The Age of Online Poker - And Why Poker Books Are Still Important

There is no doubt that we are living in an online age, so it's no surprise that there has been a huge increase of poker players thanks to online poker tournaments. However, one must consider the enormous differences between conventional poker and online poker. Many players who appear to dominate the virtual world find themselves in a panic when making the leap into a real game. They are also left broke and don't understand why.

The main difference between these two forms of poker is the lack of real interaction. Learning people's tells is one of the most vital skills a poker player can master. Online, there are no tells. All you can hope for is that you notice other players' betting patterns. Memorizing rules, learning strategies, and understanding statistics are all important, but if you know how to correctly read people, you can be successful with any hand.

Playing online is considerably cheaper and that's not because you don't have to dish out money for a custom poker chip set or poker table supplies. Unless you're holding a game in your house, you have to pay for transportation to a casino. Any gracious player knows that you should be tipping your dealer, servers, and other casino employees. After playing for a few hours, you're sure to build up quite an appetite and thirst and casino food isn't cheap. While at home, you can heat up that leftover pizza in the fridge while you bounce around from virtual table to table.

Despite the lack of real social interaction, online poker actually has numerous advantages. Besides being able to play in your undergarments, you can earn money quickly. Unless you're a high roller playing fancy tournaments with a buy-in of half a million, it's going to take awhile for you to start earning serious cash. Online, you can play several tables at once and at a much faster pace. There is no waiting around for the dealer to shuffle and deal cards. However, when you go from playing online to offline, you're more likely to become impatient because you're not playing as many hands as usual. You may also find yourself playing hands that you should have folded because you're eager to play.

Playing online poker is a great learning resource and the perfect way for a beginner to learn new skills. Before, novice players might feel intimidated the first few times they play at a casino. Unless you have someone to privately teach you, the rules, the lingo, and strategies are all alien to you. Going to a casino can be a nerve wracking ordeal for new players, but if you've spent months playing online you have undoubtedly built up a bit of confidence in your playing abilities.

Practicing online, reading poker books, and watching poker DVDs are all ways to complement your game. If you want to be taken seriously as a poker player, you need to eventually step away from the computer and sit down at a real table. Use online poker as a resource or a fun alternative, but don't let it be your only method of playing. Playing conventional poker can only make you a better player.