... i wrote this. Enjoy

Applying online poker skills to the live game

A lot of online players find it difficult to make the leap from playing in their underwear whilst in bed on their home laptop to playing in proper brick and mortar card-room. Often I'll be watching the WSOP, WPT, EPT or similar event on the telly only to be told by whoever is running the commentary that 'So and So is a great online player but this is his first time in a live poker environment' or words to that effect. I always think these players are crazy. Imagine playing a live tournament for the first time in a massive event like the WSOP or WPT. Live play is a whole different ball game compared to playing online. Although the actual mechanics of the game are exactly the same, the environmental factors make such a big difference to how you perceive the game and ultimately how you play. Most first time live players feel uncomfortable playing in a big live tourney for the first time, and who can blame them, after all there is nothing more comfortable than sitting in bed in your undies. I hope to give a few tips to anyone thinking of playing live for the first time in this article. (as a side note, most brick and mortar card rooms do not provide beds and have strict dress codes)

Be prepared to feel nervous. Most card rooms are daunting places. They are packed with regular players who play poker their week in week out. They've formed a nice clique for themselves and you're not part of it and they will let you know. There are a number of other factors that will add to your nerves. The fact the whole experience is new to you will make you nervous. Handling chips if your not used to doing so will make you nervous. Being asked to deal if the tournament is self dealt will make you nervous. If you know these things are going to make you nervous you can prepare for them. If your not confident in dealing ask someone to deal for you. Count out all your bets before you make them and most importantly concentrate on your own game.

Concentration on your own game is imperative, especially since now there are a whole range of distractions. Online poker distractions are few at the table. Live, almost everything is a distraction. First time live players may find it hard to block out these distractions. Waiters taking drinks orders, players shuffling chips, players chatting. It may take some time before you can engage other players and still concentrate on the game. One of the biggest distractions are the other players. There are no 'ignore' buttons live. If someone is annoying you then that player is going to annoy you for the duration of the game. Concentration on the game becomes key.

Strangely the tells live are pretty much the same as online tells. Online you are told to look for betting patterns. The same is true of live poker. I find the best tell on anyone is their betting pattern. Until you become more experienced then i would not try and pick up on physical tells. When i was getting to grips with live play using 'knowledge' i had picked up from reading articles online just confused me. The deluge of information you get live can be quiet distracting. People will be doing all sorts with their hands, feet and heads. Until you learn what these mean (and learning these things will only come with experience) then its best to just ignore them.

As i said before the mechanics of live poker are exactly the same. You can set traps, bluff and value bet to your hearts content, only now you can't jump around the bedroom yelling 'WHAT WERE YOU CALLING THAT FOR YOU ****ING IDIOT' or 'Your dead here mate, I've got the stone cold nuts' (well you can but i wouldn't recommend it). I would suggest simply look at the pot and try to ignore the speech play of people around you. Play your own game, you know it works because it works online. It will work here too.

-Will 'Monkier' Claringbold