Originally Posted by The Dubbo Kid

I agree that something's not quite right with Online Vs Live, and I also don't think its enough to simply say that all the beats are down to lack of skill etc. Granted we're all capable of making bad plays, and I have many samples I could point to for myself, but when you constantly get it in with the best hand to consistently see the worst hand pre flop win time and time again it does get you down and make you question you ability. I don't want this to degenerate into a bad beat story but a recent hand highlights what I think is the biggest difference between online and live games. I am dealt QQ and raise it up 3 X's the BB - I get one caller (and no, he wasn't in the BB!) - He has J 6 Diamonds - now that alone highlights the difference between Online vs Live - WTF is this guy doing calling with J 6 in the first place! - Ok, flop is two diamonds and a blank - I fire in a 10 quid raise into the pot, rightly putting him on a flush draw but thinking, no one in their right mind would call that kind of raise, perhaps if he had nut flush, but remember he has J high flush at best. The Turn is a 3 clubs - no help, so I shove in another 3 quid putting him 'All In' - fuck me, he calls! And, you guessed it River is not a Diamond, but a 4 giving him not a flush, but a straight! - To say I was a bit annoyed is an understatement! I don't know what you can do about this - betting sure as shit wont make these guys fold, and why they're in the hand in the first place with cards like this is a bigger mystery to me.
There is the argument about people making a living online, and I know they're out there, but it seems to me once you have 'made it' you're not put to the test as often as some of us low stakes players. I've watched some high rollers win thousands with a pair of 8's, 10's and often A K with a K on the flop - I expect they'd not have played the Q's hand any differently to me, but I end up questioning my ability and asking 'Did I play it right' - I doubt in a live game I would have to dodge as many bullets!

I had something similar to me happen to me in a recent event (60 dollar live event). I hate Jack hand players, the play was slow so and I had already seen a lot of bad beats and messed up play. This dude at the table raise like every hand and raised the pot with his J9 off suit???????? So I have KQ and call, flop a KQ so I have two pair and raise a pot bet so this douche re-raises me so I call it. He flops an Ace so realizing I was beat and already short stacked I took a dive off the table with an all bet call cause he re-raised with a straight and I knew it. I was short stacked and did not like the play so see ya. I see more bad play at tables with low entry fees cause the players do not care. They will push bad hands and bad play. At a 100 dollar entry event a lot of those players will not play cause the stakes so the play is better. You still have some but not as much. If you want to see quality players then enter quality events. Look you see a lot of bad players in 1,5,10 dollar events but you see better players in the 100,200,300 dollar live tourneys. Just the way it is.

I prefer online poker, much easier and more comfortable. Furthermore, where I live the casinos are full with bald-tattooed-bodybuilder-criminal style guys... If there will be a good casino, then I would give it a try.