Full Tilt Worth the Sign-up Bonus? (Opinons Welcome)

[zeero3]

Ok, so deposit $600 and get a 100% bonus. When I saw this my eyes popped out of my head and I joined as soon as my friend would lend me the dough (took out all poker BR for personal reasons).

I STRICTLY have played Party's tables and am accustomed to fish. Furthermore, I am accustomed to the 50BB structure as opposed to the 100BB one. Ok, so I have some feelings about the site and many questions. Please feel free to post your opinions and thoughts on the NL ring games and their texture (I'm trying to get used to it and I trust the opinions of 2+2ers).

So...... with $600 for a bankroll I thought my proper level would be the 0.25/0.50NL game--giving me 12 buy-ins. For Party, I have tried to stay very close to always having 20 buy-ins to play a certain level, so I would be actually playing the $25NL game at Party (with the same blind structure though). So, I sat down with 12 buy-ins to my name........

First thing is I noticed is 9 seats, not 10. No REALLY big deal, but hey that extra seat is usually one more fish and an extra hand before the blinds hit me. Play a little more loose. The texture of the table was extremely TIGHT and extremely PASSIVE. If there is a check-raise, >75% the original bettor folds. I AM NOT USED TO THIS /images/graemlins/grin.gif!!

What tables have you guys played at? While lurking on the 0.50/1.00NL, the game looked much more live--the way I like it. However, I would only have about 6 buy-ins at this level and, for me at least, this is just too few for me to be comfortable. Should I buy-in for only $50 and play similar to Party?

Another thing I've noticed on Full Tilt is that MANY people buy-in for 1/2 or less. It seems the confident/more skilled players buy-in for the full amount and few fish do this. How do you guys switch your style when going from 50BB to 100BB? Blinds are being folded to 4X PF raises so much that I feel like I need to get an extremely good drawing hand to get nasty with someone (this is how MANY people on FTP get their money; as opposed to good hand vs 2nd best hand).

Am I alone in my view of FTP? How do you guys feel about this site? Should I take my money and run? ANY comments are welcome. Thanks in advance.

[zeero3]

Bump

[warlockjd]

takes FOREVER to clear the bonus on NL 6 max. Think this is a raked hand thing or someting. $100 6max has some soft spots, but not nearly as fishy as Party.

Overall, I'd say not worth it, especially with no HH for PT, but boy do I love their software and my angry shark avatar!

[KKrAAAzy88s]

I started out at FTP b/c I was sucked into that site for the 100% bonus (my first online experience), which I've cleared. I've played at the full ring tables and not yet the 6-max. I started out at the .05/.10 and graduated all the way up to .50/1. I would agree to your statement about the tables being tight/passive. Most players play only top pairs and will fold middle/bottom pairs unless they have draws. Like you said check/raises _scream_ set without any doubt, It is so easy to read. This is the same all the way up to the .50/1 games. The best though is when the maniac comes into the game and calls with everything and pushes with anything. You'll find them easily enough.

Clearing the bonus is not difficult if you sit at the 50NL or 100NL tables. Play nights and weekends where there are more people online and more tables full. Especially on weekends as the pot gets >$60 for max rake. Just sit back and watch the maniacs go at it. It does take a while to clear but can be done.

Its been a while since I've played there. I moved over to Paradise and DoylesRoom to clear some bonus there and if your used to party I'd suspect it's definitely a different game at FTP. At FTP, people seem to fold their pocket pairs to over cards more often than at other sites. I tend to go after the people buying in for 1/2 or less. I feel like they are scared to lose a lot of money so they buy into a game for 1/2 the max. You can start to bully them around then b/c you know they're afraid to lose it.

I wouldn't say take your money and run yet. Check it out and see if you like the game and then decide whether you want to stay or not.

One thing I did like is (although they have no full hand histories), you can see the last 50 hands played AND see what cards they mucked. You can see what kind of players they are by looking at what they played right away w/o having to review the emailed hand histories. Definitely gives you a better on the spot read of a player.

[Che]

I have cleared my initial 100% bonus and a 50% reload bonus at FTP. I continue to play there with no bonus to earn back because it's easy money.

'Nuff said.

