1. It's More Expensive For The Recreational Player: A $100-$200 buy-in now becomes a £300-£400 buy-in.
I suppose this one is a bit of a biggie, but as you do get dealt significantly LESS hands per hour during a live session it kind of evens out. Yes, I'm a firm believer in buying in for the maximum as not only do you get paid off big for your big hands but you also get more moves at your disposal. Also, you do actually scare some of the less experienced tight players. The downside, of course, is that other loose-aggressive players holding big-stacks can do great damage.
2. It's A Purer Form And What The Game Was Invented For.
You have a wealth of information and tells to pick up on that you just don't get online. It's far easier to identify the sharks and the fish - just by looking at how "at ease" players are. The oft-quoted phrase "Poker is a people game played with cards" really came about due to live poker and NOT the online game. Playing live is just more interesting - not only do you get out of the house and given the chance to socialise, you actually talk face to face with your opponents - more civilised don't you think? You're just not forced into that mechanical, robotic way of playing that you do online.
3. A Slower Game Means More Patience And Tolerance.
With hands being super-slow and without the option to multi-table, along with being almost compelled to play for a longer period of time, the need for patience and tolerance is more pronounced at the live cash game table. Personally, I've always felt that my profession as a teacher has helped me develop these traits and consequently gives me that particular edge at the live cash games. Yes, I have complained in other posts about folding hands for hours on end but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
4. The Live Game Is Softer.
Ok, this is something that is often pointed out in all areas of the poker world and now that I have experienced both forms quite extensively myself, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this is definitely the case; particularly if you play at a certain place in Leicester Square at a certain time of the week. My last few posts have covered this in detail also. Let's just spell it out: After playing for two years solidly at the online nl100 and nl200 games and likewise at the live £1/£2 games in London ONLINE PLAYERS ARE GENERALLY FAR BETTER THAN LIVE GAME PLAYERS.
5. Cash In Hand
Ok, this last one is a minor point but is still a positive over the online game: there are no hidden exchange rate charges or cash-out charges and your winnings are immediately handed to you in cold hard cash! I know, call me old-fashioned but there's nothing like being handed over the readies directly after you have done the deed. It's that old idea of getting an immediate and palpable reward for all that hard work. What do you get online? A bad exchange rate cos you're forced to play in dollars, the winnings going into an account which then has to be put in your bank and which can then only be taken out of a cash machine if you want the cash in your hand - about 3 or 4 days AFTER the event. Rubbish.
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Oh well, there you have it. My excuses for getting out of the online game and moving over to the live game. This will stand, of course, until I start getting beaten up at the live game - in which case I'll start crying and saying that the online game is so much better!!
Until next time... Wobble on!
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