Joined: Sep '08
Location: United States
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 29
I am new to bankrollmob and just trying to figure out my options here. I am starting to have hope with all the promotions and all the other games you guys give here. Im wondering about couple little things like when you get the free money, it said you had to play raked games in order to release $1 or what not. Those that mean that you guys are offering bonus money that you have to work to get released or actual money that is available right away. Either ways i dont mind either one of them but i would like to know which one is which. Besides that I look forward to seeing you guys at the poker table.
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Croatia
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1308
Most of the offers here are divided in real money and bonus which has to be released by playing with the real money you get. Example for Full Tilt you get $50 in real money and $50 in bonus money which is released by standard Full Tilt bonus conditions, bonus is released in $5 parts. For Action Poker You get $40 in real money and $100 in bonus money which has to be released. Just look at bankrolls page and look at the details for every offer. As i remember all offers have clearly stated amount of real and bonus money. No tricks here tsabbat . I see that You are from US and I advise you before requesting any offer to look is it available to US citizens. Even though some sites allow US citizens to play at the site it does not mean that free bankroll offered by BRM is available to You. Read all the requirements for every offer. GL and welcome to BRM.
Joined: Sep '08
Location: United States
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 29
Thanks I appreciate i will look into that, besides you got any tips for me on building my bankroll how big is your bankroll? lemme know because i am in desperate need of a advisor. To tell you the truth i lack something call self control. Lately i been playing freerolls and i been just letting go like i was tired of playing poker or something i need to keep focus at all time so i need someone to look up too, if you can be my advisor let me know i am in desperate need.
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Croatia
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1308
I don`t think that I will be the best advisor for You. I can give You few advices if You are new to online poker.
First thing You must do is to read Terms&Conditions of every offer most of them are "sticky". It means that You must generate certain amount of rake before You are able to release the bonus and withdraw the money and read withdrawal/deposit terms of every site you intend to play at. Also before You make a deposit go with validation process for your account before you make a deposit, this way you will save yourself some time and possible trouble due to account validation. Check also if freeroll winnings are "sticky" too. I just remembered someone saying that Poker stars also allows players to make a withdrawal without making initial deposit, you might wanna check that out before you ask me what site is that crappy one i mentioned, also create account on Poker stars through BRM if you don`t have one already and enter $3000 freeroll.
Now after you read all the terms, you can choose where is the good starting point for creating your initial bankroll. I recommend you to include Poker stars WR2 freerolls in your calendar if they allow withdrawals without deposit because if you get lucky you will win enough to be able to make a deposit on some other site where you also won money from freerolls.
Self control. I am struggling with that one too but my menace are slots. I am currently solving this issue by avoiding poker sites with casinos. I got my access to casino on Doylesroom blocked, after losing certain amount of poker money in their casino. If you feel tired don`t play anything else but freerolls, it will save you great deal of money and effort you invested in getting that money. Under self control you must include bankroll management and really YOU MUST. NEVER PLAY NL TABLES IF YOU DONT HAVE THE BANKROLL FOR THAT LEVEL. You can try your luck on FL tables if you are good at FL HE and if you take some time to see how the game at specific table is played, with lets say 10-15% but it is highly risky too because you cant get one magic hand in FL that will get you up, it is slow and steady process on FL tables. If the table is too loose, don`t think for a second to sit at it if you are not following strict bankroll management guidelines. Google for bankroll management, there is lots of it out there so it wont be a problem.
If you feel bored playing poker, don`t play it. That is why I said that you must read all terms for any offer, because at anytime you can get bored of the game and you need a rest. If you feel you need a rest from poker, take it. Don`t hesitate on that too. Take a day or two or even a week, until you get anxious to play poker again. Some offers have time limits and if you need a rest, You will have 2 options, to take a rest and fail in fulfilling the terms or play and fulfill requirements with risk of losing most of your money because you don`t play your A game. Remember one thing, most of the low limit tables on every site will tire you more than higher limits for 2 reasons. First, table is too loose and You will have to think hard what to do and bad beats, which will occur more often on low limit loose table, will have harder impact just because you invest so much time and attention and then someone sucks out on you. Second, if table is too tight, you will not get sucked out that often and have certain peace of mind on that part, but those tables get dull soon and they can produce same amount of mental damage as loose tables by making you automaton. Also tight tables don`t produce some drastic changes in your bankroll and this also can put you in "bored" phase. To avoid this try to rest every hour for at least 5 minutes. I got into this 1 hour routine and I have to use restroom every hour of my wake time even if i don`t play tourneys. This routine also helps you in tournaments, go to restroom just before the tourney and there will be no distractions from game on that part. Another thing, which i break often myself but it is not good thing to do, is to avoid overnight sessions. Even with 1 hour routine breaks you will get tired after some time, i get tired after some 5 or 6 hours you may get tired earlier or later adjust it to your liking, and after that point you are not good poker player as you were and you should stop playing immediately and take either a long break for 2 or 3 hours or go to sleep, with latter being the better solution. If you play lots of tourneys and they all start at same time every week, as most freerolls do, plan your weekly schedule and follow it. This will also help you prevent getting bored of the game. If you play 6 tourneys a day they will suck out all energy out of you in few days or a week and you will have to take a longer break to recuperate. Pick most profitable or tournaments with big prize pools and play 1 or 2 max 3 per day and 3rd only if you drop out of first 2 early. If you drop out of 3rd, don`t play anymore, this probably is just not your day and losing streak can have devastating effect on your confidence in play, cumulative with all previous things i mentioned. Pay more attention to your girlfriend, she will appreciate it, friends and family in those gaps it will make you feel better for certain.
