Leaving Pokerstars for PartyPoker

droolie · #1 09-04-2004, 12:19 AM

Well for some reason I feel like a total sellout but I've finally decided to make the jump from .25/.50 level at pokerstars to find greener pastures at partypoker's .50/1. There's just something cool about the atmosphere at stars with all the intersting icons compared to the cheesy computer people at party that I will miss. (I loved my icon too) Some of the regular players at that level were quite good, in my opinion. In many ways though the limits are bigger I feel like I'm going backwards in competition and fear my development as a player might suffer as a result.

My bankroll is more than adequate to justify moving up a level (300BB) and I think I'm correct in assuming there will be more suckers at party at that level than at stars. At the low levels at stars I've seen my share of wild play and bad beats so that doesn't concern me about party at all. Viva la dead money! The 20% bonus is enticing to me as well.

Any advice you veterans of both pokerstars .25/.50 and party .5/1 (or empire) can give me would be most appreciated. Right now I'm going on the assumption that the players will be worse on the average at party but my variance will go way up. I also will have to spend a little more time scoping out tables as they don't list the average players to see the flop. Any other signs to look for besides just watching tables? Are the higher pot sizes truly looser tables or just tables with more maniacs (I prefer fish in small pots)? Any advice on how to avoid regressing as a player or should I not worry about that as long as I'm bringing in the BB's?

scotnt73 · #2 09-04-2004, 12:42 AM

once you can afford it i think the party 1/2 6 max tables are great at teaching higher aggression needed to take your game to the next level. it did wonders for my game.

Greg J · #3 09-04-2004, 12:52 AM

I'm planning on making the jump from .25/.5 to .5/1 pretty soon too. I recently left PS for Paradise though, as thier .25/.5 game is much better (players are much worse!).

What was your cool icon on PS? Mine was Lando Calrisian. (Did you ever see me? SN gregorino?)

Keep us posted on how things go at Party! Good luck!

Greg

Cerril · #4 09-04-2004, 12:55 AM

I know how you feel. I love the atmosphere at PS... it's like a good casino, there are benefits outside of the gameplay, but if the action's better at the run down place in the middle of the bad neighborhood, you have to consider a change.

I can't speak much about the higher limits because I moved to Party in order to drop my limit to .50/1 (my bankroll was too small to sustain my play at the higher limit at PS, far too low to deal with the volatility at PP), but I've definitely seen things at Party that I've never encountered elsewhere to such a large degree.

At PS it was more rare to find a table that had people four-betting preflop without two paint cards, but I've seen a five way capped pot where absolute junk hands ended up taking it down.

At the same time of course the volatility is massive, I lost a very quick 40BB today almost entirely to runner-runners or 3-outers by people staying in with junk. Reads help so I don't give that last BB (check/call or call) to the guy I know is sitting on ace high when I'm holding third pair and the ace comes on the river. I was certain I was ahead, and just as certain I was behind.

As for your other question, I haven't found out how to see table activity, but I usually use the waitlist function anyway at the lower end to have it find me an otherwise full table so don't do much table selection. I'd definitely say that pot size alone doesn't mean that there aren't potentially strong players there without a % to flop number, but I'd also say you aren't likely to go broke underestimating the skill of the people you're up against at .50/1

droolie · #5 09-04-2004, 08:45 AM

I had the idol from the cover of the original D&D players handbook (geeky I know) but it was really a sweet icon. Yes I remember seeing you! Good luck to you too!

droolie · #6 09-04-2004, 08:54 AM

After last night I'm already up 27BB/156 hands. Not sustainable, I'm sure, but my GOD it seemed like I wasn't hitting anything! The pots I took down came from unimproved hands and people calling me down with nothing.

The only decent cards I got all night were here...
I probably should have raised pre-flop but wanted to be able to check raise if I hit the flop with this many people... Is that horrible thinking?

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. MP2 posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds, MP2 (poster) checks, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (7 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (7 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO folds, Button calls, SB calls, Hero raises, UTG+1 calls, MP3 calls, Button calls, SB calls.

Turn: (8.50 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (5 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, MP3 folds, Button folds, SB calls, Hero raises, UTG+1 calls, SB calls $0.50 (All-In).

River: (14 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players, 1 all-in)
Hero bets, UTG+1 raises, Hero 3-bets, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: 19 BB

droolie · #7 09-07-2004, 08:41 AM

Viva la Party Poker!

Was the call on the turn to weak?

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (7 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (7 players)
Hero bets, BB folds, UTG calls, UTG+1 raises, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, Button folds, Hero 3-bets, UTG calls, UTG+1 caps, MP1 calls, Hero calls, UTG calls.

Turn: (11.50 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, Hero calls.

River: (15.50 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 bets, MP1 calls, Hero raises, UTG calls, UTG+1 3-bets, MP1 calls, Hero caps, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

Final Pot: 31.50 BB

ugadawg · #8 09-07-2004, 10:35 AM

I just made the jump myself got about 550-600 hands in (Just cleared the bonus on Party/Empire). The biggest thing to get used to is people calling you down when they hit bottom pair on the river, limping with monster hands, and letting you do all the betting then raising on the river with AQo when you had A6s. It's frustrating, I took a downswing when I first got on and now I'm up a little (averages out to about 0.5bb/100) My last two sessions I was up 20BB/100.

Anywho, don't feel like this move will cause you to regress I have heard that .50/1 and 1/2 at party prepare you for 2/4 and 3/6. Because you will get some of the same idiot play and you have to know how to adjust your game. Think of it as a stepping stone to graduating from micro to small stakes and playing the small stakes better.

Hand 1: Well played. But if I didn't hit the boat on the river, I may have slowed down - UTG+1 probably has the straight (depending on my read on him/her).

Hand 2: [ QUOTE ]
Was the call on the turn to weak?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes! Raise, you only have a set and if you miss the FH you want to charge all the flush draws another BB. But that is a sweet river, someone caught their flush when you caught your boat. Capping with a boat is so much fun!

Welcome to the forums and maybe I'll see you on PP.

JP

kiemo · #9 09-07-2004, 10:51 AM

I had just finished a delightful conversation with my wife about the kids and whatnot, but after I hung the phone up, something was missing. There was a gap, a shallow hollow if you will, some bit of information I hadn't gleaned from my previous conversation. Then I came across this thread and the gap was filled, the information I so desired was but a few inches from my eyes. I had to share the wonderous news with all around me. I bounded from my chair and down the hallways of mine work I did proclaim as loud as all could hear "DROOLIE HATH DECIDED TO PLAY AT PARTY! DROOLIE NO LONGER IS PLAYING AT POKERSTARS!". My coworkers were amazed and bewildered, such shocking news has not visited my work in many a fortnight, and now the celebration has begun.

You da KING droolie.

droolie · #10 09-07-2004, 11:11 AM

[ QUOTE ]
You da KING droolie.

[/ QUOTE ]

Praise him with great praise!