AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Don't get me wrong. I play 13-15 hours a week at the casino because there's a 25/50 mixed game that I can't find online. Not to mention, these guy have become friends of mine and the local casino are in the boonies of Indiana in one district, so I only see these guys here. I live on the North Side of Chicago. They're from alll areas of Chicago, NW Suburbs, SW Suburbs, North Suburbs, South Suburbs, NW Indiana, NE Indiana, SW Michigan. So, it is a social thing to me as well and there are always 2 or 3 fish who've never played the game with us that'll dump their $500 on the table and then rebuy for the last $600 in their pocket and lose that. Every Friday and Saturday $4-6k is literally up for grabs. So I get see friends that I wouldn't spend time with otherwise and make some cash.

NOTE: Three of them drove almost 2 hours last night and we played a friendly 1/2NL game with a max. buy-in of $500, since I haven't played with them in a while. So, on that note, live is definitely better because you can meet some great people who truly care for you when you need it. But if you're just goin' out there to swim, keep your money at home in your hard drive and play games ver safely within your bankroll, get better, and make some more money seeing 200 hands per hour as opposed to the 35-40 you'll see live.

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All the best players play online.

1.) I don't know if this is a joke or not, but well, yes when it refers to people like us. The average 3/6 online game has more experienced, knowledgable players online than the average 20/40 live game.

2.) There are more tables to choose from in an online room. Law of averages says that you'll find the best games online when you have a lo-limit BR when you factor in the multitabling aspect of playing online.

3.) Everyone plays online. The best to the worst and the average in between. Few players play more than 10 hours a month live. That applies to the best as well.

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I think I am in the minority because I don't see poker live or online as a source of any significant income.
If I was in college I would treat the game much differently.

I have grown to actually dislike online poker because I find it so boring compared to playing live. There isn't enough human interaction for me. I do like tourneys online just because they are so much faster - but I hardly play ring games anymore.
I live in Vegas and I am into poker for the long haul, which is probably why I haven't moved up in limits - I am just in no rush and I have always been very anal about understanding a subject to the Nth degree anyway.

In live play:
I love seeing people get pissed and lose it, throw cards, chips, etc.

I love the ridiculous things people say when they river you or get rivered.

I love seeing 50 yr old divorced losers hitting on the hot dealers and just have no clue the dealer is responding just because they are getting tipped.

I love getting trashed and playing really aggressively (not loose, just maniac aggressive), making prop bets, etc...

I love mucking QQ preflop in MP because the elderly rock UTG raised and the even more elderly, more rocklike UTG+2 three bet - and finding out at showdown I was indeed third best.

I just love all the stupid stories that get generated.

I may get sick of it eventually, but I consider poker as a new education for me in the sense that I can "study" it and get better and better, there is not too many hobbies like that I am interested in now that I am out of school.

Whoever said it easier to read people live needs to change casinos - there are people that might as well put their cards on their foreheads. I have no idea where you are playing!

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That's romantic and all, if there were no money involved, I wouldn't play poker. For instance, I'm an assistant coach for my old pee-wee hockey team because I love it. The money isn't a bad source of extra money, but I'd do it for free. I'd say that I put about 15-20 hours a week into moderating this forum, but it was something to do while I played poker. I watch TV, play Scrabble with my girlfriend, surf the web, or listen to sports talk radio while I play cards.

I have great friends that I play with at the casino, but I hate live tournies. I can't focus. I get bored. Online>live anyday.

I love getting to play 6-8 tables at a time. Over 350 hands per hour.

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You two (Alex and Growlers) have that sweet option of goign to a casino. All I have are weekend public charity cardrooms. The rake is 10%+ (depending on how sneaky the dealers are) so unless I go on a good run, I'm screwed for the session. That's all I got for live.

If I had a public casino locally, I would probably be playing live semi-pro, or at least similarly to a part-time job. It would probably be 20-30% of my families income. 1) Cause I can dominate the local games on the long haul. 2) Cause I enjoy playing live.

But yeah, I like being able to play 10 hours worth of live play in 45 minutes to an hour online.

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I wouldn't play if their was no money involved either, but that's different than saying than I use it as a significant source of income. The fact that there is money involved is what makes it exciting.
I bet on football and I like playing live pai gow, and occasionally hit the sports book and bet on horses. But none of these are +EV for me and I still do them. The fact that their is risk = money involved is what makes any of these activities exciting. But I do not get 5 times the enjoyment of winning a $100 sports bet as I do a $20 bet, it is not linear for me.

I realize many on this forum play poker both for enjoyment as well as to make money, but I am older than most here and established in my career, unless I played ALOT higher it really has no effect on my lifestyle or income. If I ever have the ability to be a significant winner in the 80-160 at the Bellagio, I'll start a new thread

I really am motivated 70% intellectual outlet, 25% thrill/gambling/excitment/social aspects, maybe 5% money. The intellectual part is very important - I like talking/learning about poker with knowledgable people as much as I like playing.

I don't besmirch anyone's reasons for playing, I am simply pointing out to the original poster MY reasons for playing live. My motivations would be different if I were younger. But for me online is like 10% of live as far as interest level.

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I don't know what it is, but I cannot get a feel for the opposition when I play online. It feels like I'm playing against the computer at times.

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