About gameplay i can tell you one thing. It is good to know the rules and what books have to say about playing poker, personally i like Super system 1 by Doyle B. the most, because things mentioned in those books are always good as "dry ground" if you are drowning on some table and you just can`t swim. If you can`t beat the table in tourney those tactics will make you survive, hopefully, until you get reseated and in cash game, well in cash game it is the best tactic to leave that table and find another one. That is the downside of low traffic sites, you just cannot choose where to play and if you must play against better player, you know where that leads. But in the end you will play your own game, it will have some points similar to those mentioned in books but it will be entirely your game and that is why it is important to play A game always and rest. Some players like loose more than tight and they are good at it, others may prefer tighter game, but they all have some unique or borrowed tricks and those tricks will make most profitable hands in both tournaments and ring games. Watch and learn, try to understand why someone made that move, is he just a lucky donk or some shark who knew exactly what he/she was doing, when is that move applicable to your advantage and remember that poker say and put big value on it, "If you can`t spot the sucker at your table, it`s probably you". Remember also that not all moves in poker are about betting. When you, how you play and what you play will make your image at the table. Different image will reward you in different situations, decision which is appropriate for the table you are playing at is entirely to you, no book can tell you that. Practice will make you better and I will once again point to you how rest is important because not only you will make bad decisions while playing tired, you will also not be able to learn anything from that game and you wont be able to perfect your game. If you are new to poker entirely don`t multitable no matter what others are saying or how profitable they are at it. This will also make your game play stagnate.
I think this one got long even for my taste so ill stop now. If you have any question about it feel free to ask, I always like to help as much as i can.
Edited by Predobar (23 September 2008 @ 09:25 GMT)
Joined: Sep '08
Location: United States
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 29
Thanks Predobar i am actually an advance online and live poker player. I just hate pokerstars so i recently move to fulltilt but i am so brutally hurt at pokerstars that i dont even want to deposit anything on any sites yet. So I am just playing freerolls and enjoying playing poker even do freerolls are just impossible for good players with the donkfest. But yea i just wanted someone to report back on my success because thats what i lack. Even when i deposit money same things happens to me. So right now i am learning self control and i really like that post you made it brings back memories and some of the stuff i just really never applied it to my game. But im going to give them a try and i will let you know
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Croatia
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1308
I would not recommend Full Tilt for starting your bankroll or hoping for some big success on low limits. Yes you can gamble and hopefully win money on them but it is pure luck and has nothing to do with your poker skills. I made min deposit there just recently to validate account for some future withdrawal and i struggled to get back to $50 on FL tables. When I was thinking how come i struggle so much and only stagnate i came to conclusion that it is not me or my play. People there on low limits are either total donks or practice bot like tight as hell game and in every hand you have one of both with you and if rock does not hit donk will so bluffing is out of the question. I tried to play loose and got sucked out by few players on PL 10 seat tabels, then i tried to play SH PL but it is the same game as it is on 10 seaters, either rock style or 7-2off suckouts. At this point i was down from that $50 to some $28. I decided to play FL tables because at least i can see cheap when someone is going to suck on me and it looked like it was my turn to be sucked out. To cut this short, I struggled for 3 days to get back $50. Tried many strategies and only one worked, playing rock style as few others did. Everything else is pointless.
