/ Editor / 25 September 2008 / Leave a comment

Every since Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 World Series of Poker after qualifying by winning a $40 satellite at an online poker site, the number of players in major live tournaments, who predominately ply their trade online, has exploded.

These online players often play several tables at once, for several hours at a time, which means they have vast experience of common situations that occur in poker.

As an example, top online professional Jon 'PearlJammer' Turner played in the region of 4,000 multi-table tournaments online during 2007 alone!

The most experienced live professional player is arguably Doyle 'Texas Dolly' Brunson. If he had played two live tournaments per week for his fifty year career, he will have only have played around 5,000 tournaments in his entire lifetime! Only 1,000 more than Turner played in a single year!

Whilst the online players tend to play a more aggressive game that is built around mathematics, live pros tend to adopt an old school strategy and make their decisions based on how their opponent places their chips in the pot or the tone of their opponent's voice when they state their intentions to call or raise.

I wrongly predicted that the 2008 World Series of Poker would be dominated by the online generation. Whilst some online stars gave a good account of themselves at the WSOP, 38 of the 53 bracelets awarded found themselves on the wrists of big-name live players.

The online players will be out in force at the second annual World Series of Poker Europe and all will want to show the world that they can take on and beat the biggest names in the business.

One such player will be reining Main Event champion Annette Obrestad, a 19-year old female player who cut her teeth by playing thousands of tournaments online, winning hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process.

The debate on who is better rages on, and the rivalry between the two factions can only add more excitement to what is promising to be an amazing World Series of Europe. As an online player myself, I have to side with my peers but I am looking forward to see the best of the best battle it out in London for an estimated £4,000,000 prize pool.