Later,
Che

[zeero3]

Che:

Ok so I had ENOUGH of the 0.25/0.50NL tables, they were WAY too tight. I couldn't believe it. I brought my $600 up to about $850 after playing these tables. I decided, "hell, I'm gonna sit at the 1/2NL table and buy-in for $100." The reasons I decided to buy-in for 1/2 the max is because (1)there were few people who DID buy-in for the full amount and (2)was not FULLY confident about my bankroll for these tables.

These tables are waaaaay better. Do you play the 1/2NL tables? Have you seen a difference going from wherever you started to where you are now (if you changed table stakes over time)? It is VERY rare that my AA are folded to when I raise PF. Thanks for your input.

[bweiser8311962]

For those who have played here - the way I read the promo is you get 1 point for every $1 raked ... that seems excessive. I know Paradise's bonus is based on a .25 rake allowing you to play at cheaper levels to clear your bonus.

How low can you go (limit) and still clear this bonus in a reasonable amount of time (took 1 week for $100 at Paradise for me so figure that about the same for what I define as reasonable)?

[Che]

zeero3-

[ QUOTE ]
Ok so I had ENOUGH of the 0.25/0.50NL tables, they were WAY too tight. I couldn't believe it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I played the .25/.5 tables tonight for the first time ever (for the NL OIC thing) and I have to agree with you. Super-tight tables are very beatable, of course, but I don't have the patience for it. (In fact, I think I'm going to switch to UB for my next run at the OIC - maybe next week.)

[ QUOTE ]
Do you play the 1/2NL tables?

[/ QUOTE ]

I started at the 1/2 back in August when I opened my account. About a month later I went to 2/4 and about 2 months after that I started playing some 5/10.

As you would expect, players get more aggressive as you move up. So, you get more action the higher you go (note: I haven't played 25/50 so my comments do not apply to that game).

Also, the 6-handed tables start at 1/2 so that's another way to get more action. I don't mind weak-tight opponents short-handed since the blinds come around fast enough that I can make decent money against them.

My SN at FTP is Lincoln. Say hi if you ever see me around.

Later,
Che

[Che]

I don't know what the formula is, but when I was 2-tabling $1/$2 regularly I cleared my bonus at about $8/hour.

Hope that helps,
Che

[zeero3]

I'm gonna stick to it KKr. So far it's going good, but I gotta keep my fingers crossed--I feel I'm insufficiently bankrolled to be playing the 1/2NL tables ($1000). I'm trying to keep my head above water and clear my bonus. Thanks....

[KKrAAAzy88s]

Let me how it goes at the 1/2. I never sat at those tables. I didn't have the BR either to sit and I was content getting max rake at the .50/1 tables and winning on top of the bonus. Once I cleared the first deposit bonus I bailed to try out other sites. I just started playing Party last night and boy is it different from FTP. I'm not used to people pushing with any kind of draw. I also now understand what you meant earlier about the 50BB buy-ins. I didn't realize it was the case at Party. At Paradise, DoylesRoom and FTP I think they are all at least 100BB max buy in, at least at the .50/1 tables.

Wait for the weekend to come and FTP will be a little more juicier. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[zeero3]

After playing the 1/2NL full tables for a little bit for a week I am VERY happy. The action at this level is great. For example, the action was folded to me in middle position. While holding AA, I just limped hoping for a raise. It was FOLDED to the small blind who completed. (Cmon big blind please raise it....)

Well the big blind raised it in fact....to SIXTY FREAKIN DOLLARS!!!!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif The action IS there.

(PS: I put the guy all-in PF and and he called ~50 more. He had 44 /images/graemlins/confused.gif)

[ihardlyknowher]

On Party he would have spiked a 4 to suck out on you. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[eggzz]

I take it you all would recommend this sign up bonus over the one at Poker Mountain? I still don't know what kind of player base they have over there, but this one seems good, and makes me think I should jump here and allow the base at Mountain to grow some more?

[zeero3]

I would say that it depends on what level of NL you would be playing--keeping in mind that FTP is 100BB NL. If decent action is what you're looking for then 1/2NL has it, but the .25/.50 game is very tight (MOST of the time).