Moving up to clear bonuses

Gammastyle · #1 11-01-2006, 02:25 PM

I just moved some money from Stars to FT to get their bonus. I usually play very low limits: $10 SNG, .25/.50 Limit etc. but I want to clear the bonus as fast as possible. I decided to move up to $1/2 and 2/4 to clear it faster. I'm up a little, but variance is a B----. Should I move up to clear it faster or stick to my usual limits and grind it out. I know I am winning at my usual limits and probably about breakeven at the mentioned ones. Thoughts on this.

KurtSF · #2 11-01-2006, 02:46 PM

There is a balance to be found.

I played at .25/.50 for a long time. I could clear a $100 bonus in about a month of playing (~80 hours), and I would typically win about $200 at the tables in that time.

For a variety of reasons I moved up to 1/2 recently, and found I could clear bonuses at almost ten times the rate. The first month I cleared $600 in bonuses, but I lost $300 at the tables. I suppose it was the same "result" as I could have expected at .25/.50, but it was brutal to go through. (As I patch the leaks in my game obviously this will change.)

At the sites I was playing 1/2 was kinda a sweetspot for clearing bonuses. Compared to .25/.50, .5/1 was 3x, 1/2 was 8x, and 2/4 was 12x. You might want to thoroghly look through the bonus schedule and see if there is a level that works like this at your sites.

But in general and overall, I would suggest playing at the levels your skill and bankroll allow, and letting the bonuses sort themselves out.

Try .50/1 and see how that works for you? I dunno.

Gammastyle · #3 11-01-2006, 02:51 PM

Thanks. Next question. Assuming equal skill in both, do you play 6-max or full ring. 6-max has more hands, but full ring should have bigger pots (thus bigger rake). Anyone know which is faster.

skillzilla · #4 11-01-2006, 03:44 PM

i moved from .25/0.50 to .5/1 to clear bonuses
this is what you can expect:

atleast i got the bonus cleared in time

ottsville · #5 11-01-2006, 04:37 PM

Play at a limit that is comfortable for you and your roll. If your BR is small, don't risk going busto solely to clear bonuses faster.

I have not played at FT, but at most sites I have found 2/4 to be no different than 1/2(sometimes even easier). Seems to me many players stick at 1/2 because it is a "sweet spot" for clearing bonuses at many sites. For example, bonuses on party cleared better at 1/2 than 2/4 due to their rake structure which resulted in lots of multitabling TAGs at 1/2 during reload periods.

Webster · #6 11-02-2006, 08:21 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Play at a limit that is comfortable for you

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point.

Also - MANY people will play 1/2 or what ever the bonus clears at the fastest but forget that if they move UP they will win more money AND still get the bonus.

For instance - at Party everyone played 1/2 because that was the game the bonus cleared. yet, 2/4 was a better game and if they would have played one limit higher the money they would make would more then offset the time it took to clear a bonus.

I got stuck in this bonus cycle and it kept me from moving up for over a year.

rakemeplz · #7 11-02-2006, 11:41 AM

If you play fishmax you'll be paying more in rakethen you would be if you're playing with 9 other players...Imagine playing heads up for bonus not good.

So that would suggest fullring would be better because you'd be getting better % rakeback. But obviously there are other factors to consider...namely which game you do better at.

KurtSF · #8 11-02-2006, 12:26 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Also - MANY people will play 1/2 or what ever the bonus clears at the fastest but forget that if they move UP they will lose more money BUT still get a bonus.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've taken the liberty of editing you post to make it more appropriate for me. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

avfletch · #9 11-02-2006, 01:57 PM

Bonuses should be secondary to learning to play good poker. In the long run learning to beat reasonable stakes games will earn you far more than clearing bonuses at a level where you are a losing player and spew chips to do it.

Spy · #10 11-02-2006, 05:34 PM

Moving up to clear bonuses makes no sense at all, especially if you're worried enough to ask about it. There's too a strong possibility that you could end up losing enough to offset the bonus. I would much sooner play at a level I am more comfortable with and clear the bonus more slowly, while giving myself a more realistic shot at a solid profit.