How different poker room players differ!

A few days ago I was sent a CD from Mansion Poker offering me $15 no deposit free cash. Obviously how could I refuse such kind contribution to my bankroll. All went fine, I registered, money was credited to my account and all. So thanks Mansion.

What is interesting is how the different large poker rooms or ones that work on a poker network can be so different in player ability. Mansion runs off the Ongame poker network, and peaks at around 25k players online. All poker rooms on this network exclude US based players.

Now here’s the point, they are the worst bunch of players per table I’ve come across. And it’s bloody brilliant! Now I’m wondering are European players simply bad, has it to do with the strong currency exchange rate so those dollars seem less important. Or is it a cultural difference, poker is quite a new phenomena to Europe, but in the US it’s always been a popular pastime so are US players inheriantly more skillful at the game?

I’ve been sitting at 5c-10c cash tables, and my observations are as follows.

1) Players will call all-in bets chasing 1 outer straight draws.
2) They’ll call down middle and bottom pair against sizable bets.
3) 60% players see the flop most hands (full ring). I’ve yet to find a tight table.
4) They are unable to lay down top pair, bad kicker.
5) $5-6+ pots can be generated with marginal hands held by all players.
6) Reading opponent card strength is hard when they call down your big bets with often junk hands.
7) Bluffing is completely impossible.
Variance swings can be large due to table looseness.
9) 1/2c rings games on Poker Stars have better players.
10) Limpers who call the 10c blind are often willing to then call a 50c-80c preflop raise holding connectors, face card + random junk kicker. Maybe some strange distorted idea of pot odds/implied odds.
11) A couple of sharks sit at most of these tables, waiting to exploit these terrible players.