Surely not another ACR post?

[lorinda]

I rarely discuss poker strategy in these forums, you guys are good enough already.

However, having read a lot of what I consider to be utter garbage regarding ACR promo bux, I thought I'd comment on how I get to cash out mine.

Luckily the way it works favours me, ACR, and anyone looking to try to run the PB gauntlet, so it shouldn't upset many people.

Ill use some promotions as a guideline, I am aware there are better ones there, but I intend to explain, not to advertise.

Tuesday nights, .5/1 limit holdem.

Play 200 hands of any game (can fold each one if you must, I think a flop must be dealt....which is 95%+) earn 25 PBs

so you do this.....

Wednesday night, same promo

You have 25 PBs to work off from Tuesday, so how can you do this without abusing the promo, without losing the PBs and without taking your whole life up?

PBs only work off if you see the flop.

Strange but simple solution...
... see the flop.

But hang on, I hear you cry, If I see a lot of flops, Ill lose my money.

This is not true, you are not the only one employing this strategy, the games are loose because of people working off their PBs, so a 50% flop rate isn't going to hurt you, particuarly if you play short handed.

Two tables at once is perfectly viable at ACR, and the games run pretty quick (80HPH or so).

So, you need to play 200 anyway to earn Wednesday's money, you also need to see 200 flops, so you need to play 400 hands or so.

That's 5 hours playing time..but only 2.5 hours if you play two tables.

After this time, you have cleared the previous night's $25 and you have earned $25 more, not a bad deal.

The value of a PB?

Im going to assume full table, because most of them are.
Im also going to assume .5/1 play, again, most of them are.

Soooo... 10 players, loose passive .5/1. average pot $7 or so.

At the start of the night, those 10 players all have 25PB, thats 250 bux on the table.

400 pots (using above strategy) at 35c rake (using above average pot size) gives $140 rake... leaving 110 on the table.

That's $11 each for $25 PBs

Average/Good player, winning at 1BB per 50 hands, thats +$8

so you can "expect" to get $19 for your 2.5 hours play, that may not be amazing, and obviously some people are going to not get much at all (those losing 1BB per hour will get $3 back, plus a night's free entertainment...that's a pretty good deal for a losing player)

Using better strategies, based upon this one, and you should be able to get $25 per session, and remember, it's free.... Noone said it was going to be sensational.

Lori

[Ryan_21]

I dont know the exact value of a promo dollar, but for me they are worth face value. Heres how I started, been playing there for 2 1/2 months.

Won a multi freeroll tourny when I first started and got $50, won a single table freeroll the same week and got $25, used that in their tuesday and wednesday promotions to build my roll up to $500, also won a couple other tournys too. BTW, the tues and wed promotions have also changed to where you can get $50 PB for 200 hands if you play 1-2 or higher.

Anyway, with my $500 took a shot at 4-8, had a bad run and lost $300, no biggie, just grinded it back and my roll is back up to $600, $400 of which is eligible for cashout if I want it.

Its really a great deal, I dont understand why so many people have a problem with free money. Personally I love free money. And when you dont have a dime to fund your own bankroll like me, the promo dollars are worth far more than face value IMO.

Ryan_21

[Glenn]

The problem with the ACR promo is that any decent player can earn more per table hour elsewhere. Now $8/hr doesn't sound terrible, but this is under absolutely IDEAL conditions. Half of the time, there are no games going at ACR, etc... While this promo may be great for new players, it is certainly -EV for many people who can, say, beat the party 3-6 for $10/hr. Their time could be spent better elsewhere. ACR should target at least some of their promos at higher limit players who play a lot of hours, not people happy to play 100 hours for $20. While I don't fault a beginning player from trying to build a roll at ACR, where does this get ACR? They have a regular .50/1 game where the players give their promo bucks back to the rake. If they want to make money they need to get regular games at $3-6 and up. These players will not be attracted by the idea of playing myriad hours for a small bonus. Even the bad players aer usually gamblers who are looking for bigger scores than $25 bucks. One $10-20 game going 12 hours a day should make the room about $700000 a year in rake. This is what they should be going for if they want their cardroom to survive. Right now they are not attracting that type of player.

Yes, ACR is kind of like the Kmart of Online poker.
How's Kmart doing nowadays?

[Tom D]

It's cheating to alter your play and you risk having your bankroll confiscated if you're caught.

Tom D

[Ryan_21]

"it is certainly -EV"

I dont think you are understanding EV correctly. It may be lower EV for some to play at ACR if they can make more money in bigger games elsewhere, but free money can never be -EV.

Ryan_21

[Glenn]

I would say that I understand EV just fine. If I say "Hey Ryan come over here I'll give ya 10 bucks" and Lorinda says "Hey Ryan come over here I'll give ya 20 bucks" and you come over by me you just lost 10 bucks. It is the same as missing a bet. Anyhow, you know what I meant, don't get so picky about the wording it makes you look like a troll /forums/images/icons/smile.gif. I WILL play X hours of online poker a week and I WILL make less money at ACR despite the free money. That was my point.