If You want advice what is the safest way to build your bankroll, i would say FL and FL games only in ring games. I deposited on Poker stars recently and was able to go up with no problem at all on FL with 3 tournaments per day schedule, avoid $0.10 SNG`s. Made few final tables and finished ITM 25% of the time, $0.10 360pl excluded, by playing normal game. Curently my ROI on Poker stars, with $0.10 360pl excluded, is 107%. This is by following strict bankroll rules with exception of FL tables. You will also find FL tables good for clearing out bonuses on some sites. Poker stars is not such place because it has "unique" bonus and points system, low limits are points free, but on Full Tilt you can make a small fortune by playing FL tables without endangering your bankroll. This is probably the main reason why game sucks on Full Tilt low limit tables.
You say that You don`t want to deposit anything on any site. I never invested single dollar, except ISP services and time, in online gambling, made all of my gambling money from freerolls. I would like to say that I made some money with no deposit offers but it would be a lie, because I don`t have luck with ND offers. Main obstacle I had to overcome with this approach was withdrawal policy on most of the sites. I made a promise to myself that I wont gamble with my own money and I am sticking to that. I would still recommend Poker stars WR1 and WR2 freerolls as they are good approach. you must control yourself not to play ring games with $0.80 you win from single tournament but wait until you have at least 5 min buy ins for $0.02/0.04 FL tables and sit only on those tables which are tight, because You don`t have bankroll and You need to play it very carefully, see as many hands as possible with as little invested as possible. Once you get up with your bankroll to the point that you can make a min deposit on some other site and still have money left to at least start from 10 buy ins on lowest FL table, start picking a site where you will deposit and clear one bonus, hopefully without losing your initial deposit.
This is time taking process and if you don`t have time to do it don`t even bother with it. If you lack time and money to support such an effort, maybe it is the best solution for you to deposit enough money for 10 buy ins on FL $0.50/1.00 or $1/2 tables and start there if you are good enough at FL. Those limits if played right and with average luck will give, produce, you nice income when mixed with few tournaments, when i say tournament i mean MTT, SNG`s are not tournaments IMO , I was able to make with only 2-3 hours a day play on FL $0.50/1.00 average of $30 and i am fine with that, since it exceeds average wage in my country and I don`t have to pretend being nice to someone or take shiiit from anyone on work. When this is mixed with occasional bigger tournament wins it is a full time job. Of course one requirement is crucial, you have to like playing poker.
Joined: Sep '08
Location: United States
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 29
Thx for the advice Predobar, i must ask where you from because today im going to try to play the USA VS Canada freeroll. Its not easy because its a very fast turbo so people are going all in all the time. I should be able to make it to top 250 and walk out with $5 but i make it top 5 i win $5 and also a seat to the round two i think either ways im going to keep you posted and best of luck to you and your tourneys today.
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Croatia
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1308
For Turbo tournaments main factor is luck. If you don`t get winning cards quick you`re dead and in need of miracle. Don`t push with junk only because blinds are catching up, consider that only as last resort, but as i said, if luck is not on your side nothing can help you. I prefer longer blinds and big stacks in beginning. Max blind level i found was 15 minutes and even that is too short for my taste. I like to play poker and for online to really get the hang of someone on the table, to be able to put him on some hand for sure, you must play several hands with him or watch him play several hands where he shows its cards. Even 15 minute blinds are too small for that. Usually people start playing too slow in 15 min blinds and most of the time one can be happy if he play 2 rounds of blinds on each. Too few. Those low limits are good for examining others play and creating your own image. All these rules don`t apply to turbo tournaments, that is why i don`t play them, they are more casino games then card games. I entered that one only because I was tired, it was free and I also got money for 1st place. I realized that i won a seat in 250K the day after.
Please keep us posted how everything is going with you, even if it is a sad story it can still do good to some.
Joined: Sep '08
Location: United States
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 29
I didnt have a chance to play last night, I actually had made .12 cents on carbon at 7:00 P.M. but had to go out so i should of sat out. But unfortunately my stupid ego told me to try to double up or lose lol when i think about it what is wrong with me. Either ways im up to .23 at Carbon Poker and 1.13 at fulltilt so Tonight definitely i will have a chance to play at pokerstars. I will keep you posted.
Joined: Sep '08
Location: United States
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 29
Yea ima give it a try, got good new do made $5 at pokerstars couple minutes ago but hey man i gotta tell you one of the stupidest beat i got in a while and thinking it threw wow that guy was stupid. If i won that pot I would of easily made it to top 50 and qualify for the round 2 but fell short, lost 81 or something ima give it a try tomorrow again its pretty easy havent played a easy 5 bucks like that in a while. Just wanted to let you know Coach Predobar I keep you posted.
