Live poker relies just as much on mathematics as does online poker...to think otherwise is completely foolish. However, live poker also has many other elements thrown into the equation which make it much more challenging. And no, Im not a noob...I play in Vegas tourneys as well as online tourneys. Im not saying its easy to win online...but it definitely isnt as challenging given that the only element involved in online poker is math.
There are "reads" or "tells" with online poker as well... timing being one of them. Also, some reads are entirely bet related, so there's that as well. What you don't get is expressions, mannerisms etc. regarding someone's physical disposition. My point is, both are math intensive, and there are reads in both, but they are still different animals. Just like free/pay poker are different animals, whether online or in person. As Pope points out, the big difference is the amount of hands you can play. This would be a great advantage, but you have to be playing for money, significant money, and in a group where said money is revered by players somewhat equally so that risks/rewards are in some range equitable. Sometimes the best online poker is played in the tourneys, because everyone has the same amount of chips, looking to find the same final table. But like everything with online poker, the interwebs is just so full of people that the chance of encountering complete donks is as stacked as the amount of hands you play. I would assume the higher the stakes, the more "real" the game, but that term is way too subjective, and personally I can only trust so much to online poker.
I never said it wasn't. just because the math is still available at their disposal does not always mean that it's used. besides, no Vegas poker player can track the info that my HUD, ICM calculator and tracker can collect. Impossible.
