Online vs Land based Poker

Ever since poker was invented as a form of entertainment as well as a source of competition, proving who has better skills and luck, it has been a huge success. Poker has been evolving, different types and styles of poker have emerged, as well as the medium in which it is played. Poker used to be a game that was only played face to face, however with the advancement in technology and its rise in popularity have created an entirely new way of playing poker, online. This concept has sky rocketed since players now can stay in the comfort of their own homes.

Land Based Poker

Many of the old school poker players will always say that playing face to face is the greatest feeling in the world. Nothing else gets you thinking, analyzing what your opponents will do, what they are thinking, as well as including calculating odds. Poker is not for the faint of heart, neither is it for the person that relies solely on luck. When players face each other, whether it is at a regular table or in a tournament, it is a proving ground where only one can be the winner. Sure, this is also true for online play, however being able to sit around the table and look at the opponents in the eyes is something you can do only at a land based event. There are several advantages when a player is able to physically see their opponent, bluffs and tells, reactions, and experience.

When facing a strong rival it is important to be able to read them. These players will be able to continue winning, regardless of the hand they have, all because they can outsmart the other players. By learning when a player is bluffing is paramount, it will allow them to know when a player has a good hand, and when they have a bad hand. Tells, small physical reactions that a player makes, whether it is a smirk or a frown can be used against that player. This can only be achieved if one can see the opponent. Playing against more skilled players is a good way to learn and increase their own experience. By learning how a player acts, looks, and plays are all involved in this process, and looking at a computer screen will not achieve this. As stated above, the entire involvement of playing face to face is a thrill that cannot be lived through a screen, as most professional poker players would state.

Online Poker

With the advancement in technology, comfort and ease has taken the wheel when talking about online poker playing. There are many reasons for this, some of them include, comfort, ease of use, and availability. With land based events the players must travel a certain location, where they will meet and set up; this is not only time consuming, but also economically consuming. This is where online poker has gained such great popularity. As the locations for large poker events, such as tournaments, are in big casino cities, such as Las Vegas or Reno, where it is allowed, are usually far away from the majority of the population. This limits the amount of possible players down to the few that have the resources to go, such as the poker professionals. Having an interactive and immersive online environment, at little to no cost, allows players from any kind of background, regardless of time to be able to play poker from the comfort of their own home. As everything is designed into the software, players do not have to worry about any of the tedious tasks, like shuffling, dealing, and keeping track of winnings. Most of everyone in the world owns a computer has an internet connection, making online poker available to everyone that fits that category.

Online vs. Land based Poker Summary

Both online and land based poker have their advantages and disadvantages; however the experience is different and should be enjoyed to the fullest. Players may prefer one over the other, and that is what makes it so great, it is a choice only the player can make. As long as everyone is having a good time while playing poker, any venue that enables this is a good choice. It also does not have to be limited to just one or the other, many players use the online play to get better and then go onto face to face encounters.