Beginning online poker
 

So I finally made the decision to play online poker. At the suggestion of a friend I logged onto Poker Stars and first started with the free money games. After getting used to the play of online versus live play, I entered a $10 buy in. There were 1234 players and the payout started at 135th place with the winner getting a little over 2G. My game plan was to play supertight until I was in the money. The strategy was working fairly well, although my chip stack stayed a little below average (which is what I expected). I was at a table where my stack was about average with the other 8 players when all of a sudden I was moved to another table. I'm not sure why I was moved as nothing had happened at the table of significance. Now I found myself on a table where the other players had chip stacks 3-5 times my stack. The blinds were now 200/400 with 50 ante. Needless to say, I was soon pushed out and finished the tourney in 173rd place. My question concerns being moved from a table where I was relatively equal to the other players (via chip stack) to a table where I was at a sizeable disadvantage. Is this normal or is there something else going on that I am naive about?

Re: Beginning online poker
 

Players get switched to new tables automatically, as players get knocked out. This is done to keep the # of players at each table as equal as possible. The fact that you got moved to a table full of big stacks was just the luck of the draw.

Re: Beginning online poker
 

It's also not necessarily a problem if you become the new short stack.

You will need to change your strategy to a pre flop strategy (ie pick a hand and go all in) but if the rest of the table are big stacks they are more likely to call you as you will be little threat to them. Also big stacks are usually inherently aggressive so you can see this as an opportunity to double up as they are likely to be playing non premium hands more strongly than usual.

Re: Beginning online poker
 

Not what you were asking, but one thought I had...

Generally I don't really think that MTTs are a very good way to build a bankroll, especially for a beginner, and especially if you're playing MTTs with large fields, like this one. The variance is crazy in these and your super-tight early play isn't going to get you any big cashes unless you get absolutely slammed by the deck. I think SNGs and NL low limit ring games are far superior to build a roll. Of course you can always throw a MTT here and there for fun.

Good luck getting started though.

Re: Beginning online poker
 

Wiggs advice is dead one for a newbie. You should follow a strategy along those lines. 'Stosh

Re: Beginning online poker
 

I appreciate the advice. I prefer live ring games to online, but it's so popular I thought that I'd give it a try. Thanks again.

Re: Beginning online poker
 

when players are moved they also try to balance the number of chips at each table, so you aren't going to be at a table where everyone has equal stacks very often

Re: Beginning online poker
 

Welomce to Stars! Other posters are right about the mtt's, the sng's there are a good start and mix in a couple $1 0r $2 Mtt for the experience.
Good Luck