OT- Online Poker

[Esquared1]

Hello all,

Greetings from the Midwest.

I am a long time lurker who used to go by Stanmarsh100. . .

Anyhow, I've seen many write about online poker, and I had a few questions. I was interested in playing on either Party Poker or Poker Stars. I believe some play at Party Poker (see dynasty section, which is very good, BTW).

Does anybody play at Poker Stars?

How do you transfer money? Does anybody have experience using a CC or Debit card to do it?

Any good stories?

In the big picture, it would be nice to grab a table a battle a little bit. ..

[MJ4H]

i play just about everywhere, but only free tournaments and play money tables.

[Esquared1]

Currently, I do the same thing, but I was thinking about throwing $50 toward playing. . . until the next Vegas trip.

[QuikSand]

I can see playing poker for practice... and I can see playing poker for social interaction. But I fail to see the point of playing poker for "real money" of a trifling stake.

What is the point of playing in a $10 online tournament? Is it in hopes of getting better, so you can eventually play for real money? Or is this an end in itself?

[Esquared1]

I play $3/$6 in Vegas, but I would like to get better at the game. I guess it is not so much the money, it's the competition. I love playing Blackjack, but it is not competative.

I think the thread a few months back from Vegas Vic summarized it up pretty well.

[Airhog]

Originally posted by QuikSand
I can see playing poker for practice... and I can see playing poker for social interaction. But I fail to see the point of playing poker for "real money" of a trifling stake.

What is the point of playing in a $10 online tournament? Is it in hopes of getting better, so you can eventually play for real money? Or is this an end in itself?

I would have to assume that it is in hopes of refining your tournament play. Before the advent of online gambling and large multi-table tournaments, there was no way to gain experience playing against 800 people cheaply. Granted you find alot of idiots in the free and low buy in tournaments. But on the other hand, sound playing will still benefit you, even if you do lose out to lucky people.

I myself enjoy playing on the free tables. If I had the cash to spare I might play some money games, but I dont trust my ability to play yet.

[Radii]

Originally posted by QuikSand
I can see playing poker for practice... and I can see playing poker for social interaction. But I fail to see the point of playing poker for "real money" of a trifling stake.

What is the point of playing in a $10 online tournament? Is it in hopes of getting better, so you can eventually play for real money? Or is this an end in itself?

I play single table tournaments on partypoker.com at its two lowest levels, $5+$1 and $10+$1 entry fees. 10 people at a table, top 3 win money. At the $5 level, the winner takes $25, 2nd takes $15, 3rd takes $10. At the $10 level, winner takes $50, 2nd takes $30, 3rd takes $20.

If I come home at 7pm with nothing else to do I can play 4 tournaments by midnight(I only play 1 table at a time).

I'm only beginning to make a serious, legitimate record of the money I'm spending and my outcomes(actually was thinking of a dynasty for my tournaments to record it here but not sure yet), but at this point in my endeavor I honestly believe I can make a signifigant amount of money per month doing this. It is extremely rare that I play 3 tournaments without at least placing 3rd in one of them. Yesterday I played 4 tournaments, won two of them, finished 3rd once. I spent $44 entering these 4 and won $120. That's not the norm, and I'd be more than happy to post numbers after a month or two of keeping records.

BTW, when I say a "signifigant" amount of money, my goal isn't to turn pro or play for large stakes, honestly I'm hoping I have reached a point where I can average say $200-$300/mo in profit that I can put in my house down payment savings fund. If I become good enough at this and can build up my bankroll a bit there is a step up to $30+$3 tournaments where I assume the winner takes $150 that I'd be willing to jump up to if I have the bankroll to support a losing streak at that level.

Whether all this will be reasonable or realizable over a signifigant period of time remains to be seen, but the above is my expectations based on about 3 months of reading, playing various games online at various sites, and settling on PartyPoker's single table tournaments as the game that I feel best suited to play at and profit from.

[MJ4H]

Originally posted by QuikSand
I can see playing poker for practice... and I can see playing poker for social interaction. But I fail to see the point of playing poker for "real money" of a trifling stake.

What is the point of playing in a $10 online tournament? Is it in hopes of getting better, so you can eventually play for real money? Or is this an end in itself?

