My Stars Results while Bonus Whoring

[CCass]

I hadn't been playing Stars very much this year except for the KOTZ tournys, because I like the way the fish seem to bite at Empire/Party. But I decided to move some money to Stars and give it a try when they offered the 20% deposit bonus.

I deposited on 5/1/2004, and played approximately 1,400 hands of $1/2 NL to clear the $120 bonus. I was/am very pleased with my results, as I netted $370 in winnings plus the $120 bonus. Considering I only play about 150 to 200 hands a night, not a bad haul for 11 days.

[HavanaBanana]

People are talking about how the KotZ is -EV, but it seems that you ahve been pretty good +EV on it /images/graemlins/smile.gif
See you in the next KotZ, gl /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Simon Diamond]

People are talking about how the KotZ is -EV, but it seems that you ahve been pretty good +EV on it

Yeah, funny that - the only way I seem to be able to sustain a bankroll on Poker Stars is from money won in 2+2 functions. Can't beat the regular tourneys to save my life at the minute. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Simon

[Oblivious]

Ive gotten killed thanks to that bonus. The tables are full of rocks nearly 24/7, and while I can play tigher than them, it just doesnt seem like i get paid off enough when i hit. Im trying to clear the rest of it tonight for $60, but Im a little over $100 down. Average pots are half the size they are at party. As soon as the bonus is cleared Im gone never to return.

[dink]

This is gunna sound stoopid

but I win more money at stars than I do at party, I am actually ahead there after two bonuses, one early in the year and the recent one, and that means ahead without the bonus.

where as at party I can't even seem to break even and if it wasn't for the bonuses I would be behind. I have played about 7000 hands at party and 5000 at stars.

go figure
maybe I am one of the rocks

I just can't seem to crack party although I am trying

[rusty JEDI]

It is just a different style of game. TPTK is a hand you can push hard at stars while at party you must tread with caution. At stars you also arent getting the odds to draw as often.

The best part about the stars bonus is it can be cleared with sit and go's.

rJ

[AAmaz0n]

I have the same result, I've been thinking about writing about this. I win at UB Stars and Paradise, but am just about break even at Party and in the hole at Pacific.

My theory is that I don't adapt my game well to a bunch of loose calling stations. I play a lot of tournaments and am used to pushing hands and forcing people off, which works well on tables that are weak tight, but not so good with a lot of loose callers that stay to the end.

I'm trying to work on being more flexible so I can show a better profit on both kinds of tables, and would welcome some suggestions.

thanks,

Shauna

[lunchmeat]

[ QUOTE ]
Ive gotten killed thanks to that bonus. The tables are full of rocks nearly 24/7, and while I can play tigher than them, it just doesnt seem like i get paid off enough when i hit. Im trying to clear the rest of it tonight for $60, but Im a little over $100 down. Average pots are half the size they are at party. As soon as the bonus is cleared Im gone never to return.

[/ QUOTE ]

First off, the 6 max. games are much looser than the full ring games. You'll also get in more raked hands per hour at 6 max tables., which means the bonus is worth more in terms of $ per hour.

Secondly, the way to deal with rocks is not to become an an even more tight-assed rock than they are. When rocks are at your table, play looser and especially play more aggressively. Steal their blinds, raise to isolate & even 3 bet them with marginal hands if you know they'll release if they don't flop a big draw, top pair, or better.

As long as you adjust properly to the rocks you can smash them into powder.

[Oblivious]

I shouldnt say "i become tighter", because i think i am just naturally tighter. Ive certainly tried to be more aggressive, open raising more frequently. And Ive stayed away from drawing hands like 78s, since i'll rarely get the odds to draw even if one flops for me.

Maybe its just a short tearm bad run, but it seems like I play hard when i have a small edge, just to get called and rivered, or i get dealt 2nd best hand after 2nd best hand.

[MicroBob]

i've done pretty well on the stars bonuses actually.

the last bonus before these recent 2 (maybe january or so) i did well on the 2/4 limit. up $300 or so...plus the $120 bonus. nice score.

so far on these two bonuses i've been playing mostly .5/1 NL...i'm not much of an NL player but i felt like a change of pace.
i've hit some good hands where i brought some callers with me....and also stole a few pots using my position...and i've been VERY pleased with the results so far.

i think so many of these players play so tight they are just asking to be pushed around by a little bit of aggressiveness.


sure seems to me that stars is not as ultra-tight as it once was but that's just based on my limited experience which may be tainted by the fact that i am not as sucky as i used to be.

[goodguy_1]

lunchmeat is right IF you play well short this is usually the place to be.These Speed 6MAX tables get out like 95 hph.Look for pot averages that are hopefully at a minimum 6-7+ bigbets.Last week when I burned off the latest PS bonus the short games were very tight-most pot's were averaging 4-5.50 bb's--this is very uncool -thats too tight.When the games are crappy dont play them.You got all week to burn off a bonus- be game selective.I was in a hurry to burn off a bucket of bonuses so my results showed it-I wasnt game selective and ran kind of poorly so I think I made like $50 after 10 hours.I made another $150 playing NL.

Btw I dont want to regurgitate any controversy but IF any room has "action flops" it is PokerStars.My hourly standard deviation in these 6MAX games is much higher than my regular stats-this is due to the better players and I feel juiced action.No site produces that huge sucking out sound the way PS does-hehe.But it works for you and against-just juiced imho since day one I played there 2 or so years ago.


So oblivious dont feel bad most of us regulars have at one time or another hated PS because of the tighter games or funky action.Find your own niche.If you trend toward the tight side play some NL.If you dont mind paying a little for your education work on your short game-it will help you big time in the longrun....plus you are being subsidized to learn by the bonus so you break even or make $200-$300.

[Vehn]

I don't know what crack you all are smoking but for whatever reason I have destroyed stars ring games and also done well in tournys there, and cashed out way way more than I ever put in so maybe you just suck?

[goodguy_1]

15 months and $55k yea I suck alright.

[Vehn]

You've won 55k there and you still believe its "juiced"?


predicting massive spazzing

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[goodguy_1]

is there anything better than a nice big Haas avocado sliced in 2 halves smoothered in balsamic vinegar extra virgin olive oil and globs of tunafish ? yum yum /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Vehn]

wtf? no spazzing?

[William]

[ QUOTE ]
15 months and $55k yea I suck alright.

[/ QUOTE ]

15 months and ONLY 55k?

Yeah, you DO suck /images/graemlins/grin.gif