Thanks to Dave for this question: 

I have played numerous online STT and MTTs and best finish was 2nd.  My brother and I tried our first live tournament in Atlantic City.  We both made the final table out of 205 entrants.  He won and I took 8th.(Lost to my brother with JJ vs. K10.  He hit the K.)  Was this a fluke or has my online experience really made me a contender on the live circuit?

First of all, congratulations, those are pretty impressive results, especically for your first live tournament.

Since I am predominantly an online player (mainly just due to logistics) I have asked myself this question many times. Online experience can certainly prepare you for many aspects of live play, however it isn’t enough to rely on. It is easier to answer this showing the positives and negatives of what you learn - and don’t learn online:

(These are just a few - there are many others)        

In online poker you play a tremendous amount of hands per hour, which allows you more room to switch gears. You can decide if you want to play aggressive or tight because you have the luxury of waiting for prime spots. In live play, the pace is much different. You get way less hands dealt to you in each round of blinds, which doesn’t allow you as much room to mess around – at least at the beginning. 

When you play a lot of online poker you will notice betting patterns, trends, and even some online tells. However, this is nothing compared to live play. It is much harder to learn the art of reading people, and you can be certain that there are many players who can see right through you. 

It is hard to pass judgment on another player, especially without seeing them play live, however to answer your question I will say this: Online experience has certainly helped your game. It isn’t (usually) enough for you to be a true contender on a consistent basis, but it will provide a strong foundation for you to build on. Was is a fluke that you placed at the final table and your brother won? Possibly. However, rather than focus on the fact that you may or may not have got lucky then, keep building on your experience online and off, read as much as you can about the subject, and be willing to trade in your old ideas for new possibilities. Soon you shouldn’t have to wonder, you will clearly know where you stand. 

If you have a question of your own, please feel free to submit them in comments or through this link. It may take a few days for a response, but we will answer as many as possible.

(Thanks, Dave)