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Online poker is very different from brick and mortar poker and many people have a hunch of the differences. Common is the notion that it is much harder to "read" your opponents when you do not see them sitting in-person in front of you. What most fail to recognize is that the majority of available information when making a decision comes from a variety of factors other than "reading" your opponents faces. To spot a tell from a player's actions on a hand, and so forth, is often very difficult and not all players display such tells. Most of the required information comes from betting patterns, position at the table and observing the hands your opponents play.
Except for the bonus deals and promotions offered to online players, the greatest advantages with online poker involve speed and accessibility. Online poker is a lot quicker than offline poker. There is no waiting for the deck to be shuffled, the deals are super quick and no misdeals occur, it takes no time for the rake to be taken out, there is no changing of chips back and forth, no counting of the pot, no tipping and no waiting for decisions to be made by floor managers. Another advantage is the option of playing at multiple tables in order to get more action and increasing your overall hourly win rate. In addition, when playing online, it is always possible to find a game to your liking and you can play 24hrs a day from anywhere in the world as well as from the comfort of your own home. The availability of poker variations and games is also much greater.
The major advantage with playing poker offline is that it is a social game. Meeting your opponents face-to-face is significantly more enjoyable and stimulating than sitting alone in front of your computer. You are able to talk and get to know, more people. It is easier to remain focused and observe your opponents when you can see them. As well, your ability to read your opponents' minds is increased since you can see when they are feeling restless, if they are affected by a "bad beat" or if they are in a good/bad mood. In addition, it is easier to remember their actions when you are able to connect them to a living, breathing human. Also, if you are skilled at spotting physical tells in your opponents, you will find more opportunities to do so when playing offline.
All in all, the game will feel more "real" when you have the cards in your hand and the chips are stacked in front of you. Even if you are an experienced online poker player, you may find that you are quite nervous when you play in a brick and mortar poker room for the first time.
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