Many people begin their poker careers by honing their chops at various online poker sites. By doing so, some of them reach the point where they consistently increase their bankrolls and come to feel pretty good about that game of theirs.
Though when many online players decide to take it to the next level by joining “live” games, they leave the table shocked. More than a handful of online sharks have sat down at an actual table only to be beaten like a circus monkey. So how did they do so well online? Were the players in the live games so much better? Or could it be that online and offline poker games are subtly, yet distinctively, different?
The obvious answer is yes, indeed they are. These are some of the points that distinguish online poker from offline poker.
Tells
This can be good or bad depending on how well you know how to read your opponents or project your own hand to the other players. Playing online can level the playing field, between beginners and professionals. The only real tells online are found in the betting patterns. You are less likely to have the whole table fold into your pocket bullets if the other players can not see the trembling, sweating, hyperventilating, or unresponsive catatonic behavior that sometimes occurs when trying to control a monster hand. The downside is that you will never learn to hide your tells and read those of the other players unless you play live poker.
Anonymity
You never know who you are actually playing against online. It may be Phil Ivey or it may be some joe shmoe waiting to donate his money to the cause. Cardsharps and fish come in all shapes and sizes, but when playing live, sometimes you just know. Also, never assume that just because an online player’s username is Nancy, that it’s actually a female. Some guys like to play under female aliases because they feel other players will give them less respect, allowing them to take advantage of their sexist opponent’s underestimation.
Chip counts
Playing online also provides you with instant access to chip counts. There is absolutely no estimating, asking or knowing how your stack measures up against those of your fellow players. This may not seem significant at first, but the first time you go all-in without realizing that your opponent does indeed have enough to cover you, you will understand the value.