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Croatia
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1308
Great work, small steps and you will be up in no time. If you are anxious to play you could try one session on FL $0.02/0.04 tables with $0.80 buy in to see how it goes. Find one with average pot around $0.20 and not more then 38% players per flop and you could start there. If you double up it is up to you will you continue or not playing there, it depends on how you won the money, if it was just lucky suckout i suggest you leave, and if cards don`t fall your way maybe it is for the best to leave because you don`t have much money to play with. On the other hand if table is soft and cards fall your way, keep it up until you fall down to some $1.25 or so and then leave. Don`t even think about playing NL tables with that or those $0.10 360 SNG. 360 sng`s are total waste of time and money and they will ruin your stats online and lots of people check them out regularly when playing tournaments making you look bad when you are not. P.S. I`m not your coach
Joined: Mar '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 36 (M)
Posts: 215
predobar if u karnt beat the small games on full tilt then its your problem definatly not the other players i moved up from .05/.10 to .10/.25 in a matter of hours multitabling there the games are so easy i recommend tilt defo, and yes i stik to Broll management
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Croatia
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1308
I can beat the game, read entire first part of the post, i just don`t like it because it is bot like. I was struggling to get up but playing was so dull that i don`t want to play there. Nothing new learned and it is hard to exploit someone who is too tight because there is always someone who will call. I am talking about FL tables, not NL or PL, and you obviously talk about NL or PL.
I don`t want to repeat myself about multitabling and how it affects your game, you can read it and i stick to that.
One thing about Full Tilt is limits, Poker stars have smaller limits and it is easier to start small. My proposal is in need of small FL tables. Full Tilt lowest FL tables start at $0.25/0.50 and on Poker stars at $0.02/0.04 making it far more easier to follow bankroll management then on Full Tilt. One other thing about Full Tilt which is downside when comparing to Poker stars is FTP withdrawal policy. If tsabbat did not made a deposit already on FTP, only method he can use is check, but since he is from US it is not that much of a deal.
EDIT: IMO multitabling is THE thing responsible for dull game online. On rare occasions on high traffic sites you can find yourself sitting at the table where people play only that table. Compare that session to all others you played multitabling and which of those two gave you more satisfaction not valued by money. Don`t you think that games where you multitable are more check/bet/raise/fold games based on poker game called Texas Hold`em?
Edited by Predobar (25 September 2008 @ 07:59 GMT)
Posted by Predobarthey will ruin your stats online and lots of people check them out regularly when playing tournaments making you look bad when you are not.
Not always a bad thing, people want to have the other hand by checking up on you and seeing what type of player you have, check your stats think your a fish, will approach you like you are a worse player than you actually are, and you take their money off of them. More fool them for believing every stat they see
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Croatia
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1308
About online stats. True that you can exploit it in this matter but it can backfire against you too. IMO i think that it is best if others respect you, this way you can lead them to think whatever you want if you play it right and still take the money of them.
Not much, actually trying not to play too much, i want to rest a little because it will be a busy weekend with tournaments. I have 5 scheduled that i have to attend in next 4 days and one is over my bankroll so i try to be at my best for that one.
Joined: Sep '08
Location: United States
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 29
On which site is that big tournament i would like to observe. Let me know when you can. Besides that im doing not too bad, today i practice self control and did good thanks to you. Ultimate Bet: $5.00 Carbon Poker: $5.23 Pokerstars: $7.84 Fulltilt: $1.15
I made the money in 2 freerolls today and im playing another right now lol Let me know about your big tournament.
------------ Also i have a off-topic question, what the deal with Crocrop he still injured, I haven't seen him in the ring in a long time, neither pride or the octagon wats the deal lol let me know. That guy is a beast.
. I see that You are from US and I advise you before requesting any offer to look is it available to US citizens. Even though some sites allow US citizens to play at the site it does not mean that free bankroll offered by BRM is available to You. Read all the requirements for every offer. GL and welcome to BRM.
so ill stop now. If you have any question about it feel free to ask, I always like to help as much as i can.
, I was able to make with only 2-3 hours a day play on FL $0.50/1.00 average of $30 and i am fine with that, since it exceeds average wage in my country and I don`t have to pretend being nice to someone or take shiiit from anyone on work. When this is mixed with occasional bigger tournament wins it is a full time job. Of course one requirement is crucial, you have to like playing 
I didnt have a chance to play last night, I actually had made .12 cents on carbon at 7:00 P.M. but had to go out so i should of sat out. But unfortunately my stupid ego told me to try to double up or lose lol when i think about it 
