New to the online experience...

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03-02-2005, 06:09 PM
MasterShake

New to the online experience...

After playing in live local tournament type games for a while now, i'm ready to take the plunge into the online arena. I've got $250 bankrolled from my winnings and have deduced from this wonderful site that my appropriate ring blinds would be .10-.20.

My question, now, is what is the preferred site for such low blind ring games? I've sifted through several reviews here at FTR but most don't mention the specific blind structures, and i've visited several sites and none have offered my low level (empire, party, pokerroom).

So where do you suggest i cut my teeth?

Thanks for any and all help and i'm sure i'll be posting here with increasing frequency as i get to play regularly.
03-02-2005, 06:40 PM
FlyingSaucy

I play at Ultimate Bet and love it. I hear from others that the players are good and it's hard to beat, etc, but I don't think it's too bad.

Most folks here play on Stars and the Party skins, it seems. Obviously Party is out of the question due to bankroll restrictions, so Stars is a viable option.
03-02-2005, 06:42 PM
TylerK

I'll be the only Master Shake around here, tyvm!!! :x
03-02-2005, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerK

I'll be the only Master Shake around here, tyvm!!! :x

Hahahahahahahaha! You got pwned! You must hand him your outfit now. :)
03-02-2005, 07:05 PM
MasterShake

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerK

I'll be the only Master Shake around here, tyvm!!! :x

You are a Chechnyan prostitute, and shall be refered to as such.
03-02-2005, 07:52 PM
a500lbgorilla

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterShake

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerK

I'll be the only Master Shake around here, tyvm!!! :x

You are a Chechnyan prostitute, and shall be refered to as such.

Check and mate.

MasterShake > TylerK

-'rilla
03-02-2005, 11:05 PM
Greedo017

i played .10/.20 for a while at royal vegas, i play .25/.50 there now. I personally think most of the time .10/.20 rooms are good fish wise. .25/.50 isn't bad either for when you're ready to move up though definitely a little better. There are also .5/.10 rooms if you find .10/.20 too tough or if you find you want to slow down a little. there are .75+.25 sng's as a minimum, and a good number of inexpensive mtt's. oh yea, max buy-in is 100x BB. I like it there, don't know what everyone else thinks of it, i've never heard anyone on here mention it.
03-02-2005, 11:44 PM
Xianti

Re: New to the online experience...

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterShake

I've sifted through several reviews here at FTR but most don't mention the specific blind structures.

I guess you didn't notice this...
http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews...oker-Rooms.php

Every one of those reviews details the blind stakes that are available. And we'll continually add more reviews.

Welcome to FTR, MasterShake!

Love your name. ATHF... number one da 'hood, G.
03-03-2005, 12:36 AM
ensign_lee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greedo017

i played .10/.20 for a while at royal vegas, i play .25/.50 there now. I personally think most of the time .10/.20 rooms are good fish wise. .25/.50 isn't bad either for when you're ready to move up though definitely a little better. There are also .5/.10 rooms if you find .10/.20 too tough or if you find you want to slow down a little. there are .75+.25 sng's as a minimum, and a good number of inexpensive mtt's. oh yea, max buy-in is 100x BB. I like it there, don't know what everyone else thinks of it, i've never heard anyone on here mention it.

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT sit at the $.75 cent sit and go's. 25% rake? What?!?!?! There is no conceivable way you could ever make money doing that.

I'd say RoyalVegas isn't a bad option, though the fish level seems to be declining lately. Start off at the $.10 $.25 cent blinds and then go to $.25 $.50 blinds. The latter isn't challenging really, if you can play good poker. Suckouts galore, but yeah...

I also recommend Party's lower NL tables. There are plenty of people there calling raises with friggin' Q 9 suited....what? :P
03-03-2005, 03:10 PM
Greedo017

"DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT sit at the $.75 cent sit and go's. 25% rake? What?!?!?! There is no conceivable way you could ever make money doing that."

oh, i didn't seriously mean for profit. they're good cheap practice for a beginner though. i will play them sometimes while i'm doing something else, or when i just have like 10 minutes, just to try doing different things and see how they react, or just to blow my hard earned dollar by messing with people. and its a 33% rake :P

and yea, royal vegas seems good to me, i'm finding the rooms increasingly hit or miss though, i've run into some really tough rooms at .25/.50, but i've also run into some really great ones, just gotta find them.
03-03-2005, 05:26 PM
MasterShake

Re: New to the online experience...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xianti

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterShake

I've sifted through several reviews here at FTR but most don't mention the specific blind structures.

I guess you didn't notice this...
http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews...oker-Rooms.php

Every one of those reviews details the blind stakes that are available. And we'll continually add more reviews.

Welcome to FTR, MasterShake!

Love your name. ATHF... number one da 'hood, G.

You're absolutely right... i hadn't scrolled past the Omaha section here on the FTR boards. I'd only checked the reviews on the main page. Doh!

