Switching from B&M to On-line

[michaelp]

I can see this happening over the Xmas break while I am away from my home town for a while.

A few quick questions:
What's involved in working off your bonus?

At the end of 100 hrs in the B&M I am up about 90BB at 4-8.

Do i need to concider anything beyond the normal bankroll conciderations when I chose my starting limits?

[Harv72b]

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What's involved in working off your bonus?

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Most sites require you to play a certain number of raked hands in order to clear your bonus. The precise amount varies, but it's generally between 5 and 10 raked hands per dollar. Depending on what limit you play and which site you play on, usually at least 2 of every 3 hands is raked.

Some sites work it differently and require you to wager X number of dollars or earn Y number of their frequent player points, but it's all generally the same deal. Just read the fine print when you sign up; the reputable sites will credit your bonus money into your account within 24 hours of your clearing the bonus, and many will do so within 1 hour.

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Do i need to concider anything beyond the normal bankroll conciderations when I chose my starting limits?

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Online games are much tighter than B&M games, and your opponents are going to be a little better in general terms (certainly more aggressive). You'll see a lot more in the way of bluffing, semibluffing, and check/raising than you're probably used to (as well as more raising in general). I don't play B&M, but the general consensus seems to be that most online games play similarly to their B&M cousins 2 or 3 limits higher (so you'd probably be most comfortable, or least uncomfortable, in a .50/1 game to start out).

BonusWhores has a lot of good info regarding deposit bonuses and site reviews; it's worth browsing through it before you decide which site to go with.

Also, if you intend to keep playing online after the holidays, you'd be wise to invest in Poker Tracker.