Well, as I write this, I am still in Vegas for the
World Series of Poker, sitting here in the jacuzzi and pondering the differences between live poker and online poker. There are many, and they are larger than I ever really paid attention to. Both in cash games and tournaments, the play is drastically different from live to online. I have played a considerable amount of both while in Vegas for the past month or so, and have noticed that, overall, live play is much looser than online play. I will even go out on a limb and say that the players online are much better as a whole than live players. But, does this mean that an online player can win more by playing live if he makes the same decisions as he would online? I don't think so. I have been playing live for about four years, and as is the case with anything in poker, you constantly have to be making adjustments, and the adjustment to a "live mentality" is very important.
First, in live cash games, the play is
drastically different than online play. For example, online, the players are often
very fundamental in their play. They hold position in high regard, and when they come into a pot, they come in aggressively. It's a grind that the online cash-game players are willing to endure. I have been playing quite a bit of $5-$10 no-limit hold'em at Wynn Las Vegas during my stay, and more often than not, there are seven-way limped pots preflop. This never happens online. Fundamental play teaches you to abuse the limpers and attack weakness with a healthy raise, so people don't even bother to limp in online anymore. Also, in live cash games, someone may raise to $50 and he'll get five callers. Getting this many callers does not happen online very often unless you are playing very low stakes. So, what are the reasons for this? I believe that the ability to play multiple tables online keeps players much more patient than they can be when playing live. They also can be playing within seconds of deciding to play. For a live game, a player gets up, gets dressed, goes to the casino, gets on a list for a game, waits, sits down, gets his money out, and starts to play. By now, he's ready to play. Hell, it's been a couple of hours already since he made the decision to go play. So, naturally, he's looking to play some hands. Sitting there folding in live action is not very much fun. This mindset encourages more action, even if it is weak action. So, is it smart to enter a live game and play with the patience and aggressiveness of an online player? Maybe. But you had better make some necessary adjustments, one of which is your raise and/or reraise amounts. Coming over the top of a limper with a $40-$50 bet in a $5-$10 live game is more than likely only going to build a pot rather than get the fold you were seeking. So, be aware of what action you are trying to induce and adjust your betting accordingly. People are
much looser with their money in live play than online. This, I believe, is an ego thing, and you should take advantage of it.
Just as bet sizes are important in cash games, they also are one of the huge differences in live tournament play compared to online tournaments. In online tournaments, two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half times the big blind is a plenty large enough bet to get the information and reactions you need. This is a good betting amount live, but it is often not nearly as effective as it is online. Being mindful of what action you are trying to encourage or discourage is very important when choosing bet sizes. I am not recommending that you vary your bet amounts too often, but I am saying that you should observe your table and the betting. What seems to be the standard bet in relation to the blinds? How are people reacting to them? Does a three-times-the-big-blind bet get called by A-9 offsuit and K-J suited? Do you want that action? Adjust accordingly. In live play, I see preflop bets of four, five, and even six times the big blind as the standard raise. This is rarely seen in online play. What do they mean? You can refer to one of my columns titled "Strange Bets" for that answer, but the point is that the play is much looser and the betting is much larger in live play. You need to make adjustments for this. In live tournament play, I believe that ego, impatience, and fear are all factors in these larger bets, just as they are in live cash games. Many players fear confrontation in live play more than they do when playing online. When playing online, no one can see their reactions to a win or a loss, and therefore they feel more comfortable. I think this is a big leak in many live players' games. It causes players to accumulate less and not get full value from their hands by overbetting.
Another difference of live poker and online play is awareness of the chip counts of all of your opponents. Stack play and decision-making based on equity is a huge part of tournament poker strategy. In online poker, all chip counts are conveniently posted under a player's name. You constantly know exactly the amount of chips that everyone has. You can see and remember how each player's stack has varied in the recent past and then figure how that has affected his mindset. You can use that information to narrow down his hand ranges and strengths. In live poker, it is a lot of work to constantly be counting everyone's stack, but it is a necessity. With practice, you can get good at it, and you need to. You can even get to the point where you can just quickly look at a stack and know the amount within 10 percent either way. Practice this! Wouldn't it be nice if everyone had a neon marquee over his head, displaying his chips count? Hell no! People would then play better, and we don't want that. In fact, I think this is the biggest reason why most live players don't play as well as online players, in my humble opinion.
So, when making a transition from online play to live play, pay attention to your loose and egotistical opponents. Watch their betting, and find the fear bettors. Always be aware of all players' chip counts, and use them to make smart decisions and help you read their hand strengths. For comparison sake, a $1,000 sit-and-go live tournament plays about the same as a $20 online tournament. A $5-$10 no-limit hold'em live cash game plays about the same as a $1-$2 no-limit hold'em online game, and $100 rebuy tournaments online are probably tougher than any live major event you can play. Of course, there are good and great players mixed into these live games, but they are very easy to spot. Play the players! I am too waterlogged now to write any more, so that's it.
Todd Arnold is the trainer and co-creator of www.realpokertraining.com and a private coach for online and live players. For private coaching information, visit his site or contact him at [email protected].
