Advantages And Disadvantages Of Playing Online Poker Vs. Playing At A Poker Table

The differences between online poker and moreparticularly for the new player and just is not that
traditional poker table games are sometimes notinviting for the beginner. They are apt to feel out
as obvious as they may seem.of their league, and, if others at the table have
Unlike sitting down at a poker table with friends,more experience or are strangers, they are apt
online poker has an added dimension these days.to feel intimidated.
There is a lot of pressure from many quarters toThe online poker experience is quite different.
make online poker illegal, particularly in the UnitedThere is an anonymity which protects the psyche
States. You will almost always know if the tableof the "newbie". They can watch games as long
game you are playing is in an area where poker isas they want before actually taking part.
legal, but it is getting harder to know if this is trueAdditionally, most online venues will have tutorials
about poker played online.and practice games for beginners that help ease
In spite of these gray areas, millions in the U. S.the learning process. Sometimes the main site will
and around the world regularly enjoy participatingactually have a completely separate site set up
in online poker games from the comfort of theirstrictly for the beginner. Another helper for the
own homes. Just to give this some perspective, inbeginner is that online games tend to have
2005, the revenue from online poker wasbuttons labeled for the various actions and often
reported to be in the vicinity of $200 million.include on-screen prompts for the appropriate
Not only is online poker generating huge amountsaction.
of revenue and creating new millionaires, amongInternet poker sites also offer a range of limits so
players, site owners, and affiliates of poker sites,that the beginning player can actually start betting
but, due to its pervasive influence, the appeal ofpennies. Not only is the betting easy, but so is the
poker in general is growing. The public is not onlyaccess. Unlike a table game, an online game can
gaining knowledge about poker, but is showing anbe found 24 hours a day from anywhere in the
interest in all things poker. From the tables to theworld that there is a computer and an Internet
chips at the table, to the people who play at theconnection.
tables, poker is huge.There are, however, two drawbacks to playing
Poker players such as Chris Ferguson (Jesus),online, particularly if one's goal is to eventually
Annie Duke, and her brother Howard Ledererparticipate in the highly televised poker
(The Professor), and Hoyt Corkins (The Alabamatournaments occupying more prime time slots on
Cowboy), to name a few, had never been heardTV. First, there is the hurdle of actually sitting and
of by the public a few months ago. Now they areplaying at the table itself. No amount of online
celebrities in their own right. Even people whopreparation can duplicate or offset the first few
have been celebrities, such as Jennifer Tilly, Bentimes you find yourself in a chair across from a
Affleck, and Mimi Rogers have traded in the brightDoyle Brunson, Chris Moneymaker, or Daniel
lights of Hollywood for the green felt of theNegreanu.
poker table - at least on occasion.Second, although it IS possible, it is exceedingly
While many of these famous people play indifficult to bluff at an online poker game and even
tournaments sitting at the table with theharder to learn how to read your opponents.
celebrities of poker, most mortals enter theLook on the bright side, however. It IS easy to
poker arena via online poker websites such aslearn basic poker skills and improve your technique
partypoker.com, pokerstars.com, oronline, and you won't have to worry about your
Sitting at a poker table can be intimidating,poker face!