Online Poker vs Live Poker

Is online poker getting old? Reading around the poker blogosphere this week, I see more and more people saying how they're moving from online poker to live poker, mainly because live poker is becoming boring for them - it's become as much a job as the ones they left to get into the poker scene.

The novelty of sitting at home in your pants and being able to play card games and win money for 10 hours a day has faded away, and we're now left with a new poker term - "the grind". It's an obvious one really, since playing poker online professionally can feel like a regular 9-5 office job.

You're stuck behind a desk for a vast majority of the day (and sometimes night!), staring at a computer screen, playing a very repetitive game to eke out a small profit each month. It's a solitary, slow and monotonous job - hence the term "grind".

I think also the nature of the beast is changing. Online poker is becoming more popular, or at least more new players are filling the tables these days. Armies of affiliates, advertisers and sponsors are driving millions of hopefuls to our gates, and then letting us fight over their cash, trying desperately to avoid the inevitable suckout. Many "veteran" players dislike this influx with a passion, and feel like the game isn't what it used to be - an art to be mastered, not a fad to be thrown around as the latest get rich quick scheme.

So where is everyone going? Live. But why? Well, here's my list (it's quite short) of pros and cons of live poker:

Pros of live poker:

1. Socialising - you get to leave the house, meet people, talk without typing, share a laugh, perhaps even make friends and meet for non-poker related reasons!

2. Tangibility - there's something great about having real chips to hold, a table to lean on and smooth felt to rub your fingers over. It makes the game more... real.

3. Excitement - casinos are exciting places, let's face it. The glitz, glamour, crowds, noise, cheering.. not to mention the wide variety of other games to play if poker gets a bit much.

4. Tells - the biggest advantage if you know what you're looking for. You can spot real, physical tells that will give you a huge advantage over your opponents. This just cannot happen online.

Cons of live poker:

1. Slower - you'll play less hands per hour. Consequently, you'll have less time to eke your profit - making the same amount as you make online will take longer.

2. Stress - sitting at a table can be uncomfortable, and having people gabble in your ear and get in your face can be distracting. You can't just mute their chat like you can online.

3. Travelling - no casinos nearby? You've got to get there yourself, and for some that can be difficult, if not impossible.

4. Different hours - most people who play in casinos have a 9-5, so your regular working hours will often be late at night, so don't expect to get home till it starts getting light again.

Which is better? That's up to your personal preference. Anybody else have any other pros or cons?

So will I be moving to live games? Not for the forseeable future. I do intend on joining the local poker society at university, but I'll still be playing online when I can fit it around home life. The convenience of playing in my pants, and vast schools of under-experienced (under-age?) fish make the game too enticing. But maybe that's because I don't grind out 10 hours a day. Thank god.