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Things I hate about live poker

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  1. gamaitec gamaitec is offline

    Arlington, VA
    United States

    Posts: 3,860
    Joined: Dec 05

    Mar 21st, 2006 (3/21/2006 2:25am)

    Just got back from AC and hadnt realized how much I had become accustomed to online poker.

    SNG - terrible structure, slow players, no advantage to better players, too much rake
    MTTs - slow play, too much rake, structure not as good (obviously dailys in AC, not big events..no clue abvout them).
    ANNOYING people who wont shut the fuck up when Im trying to play.

    But I think the players are actually worse live than online if that is possible. (NOTE: i dont play the big buy in MTTs, so I am refering to 10-30s)

    The one thing I still love about live poker

    CASH GAMES - they are SOO much easier live than online. Maybe I just dont have the ability to read people online. But in an average 1/2 game in AC. Any reasonable player knows exactly what everyone has.

    Add your comments about what you love and hate about live poker.
     
  2. Enigma1157 Enigma1157 is offline

    Las Vegas, NV
    United States

    Posts: 1,003
    Joined: Nov 05

    Mar 21st, 2006 (3/21/2006 8:27am) in reply to gamaitec

    I play live two or three days per week (weekends) and the rest of my week is internet play.......there are certainly positives and negatives for both modes of play.........I think live cash games ARE easier to 'read' than internet cash games.........this is why I usually play internet MTT's and SNG's and live NL cash games.......live games also provide opportunities to meet and talk with some very interesting characters (I met a 'rattlesnake ranch owner' last week....he raises and milks rattlesnakes).....it seems internet players only want to 'flame' other players....I don't even like chatting at internet poker tables...too many jerks.....but HUGE advantages of internet play over live play are obviously multi-tabling and more hands per table per hour and NO tipping of the dealer and NO tipping of the bar wenches....internet play is also MUCH more convenient......just roll out of bed and start playing....then roll back into bed......

    I think massive amounts of internet play can certainly improve one's live playing skills, but I'm not sure live play does anything at all to help internet play.....but many may disagree.......last weekend while I was playing live after several long internet poker sessions I kept thinking: 'damn this game is SLOW'......live play seems like everyone is moving in molasses compared to the speed of internet play....

    ..but I like both live AND internet play....I think the two modes of play can complement each other nicely........
  3. dr. trainor dr. trainor is offline

    MA
    United States

    Posts: 64
    Joined: Feb 06

    Mar 21st, 2006 (3/21/2006 8:42am) in reply to Enigma1157

    I couldn't agree more with your statement about low stakes live poker. The players in most cardrooms (I've been in Vegas, NY and CT casinos) at the low limits are far below your online cash players at similar stakes, ( I haven't played in live casino tournamnets for some of the reasons listed above ie...bad structure, high rakes) here are a few possible reasons:

    -I dont think someone is playing much online unless they love the game, so therefore more likely to study and think about it. It is very easy to sit at a 2/4 3/6 table in casino and have fun without knowing how to play much.

    -Players are usually playing for fun in a casino and for money online, so that obviously loosens things up and people want to gamble at a casino. I've seen guys literally limp and call limps in 75%+ of the pots. "Gotta see a flop"

    -Drinking, I realize a lot of drinking and drugs happen online, and in my basement! But you can sit at a table and watch/help a guy get plastered. Now you know who is who.

    -Tells, huge in person, almost non-exsistant online. Seriously, you can watch the table and know right away what 1/2 the people are going to do.

    -Table talk and judging people. The guy riffling his chips and chatting casually with the dealer, and the waitresses know his name? You probably don't want to call his reraise. The guy from Iowa who thinks his pocket 66s merit a reraise on a AQT board to see where he stands? Take his money! I made friends with the guy sitting in front of me and asked him not to raise my BB when he was in the SB and he wouldnt, try that online!

    There is such an advantage to playing live that I think it outweighs the mathmatical advantage of more hands and less tips....but I have no math behind my theory. I just wished I lived a bit closer to a live cardroom. I really dislike playing online, but of course still log plenty of time there.
  4. nklhd nklhd is offline

    Trumbull, CT
    United States

    Posts: 17
    Joined: Nov 05

    Mar 21st, 2006 (3/21/2006 9:52am) in reply to dr. trainor

    Live sucks. We all go card dead sometimes -- card dead four-tabling online for an hour = card dead all day live.
  5. gamaitec gamaitec is offline

    Arlington, VA
    United States

    Posts: 3,860
    Joined: Dec 05

    Mar 21st, 2006 (3/21/2006 9:56am) in reply to nklhd

    So unrewarding. I was card dead all day, played 8 hours ended up 170 in cash and down 240 in tournaments for a great net of -70 dollars. I should have just gone to the bar.
     
    Thread Starter
  6. dr. trainor dr. trainor is offline

    MA
    United States

    Posts: 64
    Joined: Feb 06

    Mar 21st, 2006 (3/21/2006 10:03am) in reply to gamaitec

    Live can be a giant waste of time as far as profitablity goes, especially with a small sample. I find the lack of human interaction online makes me also feel like I am "wasting my time"

    A good mix is really the key....
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