Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I only play at pokerstars when they have a bonus. And i always cashout(after the bonus) with less money then I deposited. I make between 1.5 and 3bb/100 at PP though(depending on stakes) so I know I am a winning player. But stars, never fails me. I deposit, go on a downswing, and cash out with 20 bucks less then I had. However I will continue to do their bonuses. I know variance is a pain in the ass. So from now on I am going to let them stack, so i can actually put in a good 10,000 hands and see what my winrate really is at stars.

[/ QUOTE ]

betadecay, that is exactly what I did in 2004 playing Stars only when they had bonuses. I recall getting 5 bonuses (through several months), and I was up with 2 bonuses but was down big with 3 other bonuses. I finally hopped onto other sites afterwards after being down at Stars while I knew I was probably 1 to 2bb/100 winner at Party (at a higher stakes than Stars, ironically). I admit I will be happy to try Stars again & do at least 10K hands, too! Your post hit home for me...

* CalvinTy

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

I do worse at Stars when I deposit for a bonus, then if I deposit without a bonus.

I do believe Stars is rigged, and I am not playing there anymore.

I believe they rig it in favor of newer players, and against players who have cashed out wins. It is too complicated to analyze every all-in hand to determine if underdogs are winning disproportionately, but, from observation it is enough evidence for me to not want to play there.

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

do people play when not on bonuses???

Crazy

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

[ QUOTE ]

I believe they rig it in favor of newer players, and against players who have cashed out wins. It is too complicated to analyze every all-in hand to determine if underdogs are winning disproportionately, but, from observation it is enough evidence for me to not want to play there.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess the pros who play there and cashout weekly are just lucky.

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

'I make between 1.5 and 3bb/100 at PP though(depending on stakes) so I know I am a winning player. But stars, never fails me'

LOL - have you considered that perhaps Stars is a harder site? I was a big winner at Party and a loser at Stars for ages - at least 18 months- if you are only winning 2PTBB at Party I would expect you to be losing at Stars..

it wasn't that Stars is rigged - of all the sites it is the one that is the most 'straight up' -
it was that at the stakes I was then playing at Stars was far tougher for my style of play..

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

[ QUOTE ]


it wasn't that Stars is rigged - of all the sites it is the one that is the most 'straight up' -

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the same as saying PP is rigged. I don't understand your point.
Stars is a tougher site to play limit, however the games are still very beatable. I thought I mentioned I considered the losing streak to be an effect of variance, not a conspiricy.

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

I don't believe for a second that any major site is rigged. It's just that Stars has the best record for customer service of any site - and the reputation for the most fair dealing with customers - that is what I meant by 'straight-up'.

If you are going to be paranaoid enough to allege that any site is rigged then Stars is the least plausible to pick..

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

I think some people don't take bankroll into account when depositing money, then get upset when variance kills them. When I first came on here, I looked at the bankroll builder for newbies and saw the Interpoker bonus and that it clears best at 1/2. So what do I do? I take $100 out of my account and go play 1/2. But I hit a bad run of cards and lose my money. I don't think I am the only one dumb enough to do this kind of thing, though it is possible that I am a one of a kind poker retard. My point is just to make sure people understand to take enough of a roll to cover their swings.

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

Maintain two accounts at each site. During a bonus period, you can deposit to the first account, transfer funds to the second account, then your cards won't go dead, and you won't incur the bonus penalty.

Re: Bonus Paranoia?
 

Case in point: on this hand I had 10-1 odds... against me.

converter

MP2 (t2670)
CO (t2755)
Button (t3830)
SB (t1335)
BB (t2950)
UTG (t1535)
Hero (t2880)
MP1 (t2335)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls t50, Hero calls t50, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 calls t50, CO calls t50, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t300) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(6 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">BB bets t100</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t200</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t600</font>, MP2 folds, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises to t2705</font>, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls t1285 (All-In), Hero calls t2105.

Turn: (t7295) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>

River: (t7295) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t7295

Results in white below: <font color="#FFFFFF">
UTG has Jd Tc (flush, jack high).
Hero has 6d 6h (flush, ten high).
CO has Th Js (one pair, tens).
Outcome: UTG wins t4855. Hero wins t2440. </font>