Moving Online

[lapoker17]

As many know, I play exclusively live - 10/20ish at Commerce, sometimes Bellagio. I just left LA, and will be on the East Coast for a month or two. I am not close to AC or Foxwoods or anything, so I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and start playing online until my LA return.

So, my question for you guys is: What games online are comparable to my normal game? Where should I start?

[fsuplayer]

i have never played the Pstars games, but rumors have it that they are not good at all most of the time.

I have played the most at prima, and i like their games the best. the 6 max games are okay, but their full ring games seem very beatable at the 5-10 level.

i know that ucfthayer (i think thats his 2+2 name) plays higher than that and says the games are fairly good.

the 25-50 5000 max game can be very good from what i have seen.

[The_Bends]

I've just moved the other way. My collage network does not allow connection to poker sites so I play exclusively live now. First thing to mention is that the move from one to the other without any previous experience is massive. I found the conventions and practicalities of live hard to deal with in my first few sessions and I expect you'll find the same moving to online. Most obvious difference will be the speed you are expected to play at but other things such as the way you mentally calculate pot odds will be different. I always played online so was very used to having clear numbers put infront of me, presumably you'll be more used to counting chips.

Upshot is I'd move down a level or two and play quite low while you get used to the speed/software/different ways of reading people. Nothing wrong with playing a session at 1/2 then quickly moving back to your natural level if it saves you expensive mistakes while adapting.

[B Mando]

Live poker and online poker are two totally different worlds. I would start playing at lower stakes at first just to kinda feel your way around(1-2 maybe?). I have very limited casino experience as I live in Irvine and I am very lazy BUT I think you will find internet players are much better than live players. I dont know how much you are putting forth as your internet bankroll but I would play at UB if I was in your situation. I play on PokerRoom but I dont think that is enough action for you as the biggest game is a 500max 2-5 game. I have played their 1-2 200max game a decent amount and it is very soft with very few regulars and tons of people just tilting it all away.

[AZK]

For the stakes you play I'd stick to prima/UB. I agree with some other poster that you should maybe try a 2/4 game for a little to get used to the speed/players etc. Online is totally different and you'll probably have harder time at first since ther are ZERO reads basically compared to live play. You might want to try the strategy that diablo and flynn have talked about recently of buying in short, doubling through, rinse, repeat at 3 - 5 tables. I think I'm going to revert to this and try it for a while, see how it works compared to just buyin in full and playing 1 or 2 tables until I get a big enough database of players. Try it at least until you get comfortable with the players. PT is a must, prima's hand histories are down right now which blows, but you could start with UB. Probably some other things but I can't think of them off the top of my head. I'd also consider getting a rakeback deal, it's suprising how much you can make back in rake each month.

[ObnxNole]

The no limit games on prima are excellent. $2/$4 six max games are awesome and the bigger full ring games are definitely very beatable. Just beware of all the table coaches.

[Ulysses]

You'll be fine in the 5/10NL games anywhere (UB/Prima/Stars). You've played the smaller capped buy-in games live, so you understand what the strategy change is there. In general, except for Matt Flynn, guys buying in with $500 or less to the 5-10 games are complete idiots. 3 or 4-handed against guys w/ $400 each is free money. I haven't played at Prima, but apparently they are the softest. The Stars games are often a little on the tight side, the UB games are more loose-aggressive. In all the games be ready for some stupid underbetting to a degree you'll rarely see live. The short-handed games will be more aggressive than the live short-handed games you play. The UB 25-50 game is all player dependent and overall is an order of magnitude more aggressive than the live games you play. The bigger Prima games are apparently really good. Full Tilt has started 25-50NL which I suspect will be very good.

[gummy d]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned party. I know their support sucks and their max no limit is 200 but still seems like the games are beatable. Different opinions on this?
If so why?

[lapoker17]

I think stakes are probably just way too low - Given what I'm used to.

[gummy d]

yeh, you got a point there. lol in your endeavor.