argh!! should I or shouldn't I? bonus whoring is tempting me...

chipstacks · #1 06-10-2005, 09:44 AM

I don't have the best experiences at PartyPoker, lost $350 there over a 1 and a 1/2 month period. Admittedly this is before I truly learned correct play(I knew the concepts but didn't really follow them), pot odds, and built up some resistance to tilt.

I started new at PokerStars after learning this stuff, and have turned a $25 deposit into $110 in about a week.

Anyway PartyPoker has given me a $10 bonus, should I risk a $50 deposit to try to clear that bonus? .50/1 fixed limit hands are raked right? I'm just really scared of PartyPoker right now.

Sorry if this post isn't really helpful to anyone besides me. What do you guys think I should do? I make a modest $10-$15 a day on PokerStars anyway, why should I care about PartyPokers bonus?

Ragnar · #2 06-10-2005, 11:46 AM

It depends. (Sorry to use the classic line, but it really always depends.) What limits are you playing on Stars? How long are you playing to make the amount you are making? How many tables are you playing?

Your month and a half on Party is a small sample size depending on number of hands. Your limited time on Stars is a very small sample size.

50-$1 tables on Party are raked, and you can clear bonuses on them.

The most important question is--are you confident that you have learned more and are better? If so I'd try it. The swings can be wilder there, but Party is too lucrative to stay forever because of one bad experience.

Ragnar

jb9 · #3 06-10-2005, 11:58 AM

I wouldn't be comfortable playing Party .5/1 with a $50 bankroll.

You could never make a mistake and still lose the whole $50 in an hour.

If $110 is your whole bankroll, I wouldn't risk it.

Keep building your bankroll. Find bonuses at sites with smaller limits than Party.

By the way, I don't think this has anything to do with Party -- I've seen $50 vanish from .5/1 tables at UB and Pacific pretty quickly too...

chipstacks · #4 06-10-2005, 12:02 PM

I made about $85 in one week at Poker Stars. The first 4 days I was only playing .05/.10 tables and earning about 50BB a day with only one losing day which was -25BB. Then I started playing $5/.50 fixed limit sit-n-go one table tourneys, in 25 tourneys I have finished in the money 16 times and took 1st place 4 times.

I do feel like I've gotten significantly better since I've started playing at Stars, but I feel alot of my confidence comes from the fact that I'm either playing micro-limits or low buy-in tourneys which really eliminates any risk or apprehension. In my experiences losing $50 at a .50/$1 PartyPoker table can happen in less than an hour, which is where my apprehension comes from.

Like you said the swings are big at Party (a swing can be between 200-300BB right?) I just can't justify dropping $200 in my Party account to safeguard against that right now.

Im starting to think I should get at least two months of consistently profitable play and try the .25/.50 tables at Stars before I start bonus whoring.

thanks for the input so far guys

Dangergirl · #5 06-10-2005, 12:32 PM

If I were you I'd stick to what I felt comfortable with. Keep building your bankroll at stars and as soon as you are comfortable move up in limits. As you already know this Party will have more whoring opportunities, so do not rush yourself. You might want to check out this thread though as it has some excellent advice for building a bankroll.
Homer's Bankroll Building

chipstacks · #6 06-10-2005, 02:34 PM

Dangergirl thank you so much for that link, you are awesome!

playersare · #7 06-10-2005, 02:39 PM

i kind of wish people would stop rubber stamping Homer's BABFN since it is fairly outdated now (especially the crypto section which incidentally is where he tells newbies to start with $100 - dangerous IMO).

Greg J has since writted "Building A Bankroll In The Micros" which is much more pertinent to chipstacks' situation, since dangergirl already advocates keeping the money in stars for now.
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...Number=1991448

Ragnar · #8 06-10-2005, 02:49 PM

After reading your responses to my questions I concur with the other posters. You haven't played successfully on Stars at the limit you propose to play at Party. And you don't have the bankroll.

Bonuses work if you are a consistent break even player. They work even better if you can win at the limit at which you clear them especially if you can two-table or multi-table.

A major part of this is about your personal goals. You are doing well in the sit 'n gos. Consider whether you might be better served by becoming a tournament specialist. If so bonuses won't be a big part of your income.

chipstacks · #9 06-10-2005, 04:18 PM

ok, it all makes sense. im gonna stay safe for now at stars while I build my bankroll, then go after the bonuses.

thanks again playersare and dangergirl for the bonus thread links, and ragnar and jb9 for the info/advice.

pzhon · #10 06-10-2005, 04:24 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Anyway PartyPoker has given me a $10 bonus, should I risk a $50 deposit to try to clear that bonus? .50/1 fixed limit hands are raked right? I'm just really scared of PartyPoker right now.

[/ QUOTE ]
The safest way to clear a bonus at Party Poker is to buy in short (for $5) at the NL $25 tables (or Omaha8 PL25). Then fold every hand. You will pay 0.35 in blinds for each orbit, and you will usually get credit for enough raked hands to clear $0.70-$1.00 in bonuses. It should take less than an hour to clear the bonus if you multitable.

A significant improvement on this strategy is to push if you have AQ or TT or better if no one raises in front of you. It is also easy to multitable with this strategy.