Where should I play?

[Scrooge234]

Okay, here's the deal: My pokercareer has been a GIANT rollercoaster, being up $1500 at one time, just to lose it and start to grind out at the lower limits again. My friend who is a highly proficient player insists that I should try to learn more about money management, and has agreed to stake me with $300.

1. Where should I play? If possible I would like a deposit bonus, rakeback and the opportunity to tile my tables (playing on a laptop, you know... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]..). Suggestions? I already have an account at Stars and Party, so exclude them.

2. Any tips about money management? I just refuse to grind it out on 0.25/0.50 FL tables, since the majority of the players there are total r-tards who chase (and hit) every backdoor/longshot/idiotic draw.

\\o_O//

[ChuckDiesel]

I'm not in a position to give much advice but you want those idiots on your table. I used to be one, i know .. I lost money.. trust me.

you probably only remember the hits you took when you were rivered etc. It's easy to remember losing your whole stack but not so easy to remember winning a few chips most of the time. If it's limit , then that's the way the cookie crumbles. in small limit people will call everything . But over the long run you will win and you'll notice it eventually.

I've had crucial tournament hands where I will be dominating and a he'll hit his 2 outer on the river. Makes you want to kick your dog but you have to remember the mistake's on them not you. So keep letting them chase their nuts they'll miss more often than hit.


As far as your yo-yoing . I'm only guessing but it seems like you move up limits as soon as you have a bankroll you consider decent.

Moving up is a bitch. I've been playing poker for 2 years and in my early days I'd move up and get smacked down to 0 real fast. In the last year I haven't moved up at all.

A lot of the posts here deal with moving up. Most of them say don't move up until 2 things are for certain.

1. Your bankroll is like 100 buy ins or so and your buyins are 100 Big Blinds.

2. You've watched the higher limits and you are certain with your skill level you'd do well.


Playing against Tom Jerry and Stan and beating the crap out of them because they chase certain hands and can't fold others is well and good and you'll make money.

but don't expect those guys to be playing in the higher levels. you're more likely to run into one of the guys on this site and they'll eat you alive.




Also one final point.

Just because loose player A has been raising with 6-4 and 7-2 all day does not mean suddenly your K-7 is a monster and that you should re-raise all in. Games full of donkeys are a minefield but if you don't go on tilt you can take all your money back from the 1-2 bad beats you took and then make some more on top.

[Scrooge234]

Thanks for the reply. The thing you said about moving up in limits when figuring I had the bankroll for it did ring a bell.

As for the pokersites: Any suggestions?

[ChuckDiesel]

I've only played at party and you said not to mention it lol.

[Wilco666]

[ QUOTE ]

2. Any tips about money management? I just refuse to grind it out on 0.25/0.50 FL tables, since the majority of the players there are total r-tards who chase (and hit) every backdoor/longshot/idiotic draw.


[/ QUOTE ]
First thing about money management is understanding where your money comes from. I'll tell you a secret: it comes from the idiots who chase their longshot draws.

[KurtSF]

I will let others recommend sites, especially as a US player I don't know about many of the options you have. But RE: money management:

1. If you don't want to play FL games fine. To each their own. I spent months at the .25/.50 limit tables and made tons of money, but if its just sounds like hell, then screw it, just play NL.

2. The consensus is to have "at least" 20 buyins (of 100BB each) for the stakes you are at. Serious and professional players will often recommend and have more than that in their bankroll. 30, 50, or even more. If you have $300 stake from your friend, I would recommend starting out at the $10NL tables - that'll give you 30 buyins. Work until you double your money, then go to $25NL (24 buyins). Then double your money and go to $50NL (24 buyins).

3. Look up the concept of "Risk of Ruin" on this site and on the internet to understand the principals of bankroll management. I assure you, in all sincerity, that the long run is longer than you think. You will have losing streaks still and always, but if you play properly rolled they will not leave you scrounging together money to redeposit. Don't be afraid to drop down if you go through a bad run and rebuild. It beats the hell out out chasing losses and losing everything.

4. Have fun. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]