Why on-line players are more aggressive

[threepines]

I played in bm casinos for many years before switching to playing online almost exclusively. I agree with Daliman who observes that on-line players tend to be more aggressive.

The interesting question is why? Does the on-line format attract a less social, more aggressive type of person? Possibly. However, I think that there are some more likely explanations:

1. On-line hands are less likely to be multi-way. Consequently, there tends to be more aggressive maneuvering.
2. There is much more shorthanded play on-line.
3. Raw aggression is much more likely in the anonymous, impersonal on-line setting where players cannot see their individual counterparts. This also explains the lack of civility in many on-line verbal exchanges.

Obviously, our generalization does not apply to high limit bm players who often play short handed and in full games where hands are commonly heads-up.

Many people tend to think that there are more maniacs on-line, contributing to the aggression. I don't believe this at all.

Your thoughts?

[ctv1116]

You don't have to put on a poker face when you bluff, end of discussion.

[threepines]

Minimizing physical tells is routine for experienced players, particularly for limit play. Hardly the end of the discussion.

[MyMindIsGoing]

[ QUOTE ]
You don't have to put on a poker face when you bluff, end of discussion.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yhy do you even bother to make a post on a DISCUSSION board if you think you just can end it? Single minded people have no business here...

[shant]

It's pretty simple. If you cap the turn and river with 5 high, almost every person at a live table will make some sort of remark other than the guys who know to shut up and take the money.

Online there is no 60-year-old asian woman who will laugh at you and call you stupid for aggressively bluffing off all your cash.

[threepines]

I think that you're right. There is greater concern about embarrassment from making an overaggressive bad play in a live setting.

[Chairman Wood]

Are you comparing equal money limits here? My thoughts are that at a B&M you will naturally see the worst players playing at the lowest available levels most of the time. In most casinos that is 2/4 or 3/6. Online many sites have games in the .05/.10 range and at the very least in the .5/1 range. The worst players still tend to play in the lowest available games. Fish still migrate all the way up the levels all the time but overall just due to the number of games that can be spread at a time the skill level online at a certain level is much higher than live at the same level.

[threepines]

I speculate that across levels (except perhaps high limits) on-line players are generally both more aggressive and better (the latter issue is something that we may want to discuss in another thread). Thus, we seem to be on the same page here.

[pokerjo22]

Its easier to raise. Just a click instead of counting out a bunch of chips.

[cyorg]

i think online players are more aggressive because nothing is acually physically there. they can place bets and don't have to actually see their chip-stack shrinking. and you can reload in seconds. i know that i play much tighter in B&Ms because i have to actually count my chips and physically place them on the table. players are more aware of the consequences when playing live.

[threepines]

I agree with you that you don't have the concrete perception of seeing your stack diminishing, thus limiting your sense of the financial consequences of overaggressive play. On the other hand, in on-line poker you do see your dollars going down in real numbers. As many have noted, chips tend to decrease our sense of the money that we have in play.

[threepines]

Yeah, this might be along the lines of what Cyorg is suggesting - players are less aware of the chips/money they are risking when they raise on-line.

[ElSapo]

Agression is good, and because at similar limits, generally, online players are better.

[MonkeeMan]

[ QUOTE ]
i think online players are more aggressive because nothing is acually physically there. they can place bets and don't have to actually see their chip-stack shrinking. and you can reload in seconds. i know that i play much tighter in B&Ms because i have to actually count my chips and physically place them on the table. players are more aware of the consequences when playing live.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!

Another way to say this might be "Online has a higher level of abstraction".

[adamstewart]

[ QUOTE ]
Agression is good, and because at similar limits, generally, online players are better.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. I was going to say something along the same lines.

Aggressive play is part of an effective (optimal) style of poker play (so long as it's not 'careless' aggression).

Online players are generally better than their live counterparts, both when comparing equal limits, but also say comparing, say, $5/$10 live to $2/$4 online.

It follows that online players are more aggressive (generally).


Adam

[adamstewart]

...to pose a further example:

My friends are horrible poker players. When we get together for a game, I swear they rarely ever "raise" a bet, and virtually NEVER "re-reraise".

They are poor players. They are weak/loose. They have no concept of "value."


Adam