Why is online poker playing better than social poker?
The Benefits and Disadvantages weighed....
ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS Once you mention online poker to people socially, all those who haven’t yet given it a try tend to fire back the same questions. For their benefit and the rest of you who haven’t logged on yet, let me deal with the most common queries all together via one basic question. Q: If I’m going to take up poker why is online playing better than social poker? A: Both are enjoyable but here’s a list of why most people find online poker easier and more realistic in a modern lifestyle.
BENEFITS OF ONLINE POKER 1) You can get a game at any time of the day or night. 2) You don’t have to dress up, catch a cab or park your car. 3) You don’t have to tip the dealer. 4) You can play more hands per hour than you could ever dream of attempting socially or in an established poker room. 5) You can play two or more games at once. 6) The rakes are less than they are in most casinos. 7) Shuffles online are more instant and more random than live poker room shuffles and you are not vulnerable to dealer honesty as the dealer online is software. 8) You can play tournaments on demand. 9) Nobody blows smoke in your face. You’re playing in the comfort of your own home and in a manner of your choosing. Slippers and thongs are acceptable. 10) A huge percentage of Real World Tournament Champions have in fact qualified by playing online. 11) You can leave the table with your winnings at any time without moans and groans from your fellow players. 12) You can practice for free on “play money” sections and you are able to play games at limits much lower than casinos would allow.
THE DISADVANTAGES Okay, so we’ve heard the good side of the story. What’s the other side? What makes social, real world play more appealing? 1) “Tells”. It’s much easier, and some would say more fun, to read people in a live game. Online you have to watch for play patterns and chatbox and hand history clues. In real life you can watch an opponent’s body language, their stress expressions and generally assess their whole person. This is probably the main advantage of live play. 2) The social aspect of inter-acting with fellow human beings actually appeals to some people. Sometimes it’s nice to make an occasion of your favourite card game.
