Comparing online poker and traditional poker – Part 12

Comparing in-person games against online provides several key differences. First off, look at why you are playing cards. If you are doing it purely for the financial potential, you may be missing a large part of the experience. Sharing jokes and stories with one another isn’t common online since most people either have trouble alternating between the mouse and keyboard, aren’t good typists, or have turned off chat.

There are some great experiences in the world, and poker night with your buddies is one of them. The comradarie is, in my opinion, a vital reason to play in-person.

That being said, don’t ignore the potential of an online card game- just remember there are some important differences. Online, not everyone wants to communicate with you and you must remember that reading a sentence isn’t the same as hearing someone’s tone if they speak the sentence. Try not to take offense at something someone says. Be careful if you do like to speak with people that you don’t give out too much personal information and you pay attention to the gameplay so that an entire table isn’t waiting on you every go-round.

The mechanics of poker change slightly when playing online, however. Without facial expressions or slips of the tongue the only way to guess about someone’s hand is whether or not they pause before betting. Also, since the computer randomly generates cards that come up, it makes the odds slightly different.

While both ways are enjoyable, I still think that it’s much more enjoyable to play a poker game in person rather than online.