Recently I received a $20 ring game ticket for linking up my pokerstars account with full tilt, which was very nice, getting me to try my hand at cash games (until now, I mostly leeched of Party Poker, playing freerolls).
In the past few days, I won 2 tournaments for edge status players, giving me 2 additional ring game tickets worth $5 and $10.
All 3 tickets expire 7 days after their last use, so I must use all three tickets at least once a week, to keep them from expiring. That's okay, but a bit inconvenient when you go on holiday etc...
The thing that gets me though, is that the value of the ticket is only released when you generate 125 FTP for every $5... This means I must play $300 worth of pots before its value is released (or $1200 for the $20 one).
My question is how do you play $300 worth of pots without ever being down more than $5? It's impossible to bankroll manage it...
I'll try to play $2 buyin games with the $20, which might just work, but what would you do with these smaller tickets?
Why would the site use this scheme rather than just giving cash, with playthrough requirements?
Joined: Nov '12
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 4675
G'day mate.
What I did was take the $20 ring game ticket and sat down at a 0.10/0.25 cash table. I only made the minimum $10 buying for the table and played very tight ABC poker and when my $10 reach over $15 I left the table and sat down at a new table again for just $10 and repeated this process. Why buy in for the table minimum at this level you might ask? well i am very comfortable playing what others deem as short stacked. This method allows me to do several things. 1. I practice my short game play which helps me maintain my discipline without panicking during tournament play. 2. It gives me a way to put a maximum amount I can lose at the table thus helping me protect my backroll. Whenever I break this rule I get screwed. 3. It make other players at the table who do not know me misjudge my poker play. It makes no sense to me but people seem to make the automatic assumption a short stacked players is a fish. This makes me more money. 4. I can play fearless since I know if I bust out I can immediately rebuy right back in if I want too.
Keep in mind you can NOT multi table using a ticket as they can only be used towards one table at a time. but every time you leave a table with a profit which would put the money of the ticket above its value it just reloads to it max $20 value and all extra is immediately transfered to your cash account amount which you can do whatever you want with NO restrictions or point requirements!
Joined: Mar '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 1646
yeah i just do what Ronin does when i have a ticket. as soon as you make more than the tickets value stand up from your seat and the money goes straight into your account and you still have the full value of the ticket. i used my points to but a ring game ticket and it boosted my bankroll quite nicely good luck bud
The table stakes will determine which ticket you can use...you won't be able to buy in at an nl25 with a $2 ticket. NL2 will allow you to use the $2 or $5 or $20 ticket. Looks like you have a good range to choose from...if you wind up falling below the table buy in low limit...might as well keep playin it out cause if you leave that ticket will be useless or drop down if you can. All the best.
