newbie, couple of questions.

[gosam]

Hey all, I've started playing poker online in early april this year.
I started out in 2NL at titan poker with a 50$ free bankroll, didn't do that great, then I followed a friend's advice (whom I consider to be a very good player judging by his results), and started playing 20NL.
Yes I was totally not rolled for that, and the downswings nearly busted me, but discipline and the additional bankroll bonuses kept me alive. I now have a 440$ BR, and this time I'm sticking to 20NL until I'm properly rolled.

Here are my stats for 20NL from PT over 10k hands 10 handed only:
amount won : 281.64$
ptBB/100 : 6.87
rake : 188.70$
VP$IP : 22.07
PFR : 7.51
W$WSF 42.17
WTSD : 26.05
W$SD : 53.91
AF : 2.59
AFq : 45.43
3Bet : 3.25
Fold 3B : 70.82
ATT to steal : 14.91
Fold to steal : 76%

How do these look like to you? I've started incorporating more things in my play this last week, like taking advantage of position and stealing blinds.
I realize my PFR is too low, but I don't know what else I should be raising. Right now it's all strong aces and KJ+ and PP JJ+ depending on position.
I am making use of the hud to help in my decisions, like when I catch a villain with 70%+ in bet flop, he can be sure I'll 3bet him if we're alone in the hand. and it works wonders.

My second question is about the site. Titan doesn't offer that much MTT's, and most importantly, no rakeback program. I'm considering a switch to Pokerstars or some other place. What are your suggestions? Rakeback would be so helpful.

Last, I'm in the process of making an extended NETeller account. I was going to choose moneybookers, but then I found their restrictions to be too heavy. I'm mostly condemned to use an online service to move money around because of the restrictions in my country's legislation.
Is NETeller a good choice? It's problem for me is that I want to purchase a PT license (working with the demo for now) but they don't support NETeller for payment. Any workarounds to that?

Thanks in advance, O great poker masterminds.

[Erpel]

Beginner meself, but here goes.

Your stats don't look too bad to me, most of them. Attempt to steal is too low, but you say you're acting on it - I don't like the gap between vp$ip and pfr, but I'll get to that.

W$WSF, WTSD and W$SD seem ok to me. I'm no specialist on those stats but you at least win often enough when you see the flop, don't go to showdown with too poor holdings and win a decent amount of times at showdown. Bearing in mind your AF the only real question here is if you are occasionally missing out on value by not betting a hand that is the best hand. The other stats I don't have so much useful to say about.

Going back to vp$ip and pfr - I don't mind a little gap when vp$ip begins to climb above 20 as it's true that not all pocket holdings are worth a raise, but some are worth a call. But understand that calling is generally a loose play (and in violation of the recommended TAGG style). The gap is too big though. People are normally talking about 18/16 and such - with a 2 percentage point gap - with the underlying principle that if you play it - you raise it. Couple comments on that.

Pocket pairs - even low ones - should be raised pre-flop (if you are first to act or first after limpers). By raising them you start building a big pot which you can take down when you hit a set - this is the main part of the value of playing pocket pairs so by not raising them you are reducing the value they have to you. Alternately by raising them you are signaling more strength and circumstances depending you might be able to represent bigger hands by having been aggressive once. With 22 on a KT4 flop and the guy with 66 checking it thinking he's behind - your 22 might make him fold if you've been the aggressor pre-flop.

You'll want to check a few of the beginner's digest posts, but I think we have a new standard for that. Read Robb's recent post http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...ce-t71824.html and maybe give that approach a bit of a go. It's full of links to some of the better articles and discussions on FTR in recent history and aimed squarely at people relatively new to the game who wants to learn.

[Robb]

Thanks for the bump, Erpel. My thoughts are that 22/8/2.6 is too passive preflop. I would limp less, raise more and fold some stuff preflop. Many FTR folks suggest a 2 to 1 ratio, maximum, between VP$P and PFR, something like 20/10. I play more 18/14 kind of stats. AF ~ 2.5 seems okay.

The guide Erpel linked to suggests tightening up and then slowly moving toward Renton's guide (Beginner's Digest sticky). That would be my suggestion for a great read. It's what helped me become a winning player.

Final note: 10k hands is short term. You might just be running hot. But, hey, nice job!! If you're style is working, don't change anything too drastically, just make one simple change at a time and evaluate how it works. Your poker game fits together in complex ways, and changing too many things at once confuses you and makes analysis hard.