at a glance. It takes some effort to keep track of all that in a live game. Especially when you're interpreting your opponents body language, having a conversation w/ the drunk guy, and trying to look like you're just there to have a good time.

It may be easier to be distracted playing online but it's easier to get "lost" playing live. The game is much slower, boredom hits quicker, and you find your eyes wondering up to ESPN or following that hot young cocktail waitress around the room. I think her name was Amber...

It was no more or less serious than any of my posts in this thread, past or future.

Next reason:

Online poker doesn't have a car park in which you can threaten to beat your opponent up after the game if they call your bluff.

i think online is tougher because the wininng players multitable so finding a table with out a shark or 2,3,or 4 is tough.

Hmmmm, yup, after playing hundreds of hours of live poker this pretty much sums it up.

I think we would like to say it is all one thing then we have a easy fix but it can be the top 10 or first 100 reasons that get listed here. Everyone is right in one way or another.

When I first began playing online poker I would play with the TV on, talking on the telephone, etc. ('distractions'). After reading an article and putting a small bit of thought into it, I then chose to eliminate all such distractions while playing. Poker is a game where you ('I') want to take any advantages I can (kinda like that speech Al Pacino gives in that movie about football being won in inches >> by going after the inches we get the wins). This is my goal when I play poker >>> to win! So why start out by putting myself at a disadvantage via distractions?
When putting in a session online I will prepare myself in advance (mentally, emotionally & physically). I'll go for a walk to get some exercise & fresh air, I'll make any calls I feel need to be made, I'll get everything out of the way that I feel needs to be taken care of,...then if it's MTT play, snacks/meals are pre-made, bottled water in the fridge, coffee is on, etc. Let's play some poker!!! (if I'm going to watch TV.... I'll watch TV.. if I want to play poker... I'll play poker).
.... no,... I'm not playing a game right now (but I'm thinking about it, lol)

ONE WORD................PORN

The average players at a casino are there to gamble when they play poker, just like any other the other table games. More or less put their money in and then see if they win. I can't count the number of times players have come to the table with a bunch of chips bragging about how much they just won at roulette/Caribbean stud poker/etc. Most of the time they will just blow it as fun money just like they would have if they kept playing the table games.

Quick A to the Q,,,, No live reads, on a player..
You have to use the time they take, to get a read on them.
Also a tight player will mess around with you.

online players use tracking software like HEM or PT3.

Well since you can't see players when you play online, it makes a huge difference. You have to pick up on timing tells and patterns online to make up for not being able to see facial tells.

I agree with the guy who said porn

Online is not harder. You see more hands in a shorter period of time. As a result, your leaks and mistakes are magnified making it appear as though it is harder.

[wrong thread]

All very interesting points.
As i havent played live yet, i will keep them in mind as soon as i do get to play live..., soon i hope.
I expect to be nervous and a bit bored, being used to multitabling...
GL all

aC