Where to start?

[Hawk]

My first $100 to be played online should be available in epassporte tonight.

I'm trying to determine the best place to deposit it to begin. Keep in mind that I'm in the US and so my options are obviously limited.

I recently signed up for FTP through raketherake, so I've got the rakeback and their first deposit bonus coming when I give them some money. I also have a Stars account.

I had been thinking of depositing on Stars first, to get their lower bonus, then after clearing that depositing the whole thing into FTP to get their larger bonus, but the impression I've got so far is that the Stars bonus isn't exactly a piece of cake to clear when playing at the lowest limits, which is where I'll be playing.

I'm looking for some opinions.

1) Is the Stars bonus really that difficult to clear at the lowest levels?
2) Is FTP any easier?
3) Should rakeback be more important (even though it won't be much at this point) than bonuses?
4) Are one of these sites considerably easier to beat at the microstake levels?
5) Should I be looking at a different site instead of these two?

If it makes a difference, I plan to start off with a few SnG's at first, but then will be playing some FR games as well.

[bode]

Start with Stars' initial deposit bonus. Since you'll only be depositing $100, you dont want to waste your bonus at FTP. Wait until you have the full amount ($500 or whatever) before depositing at Full Tilt.

Stars bonus is clearable at the lower stakes. I cleared it in about 14k hands playing 10nl earlier this year.

[grnydrowave2]

It's not that bad. You can clear the bonus by playing 167 of the 5+.50 SNGs. And obviously, clear it twice as fast once you move up to the 10+1's.

My (limited) experience at 5NL seems to indicate that clearing the bonus would take an eternity. However, I'm surprised that Bode could clear it at 10NL in just 14k hands, so....

I would suggest that you play the SNGs until you're rolled for 10NL, then work that up to $600, then move it all over to Full Tilt. You'll probably clear the bonus long before you're ready to switch to FT.

I don't know much about Rakeback. I intend to move to Full Tilt as well once my BR is big enough for the sign up bonus. After reading FTR's Rakeback page, I was a bit concerned about the legitimacy of 3rd party affiliates and tried to find a reliable one for Full Tilt, to no avail.

As for the softness of the games at Stars, I hear that the micro ring games are very tight, which is a puzzling phenomena to me. Maybe it has something to do with that Bill.. I wouldn't know as I have just returned from a 1 year+ hiatus.

[jyms]

Rake is not imortant for now, but always register for evrysite through RTR you can. Stick to stars since it's easily a clearable bonus and they have lower stakes. If you go to FT first you will never clear the bonus in time and you will have to play the $10NL tables, since it's there lowest stakes. stars has $2NL and $5NL so you cna work on your game, get used to playing on line and take your time with the limited bankroll. Protect your bankroll at all costs, it's what grinding up in stakes is all about.

[swiggidy]

How much experience do you have? You should probably worry about being a successful ABC player first. 2NL is a good place to start (i.e. free money, although in small doses).

[TLR]

Stars bonus is easier to clear then FullTilt, sign up at stars first

[DetroitHusling101]

Yeah im almost halfway done clearing my Stars deposit. But i only deposited $45 so 450 FPP i need. I have 200 or so and i've only had $ in my stars account 10 days. So ill probally have it cleared in 2 more weeks if not sooner. I play a ridiculous amount of SNG's a day though. Usually 2 table althoug i tried 4 tabling today which went half way ok.

[Jack Sawyer]

Stars - FTP - UB - Cake

Just be sure to get RB and max the signup bonuses.
*UB bonuses are a bitch to clear.

[euphoricism]

Cake = ?

[daven]

Cake = ?

http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews...-CakePoker.php

Deposit on stars. Clear the bonus. Ask the question again once you've done this to get the most up to date opinions. Have fun!

[Hawk]

Thanks for all the input.

I put my money on Stars have spent the weekend playing there.

So far I'm down about $20, due to not making it ITM in most of my SnG's. I would be further back, but I was able to make some money back in the FR games.

I've read that everyone hits the "I'm not as good as I thought I was" stage, but I never thought I was very good and I'm STILL feeling that!

[sarbox68]

Hey... I'm still in the "I'm not even as good as I didn't think I was" stage...

wait...

does that even make any sense? Anyway, you get the idea... Keep working at it and it'll get better (painfully slowly for some us, but it does get better... )