Where should I play?

[spindizzy]

Very simply question.

I'm a newbie, and I suck, but I'm trying to learn, and I don't think anyone can learn anything from play money.

Where should I play on the Internet? What should I play? Which site?

[thirddan]

.05/.1 on pacific or stars (i think they have this) or i think there is a .01/.02 on UB...good luck...you might try doing some bonus hunting to build a bankroll...

[spindizzy]

If anyone wants to throw me their/a bonus code for Pacific I'd be happy.

[Stupendous_Man]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm a newbie, and I suck, but I'm trying to learn

[/ QUOTE ]

Starting with this quote, you want to make sure you've done some studying of good books, which you can check out the "books/software" area for feedback on the better ones. With this in hand, then put the information to practice.

With regards to which site and which limits to start at, this all depends on the bankroll you're going to start with and your honest assessment of how long it will take you to go from "sucking" (to use your word) to a breakeven player to a winning player. Obviously, it's a lot cheaper to learn the game at limits like 0.05/0.10 than at 5/10. Once you've determined the limits you'll start at, then you can look for a specific site. If the plan is to start at limits like 0.05/0.10, then you're limited in the sites you can play as not all of them offer these micro limit games. If you have a bankroll that will allow you to start at 0.50/1.00, then that opens many more sites. To figure out what limits you should start at, basically take your starting bankroll and divid by 300. I say basically, as some people are able to start off with significant bankrolls that would allow them to start at 3/6 games, but that's not necessarily advisable when first learning how to play. Use that formula if you plan on starting with a bankroll less than, say $400. In at least one of the books you study, it should address bankroll management and how important it is. Read that to better understand this (if you don't already understand br management).

As you work on improving your game, you'll want to check out Homer's "Building a Banroll for newbies" post in the zoo. It gives some great advise on how to build a starting bankroll of $100 by bonus whoring. Also, search for posts on poker tracker and check out the PT site. In reading posts here in 2+2, you'll see lots of references to PT and how valuable it is.

Good luck!

[spindizzy]

Stup: Could you give me a direct link to Homers post? Can't seem to find it using searh.

[Stupendous_Man]

Spin, would like to help you out, but I haven't figured out how to have the entire URL show up to copy and paste the link. /images/graemlins/confused.gif To help you out, I can narrow your search for you. Search the zoo (the Internet Gambling forum), search for Homer (username - don't use subject as you'll get too many hits) and go back 1 month. You'll find a response he made in the thread dated 11/01. Click on that, then you should be able to scroll to the top for the original post. Hope this helps! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Greg J]

Here is the link. Enjoy! (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=inet&Number=1060198&fp art=&PHPSESSID=)

[Greg J]

Another useful link (http://www.bonuswhores.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3252)

[theghost]

Personally, I started at the UB .25/.50 game. .01/.02 never appealed to me.

UB is considered a tighter site, and you can easily move from their .25/.50 to a party skin's .5/1 game.

Careful with Homer's whoring advice; great advice, but be sure that you are bankrolled for the Crypto games (they start at 1/2). No bankroll is big enough if you're not a winner.

[spindizzy]

Just wondering if you guys could explain what the different abbreviations stand for. UB? PT?

[theghost]

Ultimate Bet
Poker Tracker

[phixxx]

I liked the .25/.50 games when I first started out on UB, if you only have 100 dollars to start with your best bet is to try UB IMO. Pokerstars has some decent .25/.50 games that you can completely run over.

[SeanSkill]

I would suggest Pardise to you they have micro limit games and you can download your stats into poker tracker from there. You will need $200.00 to take advantage of their maximum bonus tho. Or you could try one of the prima sites like 7 sultans or royal vegas either one of these will give you a free $10.00 when you sign up, it will take a few days before they credit it to your account. both these sites have the ability to download your stats to poker tracker. I would play as many games as you can with the $10.00 there and then download the stats and load them into poker tracker which will let you use the program for free for up to your 1st 1000 hands. A lot of the stats in poker tracker will be irrelevant with such a small sample size but a few will be very useful. VP$P will tell you how many times you voluntarily put money in the pot which will let you know if you are playing too many starting hands, PFR is pre flop raise percentage which will let you know your preflop aggresion and Total Aggression will let you know if you are calling to much versus raising. For a begginer you will probably be playing too many starting hands somewhere around 30% you will want to get this down to 20-24%, The preflop raise percentage will need to be above 5% this will tell you if you are playing your strong starting hands too weakly, and the total aggresion will probably be too low it is suggested that your ratio be >%1.5 it will generally be lower than that when you first start because you are playing too many starting hands and it will be difficult to be aggresive with a lot of these hands. Definately pick up a copy of Hold'em for advanced palyers as this will give you the a lot of insights into the game as well as a good idea of what starting hands to play and what hands to raise with preflop.

[drdre2001mm]

Prima, Poker Stars, Party Poker, Pacific Poker, Paradise Poker, Ultimate Bet (In no specific order. However, I do prefer Prima over all the above.)

[PokerMaster]

how good are u?

[AncientPC]

Read this thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/favlinker.php?Cat=&Entry=39365&F_Board=inet&Thread =1060198&partnumber=1&postmarker=).