The Difference Between Live Poker and Internet Poker

It's strange but if you asked me a year ago whether I prefered casino poker or internet poker, I would have difinitely told you that I like internet poker. The reason mainly was that I was losing big at live casino poker and losing a little in internet poker. Today I'm the complete opposite. I LOVE CASINO POKER.

Yes, part if it is because I'm actually winning at the casino and barely winning on the internet. Let me delve deeper though. Please also remember I'm speaking from a low limit 3/6 or lower standpoint.

Why I used to hate casino poker

I used to hate playing in casinos because I would lose all of the time. It took me two years to feel like I could win consistently. I played as a prop player for a month and really got my butt kicked and that really soured me for a long time. I hated the swings too. I would be ahead and then be behind. I'd also win a little, while at the same time lose a lot.

The reason I was losing was as follows:

Played too many hands. You need to play tighter in the casino. I only paint cards, suited kings and aces, and hands that could win the bad beat jackpot (i.e. suited connectors and pocket pairs)
Had to see if the other player was bluffing. Calling a hand to the river because you think the other player is bluffing is a great way to lose all of your money. As far as I know, I have only been bluffed in limit hold'em only a few times.
Playing draw hands without getting the proper odds. If I'm drawing to the nut flush and there is only one other player in the hand, you're not getting odds, fold the hand.
Drawing to top pair. If the flop does not hit and the only way that I can win is the turn or river being an ace or king for top pair. Fold.
Playing too loose. It's really easy to get bored during a game, because you're being dealt crap. Then stay bored or at least figure out the other players. Stop playing crap hands.

The game play

I love the game play in low limit live poker. People are there to play poker and to a small degree win money. The games are loose and passive. Meaning there is always a lot of money in the pot everyone is waiting to get lucky on the river.

YOU WILL GET PAID OFF

If you have a hand that is trips or higher and it's the best hand, you'll make a lot of money. Especially if the premium hand is hidden. If you have pocket three's and a three hits the board, no one ever expects you to have the best hand. When you play it aggressively, one person will always have to see it.

Recently I had Jack of hearts and the board came Ah-Kh-Qh-3h-7c. I had the nut flush. My opponent had the Th. I reraised on the river and she said she had to call me to keep me honest. Fine. That same attitude applies when you have top pair and your opponent has second pair. They will always pay you off even if they know they are beat.

Playing the blinds

I make a lot of money on the blinds. Most of the time, if you're in either blind, you will see the flop for free. If you have a junk hand and you make two pair on the flop, you're going to make alot of money, because no one ever expects you to play with junk hands. Many times, the flop won't work for you, so just remember that you're in early position and folding to any bet is easy.

Also, call a pre-flop raise with any hand in the big blind. The fact is that if someone raises preflop, you can get 5 to 1 even 8 to 1 on your money by calling. Also, if the flop hits your junk hand, you're going to win alot of money and place the entire table on tilt.

I was dealt 4h-5h. One player raised and I was getting 5 to 1 on my call. I called and then another play reraised after me, now giving me 11 to 1 to make the second call. The flop came A-2-3 rainbow. I took down a huge pot and everyone kepted calling me a donkey for making the calls.

The reality was that I was making the right call because I was getting odds and in this case, it paid off big.

The table talk

I love the conversation at the table too. Usually I sit next to some very nice people and we talk poker. One night I was playing at a table with a maniac on the other end. The guy next to me was incredibly frustrated. Soon I got two really good hands and I slowplayed the maniac for a lot of money. The guy next to me wondered what I was doing and I told him about a tell on the maniac, when I knew that he had no hand. Now it was me and my neighbor going head to head with this maniac.

The rake

I get a lot of questions about the rake. In most casinos I play in they take about $4 per hand, which are the blinds. In fact at Pechanga, they take the blinds immediately before the cards are even dealt. $4 per hand is a lot. Thats about $75 off the table per hour. This makes it difficult to win.

How do you overcome the rake? Stop playing so many hands. Be patient and wait. I see it this way. I want to know that I have a high liklihood of winning on the turn (when the bet doubles) if I'm going to invest money into the hand. The guy in late position may bet in order to steal the pot, but I can wait until the next hand to have a better chance at it.