Wondering what is the difference between online poker and offline poker? Here’s a post that details the differences between these two variations of poker!
Poker is one of the oldest casino games highly recognized by top gamers across the world and is available both in a land-based setting and on an internet-based platform. While the former has existed for decades, the latter has taken the world by storm, given the convenience, it offers, especially to beginners.
In contrast, the brick-and-mortar setting has its own specialties, including the unique ambiance of the playhouse and the opportunity to play against actual people right in front of you. This is where you play with real chips and test your ability to read someone’s body language, and that is surely one of the tricks most expert poker players bank upon. For beginners, the online version is a relief since the physical tells are not revealed.
How Do The Tactics Differ In Online And Offline Version?
Expert players who have had enough hands-on experience in poker employ clever tactics to make the opponent uncomfortable with his moves or use fake body language to make someone fall into a trap. On the other side, the betting speed and the pattern of your opponent is the only clue you can capitalize on while playing the online version.
While this can also be done in the offline mode, mastering the concept takes real-time practice. With an option to play multiple tables simultaneously, online poker allows you to keep an eye on more than one opponent, which can be really helpful when you hit a live table at a land-based casino.
Tracking The Count
The biggest difference between the digital world and the real world is the fact that the former provides you with the privilege of tracking important information at one-click, rather than remembering everything as in the case of a live casino. You may also be presented with useful stats about your opponents, which can be really helpful in crafting a strategy for the next hand of play. You don’t have to keep asking the dealer about the number of chips or stack present, and there is little scope for overestimating the opponent’s stack.
So Which Is Better?
Here are a few contrasting points that sum up the good and bad of both versions:
- With online poker, you are just a couple of clicks away from the world of gaming, whereas, for live poker games, you might have to purchase a membership of a reputed casino.
- Games are available throughout the day in the online version, unlike the case with casinos, where you have to wait for a table to open up.
- When you sign up on an online gambling site, you get welcome bonus cash to play with. Such bonuses, even if offered at a land-based casino, come in the form of complimentary food or drinks.
- The land-based casino provides you with the real glitz and glamour of the gambling world, while the online version can be accessed from just about anywhere.
- There is no form of distraction when you play at the comfort of your home, but the off-putting atmosphere of a real casino can make you lose your temperament.
Whether you should go for the online poker or the offline one is entirely dependent upon your level of expertise and comfort. Once you have enough confidence playing the game, you can switch either way!
One thing is true though, unless you know the tricks of the trade, it doesn’t matter which version you play. So here’s a rundown of a few simple hacks to enhance your poker skills.
Practice and play
Playing poker is just not enough to grasp the idea behind the game. You need to practice and pay attention to the game as if you are preparing for an examination. Unless you lose a few shorthands, you wouldn’t learn how to tackle the game. Pay heed to the process, and see how your opponents play. Take note of each and every move, and make sure not to repeat your mistakes. It’s very easy to get into the trap of chasing losses when you are not well versed in the game. Give yourself a little break, and see what’s going wrong. Take out all the negative moves and play again. Repeat this process until you have good control of the game.
Use online guides and resources
There are plenty of resources available on the web that can help you improve your real-time poker skills. Scan through the Internet and single out some good video tutorials. Know your game type and build on it by referring to relevant guides. Go through the basics, and don’t try to learn too many tricks at the very onset. If you are caught in a confusion loop, it’s hard to regain momentum. Play the demo version and try something you learned. Break down everything in steps and experiment accordingly to hit the right combinations.
Enroll for a poker course
Yes, you heard it right! Nowadays we have courses for different casino table games, and it’s really helpful if you manage to find something good. It’s like expanding your knowledge about something you are excited about. Poker is not entirely based on gaming skills, but also the manner in which you beat your opponent psychologically. Take up courses that teach you how to maintain an ideal body language, and how you should judge someone’s facial expression during the real-time play.
Do some math
Winning bets at the game of poker is not purely dependent on luck. You need to decipher your own strategies to increase your odds of winning. Improving your skills is mostly about learning how to calculate the probability of an occurrence. Do a little math, and play with the numbers. See if you are arriving at a probable number combination. These things can only be developed by practice. Use the trial-and-error method in the demo version to know your progress.
Learn by examples
Losing bets at poker is a good thing, until the time you learn something new from every defeat. Your opponent teaches you a lot of things; in the way that they are better with their moves. Observe them carefully, and try to figure out the intricacy of the game. The more you get used to the guidelines, the easier it will be to place bets confidently. Remember, you cannot be a pro in a day, but practice always makes perfect!
