A poker players’ decision regarding where he/she is going to play online poker is perhaps the most important decision affecting the players’ enjoyment from the game and his/her bankroll. In most cases, a player has four possible venues to select from, they are:
1) Online poker sites
2) Casinos/Local Poker sites
3) Home games with family & friends
4) Local Charity/Fund-raising tournaments
All these four venues has their own unique ‘pros and cons’ that need considering. One venue may be best for Player ‘A’, although not necessarily great for Player ‘B’. The correct venue is relative to your personality, bankroll, and talent level.
Lets’ check out each one of the four venues more closely, and discuss the characteristics of every. I’ll be speaking in broad generalities which are consistent wherever where you reside, but you should realize geography plays a huge role in venue selection. Gambling laws change from one locale to another, so please research the laws in your town and play within those laws. With this caveat in place, lets’ examine internet poker first.
Internet poker
Certainly, online pokers’ popularity has exploded recently; so much in fact, the Federal government has placed limits on the ability people players to maneuver money to and from the poker rooms. These restraints pose a genuine problem for poker players, and many player associations are attempting to fight these restrictions. The way forward for online poker laws is uncertain at this time. A full discussion of the legalities of internet poker is beyond the scope of this article, but I encourage all poker players to do their research before you jump into online play.
Pros of Online Poker:
– The best thing about playing poker online is the opportunity to play straight from your own house any time you wish. Sites for example Poker Stars, Full-Tilt, Ultimate Bet, etc. will literally have thousands of eager players online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whenever you are ready to play, you will have not a problem finding an available game.
– Online play permits the player to experience a wide variety of games. If you’d like to consider a break from Texas Hold’em and have the urge to play Omaha, Stud, Razz, Horse, or almost any other game you can think of, the online sites will accommodate you.
– Another benefit to playing online is that you could play any stakes you are confident with. If you’re conservative, or simply starting out, you are able to play as low as several pennies help. If you are looking to have an adrenaline rush, you can play as almost as much ast several 1000s of dollars. The websites will offer all kinds stakes in between these two extremes as well.
– Finally, because the websites keep your games moving quickly, you can improve your game by playing a high volume of hands in a relatively short period of time. More knowledgeable players may play multiple games simultaneously. These players are seeing an extraordinary quantity of hands per hour.
Cons of Online Poker:
– Internet poker can easily become addictive. Online poker addiction might have severe negative consequences for that players’ physical, emotional, professional, and financial well-being. An addicted player will often start staying up all night playing while ignoring his requirement for sleep. This may lead to emotional problems and ultimately result in a stress on the players’ home and professional life. A player must be vigilant to keep in mind poker is not as important as family, friends, or your career away from poker.
– The online player might also become a victim of cheating while playing online. The poker rooms attempt to catch cheaters by using sophisticated software that monitors play and appears for irregularities, and I believe they are partially successful in these efforts; however, it cannot be denied some cheating continues without be caught. The problem for the individual poker player is that he can not be certain he is not being cheated. The poker world would be a buzz this past year when the media reported the scandal involving Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker. Some cheating occurs between your players themselves when two or more players gang on the player through the use of telephone communication as the hands are being experienced. If your opponent has more details about the hole cards than you do, you’re at a significant disadvantage.
– Because poker is played quickly online, the less skillful player will probably lose more of his bankroll online than if he played elsewhere. If a losing player plays more, he will naturally shed more pounds within the long term.
Casino Poker
For this discussion, I will consider full service casinos (that you simply are likely to encounter in Vegas or Atlantic City) and native Poker sites (commonly available at Kennel Clubs, Horse Racetracks, or any other Pari-Mutual facilities) to become one in the same. The size and degree of sophistication might be greater at a full service casino, but Poker sites have come far recently and may offer similar services to some poker player. Each facility provides the tables, chips, dealers, and pit bosses to manage play, and each provides a comfortable atmosphere for that players to enjoy. In exchange for providing these services, the ‘house’ will rake the pots or ask you for an hourly fee to experience (more about this later).
Pros of Casino Poker:
– Casinos/Poker Rooms typically do a good job at offering the player an appropriate environment to experience. As more and more card rooms spring up, they realize they have to compete for your business; therefore, you’ll probably be treated well because the casino would like you to become regular player at their facility.
– A player could be relatively confident the games will be operated by professionals. The entire staff from the dealers to drink servers know their jobs (and their tips) depend on providing the players with excellent service.
– Casinos and card rooms are generally conveniently located within a community, and they’re open 12 or more hours each day 7 days a week. On short notice, a person can head off towards the casino and anticipate finding plenty of action. Texas Hold’em is king at casinos, but other games are offered when enough players are available to fill a table.
Cons of Casino Poker
– Playing at a casino is definitely an expensive experience. A casino has considerable expenses, and should recoup these expenses via a ‘rake’. Some card rooms charge an hourly fee to experience, say $10-12 each hour per seat. Others will take a percentage of every pot, or perhaps a percentage of the entire tournament entry fees. A house rake of 10-20% is not unusual and should be overcome to be a long-term winner. A player should also be aware so good etiquette dictates the player should tip the dealers and servers for that service they offer. These pointers will prove to add to the price of playing at a casino.
– Another pitfall to playing in a poker site is that you may function as the victim of a handful of ‘regulars’ who get together to soak the brand new fish that sits down in their table. Players can communicate their holdings through subtle hand signals which puts the unsuspecting player in a disadvantage.
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