Well one point is this: I dont want to play for real money. I think gambling is a slippery slope. I forbid my wife from gambling (which she agrees with) because she confesses to me that if she started, she doesnt think she could stop. I know *I* could stop, but Im not going to "gamble" and tell her she can't. So I dont. However, I LOVE poker. I usually play for play money, and do pretty well. I've even written a "bot" that allows FICS players to play poker in between chess games.

The best fake money experience is tournaments, because the idiots are gone for good very quickly. Low limit real money tables would probably be where I would play if I did play for real money. Since there is something on the line, there wont be people just calling and raising willy-nilly.

[panerd]

My problem with online poker is with people like my friend. (He has never played online poker, but I am talking about people with his attitude) He thinks it is fun to find somebody to play online spades with and communicate thier hands to each other to win. Does partypoker.com (or any other site for that matter) do anything to make sure the tables aren't stacked with people in collusion? Maybe I am off base thinking that every table is Worm and Mikey McD, but I just don't trust any online game of chance.

On a side note: A friend of mine plays craps online! Now I realize that most places, i.e. Casino on net, are probably pretty reputable. But when I am playing live at a casino they can switch out the stickman and switch out the dice and I can still see everything that is going on. When my friend plays online and starts to get on a roll how does he know whether it is random luck or deliberate sabotage that is "sevening" him out everytime?

[MJ4H]

Every reputable site will check on any collusion incidents you may suspect and its usually very easy to report your suspicion.

[TredWel]

Originally posted by QuikSand
What is the point of playing in a $10 online tournament? Is it in hopes of getting better, so you can eventually play for real money? Or is this an end in itself?

Two reasons why I play at such a low limit right now:

1. Experience. I was a greenhorn to gambling not two months ago. I've been of age to gamble for about half a year now, and the closest casinos to me are in Atlantic City, a sizeable drive. I wanted to learn how to play well, and my options were limited. By playing low-limit, I get people who are serious enough to put up money, but not great enough to be sitting at the big tables.

2. Bankroll. My current career is "unemployed college graduate" at this point. I would be happy to drop down a few hundred and play higher limit, I feel I could still rake in about the same ratio as I do now. But, that's beyond my means at this point. Once my bankroll inflates with my lower-limit winnings to a proportion that can take higher limits, I will gladly increase my action.

[TredWel]

Originally posted by panerd
Does partypoker.com (or any other site for that matter) do anything to make sure the tables aren't stacked with people in collusion?

One thing they actively do to stop collusion is keep tabs on who plays with whom, and how often. If there's a pair of players who sit together often and win, they're alerted about it.

In Hold 'em, I don't know if knowing what cards are in one opponent's hand really does you much good. You avoid one or two potential bad beats, but the odds that it helps you immensely in the long run don't seem too good.

[Airhog]

I think the main problem with collusion, is not winning more often, but winning bigger pots. You have the ability to double raise someone sitting between you, and they are forced to check or lose the money. It doesnt guarantee you win more often though.

[Esquared1]

I'm in the same boat. . . would rather learn and lose as little as possible as I learn.

BTW, is anybody playing, and how did you transfer money to the account?

[Radii]

I use neteller.com to transfer between my bank and partypoker.com. Works a lot like paypal I believe.

[Esquared1]

Cool, thanks Radii.


Is there a time people usually play, and what are your screen names?

Mine is Stanmarsh100, and I currently play at the play money tables at either Poker Stars or Party Poker.

Also, for those who play at Party Poker, you might want to check out Poker Stars. I believe the rake is much lower, especially in the lower limit tables.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Somebody here (sorry, I forget who) recommended TruePoker, and I agree with that endorsement. I've had lots of fun at TruePoker, and most of the players at the play money tables have actually played fairly decent poker. I haven't seen many instances of people raising the pots unrealistically just because the money isn't real. Another great thing about TruePoker is that there are always tournaments going on. I only play for play money (as I think I might run into trouble with real money in Louisiana), but the tournaments are great.

http://www.truepoker.com

Maybe you'll like it, or maybe you won't, but I personally find it fun.

[sabotai]

My nick at both Poker Stars and True Poker is sabotaikhan. However, since I had to reinstall XP a little while ago, I havne't been there. Just...too lazy to go back to the sites I guess. :)