It's not the skill level that a-fears me-- i've consistently made money playing NLHE in the last two months of home MTT and cash games (ITM at least 80% of the tournaments)-- i've just read repeatedly not to wade into the bigger NL buy-in games without proper bankroll and it makes sense to me. I'm actually looking forward to playing better players, both to improve my game and, as someone here recently wrote, you can't outthink a sponge (which is definitely what about 50% of my live opponents are).

I'll check the forum reviews and hopefully get set up somewhere this weekend. thanks for the advice!
03-03-2005, 07:46 PM
JeffreyGB

Something you didn't ask about but should definitely consider is the facet of bonus whoring. With $250 to start with, you can definitely get a decent chunk of free money just about anywhere you go. Check http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...pic.php?t=1128 for information on the known bonuses available. You might cross reference that with the reviews to pick your starting site.

- Jeffrey
03-03-2005, 08:57 PM
MasterShake

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffreyGB

Something you didn't ask about but should definitely consider is the facet of bonus whoring. With $250 to start with, you can definitely get a decent chunk of free money just about anywhere you go. Check http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...pic.php?t=1128 for information on the known bonuses available. You might cross reference that with the reviews to pick your starting site.

- Jeffrey

True, and i've done a bit of checking on the various and sundry bonus structures of several sites. But the long and short of it is, with about $250 to start on, the max bonus whore-in i figure can only be around $100. Which still leaves my bankroll woefully shy of the necessary 100X BB for the .25/.50 tables offered at Empire/Party (which is where i think i would ultimately like to be playing asap)

Unless i've misunderstood the extent of the whoring possibilities at Empire/Party??
03-04-2005, 05:34 PM
MasterShake

wa-hoo!

According to this http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...pic.php?t=7853 party/empire now offer .10/.25 NL? Is this true? If so, i think i've found my first online home...
03-04-2005, 05:57 PM
Waggho

It may just be me, but there´s no way I´m sitting down at Party with less than $500 in my BR, even now with the .10/.25 blinds. I´ve been down half your bankroll in a day at those tables and it´s no fun. The swings are hugh, at least in my experience. Currently I play Prima skins and I think they are much softer. Don´t take me wrong, you can easily make some decent cash at Party, but I´d say that bankroll isn´t big enough.

Additionally, Party has some of the most easy-earned bonuses on the market. With $250, you´ll only get fifty bucks for your first deposit. I recommend you to work your roll up at PokerStars, UltimateBet, Paradise, Absolute or a Prima skin - Royal Vegas for example, until you reach $500.
03-04-2005, 07:39 PM
MasterShake

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waggho

Additionally, Party has some of the most easy-earned bonuses on the market. With $250, you´ll only get fifty bucks for your first deposit. I recommend you to work your roll up at PokerStars, UltimateBet, Paradise, Absolute or a Prima skin - Royal Vegas for example, until you reach $500.

Thanks for the advice. I guess it's back to plan a (starting at another site, then joining party/empire once $500 is reached).

Out of those listed, which is the most profitable as a general rule?
03-04-2005, 11:32 PM
JeffreyGB

I play at UB exclusively (so no point of reference), but I feel like I've done ok for myself. I started playing seriously in December, busted out in mid January, and have since turned my remaining $10 into over $200 (was at $400 but I had a bad run).

Others can speak more for other sites though.
03-05-2005, 03:59 AM
Waggho

I have played some at all of those places except Stars, mostly .10/.25 or similar tables. This is my personal experience:

Prima: People are really fishy generally, but also very unpredictable. You´ll find yourself losing to sick hands at occasions and I wouldn´t advice you to bluff those people too much. The players are mostly gamblers, as most of these sites have casino or sports betting as their main business. Solution: Keep tight. Be more aggressive when you have a nice hand, people will call you. Value bet.

UB: They say the skill level is a bit higher here than average, and I can actually agree with that. You won´t see lots of all-ins preflop or 8 people calling your preflop 4 bb raise. The advantage is that you can read people better, because they don´t just gamble. If you are a winning player, your money will be ticking in in a slow but steady pace.

Paradise: I think the game is about average. The software is nice and smooth though, and you can order drinks, donuts and cigars to your table! The best thing with this site is that they give you the max bonus ($50) for $200, so you won´t have to feel bad because you missed the max bonus.
03-05-2005, 11:24 AM
gabe

I think the best choice is pokerstars. They have a wide range of micro limits. Also, they have on of the best tourny structures, so if you wanted to start playing them you could. I think pokerstars is a good place to start for everyone.
03-05-2005, 01:21 PM
MasterShake

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waggho

I have played some at all of those places except Stars, mostly .10/.25 or similar tables. This is my personal experience:

Thank you much, Waggho! This is just the info i was looking for.
03-05-2005, 10:43 PM
poskid_1982

Play micro's on stars. Everyone has some adjusting time from B&M to Online. You tend to bluff more and whatnot. Micro's are a great place to make small amounts of money while not taking a huge down swing. I played .01-.02 NL for 3 months before I gave up and moved to 5+.50 SNG's.

Also on stars you can play some play money SNG's to get a feel and they aren't nearly as Lame as most sites. You'll have a challenge heading into the end of the tourney. It's not really practice but it will give you a feel and help you learn some beginner stack management techniques. :D