My Online Poker Plan

[Technomad]

I'm going to have a little more free time starting in 2008, and after a lot of live poker I'm ready to give online poker a shot. After reading up on various forums, here's my plan:

1. Buy a new Dell laptop around Christmas (I need one, and apparently you can get some really good deals around then.)

2. Buy PokerTracker and PAHUD and spend some time learning how to use them.

3. Create an account on Poker Stars through PSO for their 1-year Stox Premium membership bonus.

4. Create an account on Full Tilt through a reputable rakeback affiliate.

5. Post lots of hands on 2+2 / StoxPoker.

6. ???

7. Profit.

Any thoughts, advice, criticism? Thanks!

[MediaPA]

You are missing the steps of playing poker, losing money, going on monkey tilt, learning to avoid monkey tilt, etc. reading books could also be a good step.

You also need to figure out how 'deep' you want to go (online bankroll). Start low even if you are rolled for higher, and progress as you feel comfortable doing so.

[JSmith2007]

There are alot of steps you've missed really.

Getting accustomed to online play is very difficult for many live players (myself included way back when) and you need to do that before you begin really playing. I think even if you play 1000NL live, you should probably start out at 100NL at the most online. You're playing alot more hands and always alot faster. You cannot go into online poker with the same mindset or style as live, you will not profit (unless you're an extreme nit) so getting used to poker before really playing it is a big thing.

Reading books is a very big bonus as well. While personally I don't think books are extremely valuable as poker is very situation dependent, it will give you the basics on how to "read" players online and adjust to the very adaptable and diverse styles online.

As you said for one of your steps, posting hands on 2p2 and/or Stox will be a great help. There will almost always be atleast one or two hands in a session that bug you for days possibly and through the help of forums you can figure out if you made the right play or bad play or not.

Any other questions you may have, feel free to post and good luck in your journey [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[blueguitone]

mokey tilt for sure!!!!!!!!!!!! unavoidable

[scpi10]

Read books and practice smart bankroll management. Never play higher than you're rolled for. Good luck with the pokering

[IPLraider]

[ QUOTE ]
mokey tilt for sure!!!!!!!!!!!! unavoidable

[/ QUOTE ]

been there, done that [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[GinaSD]

omg- i can't emphasize enough how different online play is from live play.

I'm a pretty darn good live player.

First thing I did online was dump hundreds. Then I moved to stakes 1/10th as high as my live stakes.

Dumped hundreds.

Then I found these forums, read books that talked about online play, I have started playing beginners games, and I've even paid someone to watch my play as I transition.

Still take some pretty nasty hits.

It's a different animal out there in the ethers.

[Djcoax]

I would suggest leaving the profit part out. Don't think about profit. Focus on learning.
You say that you are good at live poker , well ... you probably suck online. Be humble. Learn. Adjust. Observe.

[Rek]

[ QUOTE ]

1. Buy a new Dell laptop around Christmas (I need one, and apparently you can get some really good deals around then.)

[/ QUOTE ]Make sure you get one with a graphics card and monitor that supports at least 1600x1200 resolution. A little more expensive but essential to multi table IMHO.

[ QUOTE ]
2. Buy PokerTracker and PAHUD and spend some time learning how to use them.

[/ QUOTE ] Yep

[ QUOTE ]
3. Create an account on Poker Stars through PSO for their 1-year Stox Premium membership bonus.

[/ QUOTE ] OK

[ QUOTE ]
4. Create an account on Full Tilt through a reputable rakeback affiliate.

[/ QUOTE ] make sure you take the rakeback code and not the free gift offers thay have at times

[ QUOTE ]
5. Post lots of hands on 2+2 / StoxPoker.

[/ QUOTE ] Yep

[ QUOTE ]
6. ???

[/ QUOTE ] ???

[ QUOTE ]
7. Profit.

[/ QUOTE ] mmmmmm Maybe if you are good enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
Any thoughts, advice, criticism? Thanks!

[/ QUOTE ] Don't run before you can walk. Online is so different from live. Start with one table low stakes. When you are confident add another table if you want. When you can beat that level move up slowly.

Bankroll management - there are a gazillion threads if you search. Make sure you are properly rolled at each level before moving up. pzhon gives very accurate advice of bankrolls but it is a little deep mathmatically. It is right but I am not sure everybody will take it on board. Try to stick to his advice but if you cannot get your head around it then accept some of the more general advice on number of buy-ins needed. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF BANKROLL MANAGEMENT.

Variance WILL happen. Get used to it and try not to tilt.

Must be more. Anyway good luck

[NattyLight4life]

the most important thing for me was bankroll management that way you can focus on learning and improving with less stress about the swings