Bankroll build up question ...

Guys,

I've been playing online poker for about 3 months now. I would like to ask you what do you think would be the best way to build a bankroll?

I'm currently sitting on around 175$ (spread amongst Party, Stars, ...).
It's not much but I started of with around 150$ as I did not wanted to invest too much initially. I managed to go down to 100$ one month ago, but since I feel that I'm playing much better and I've gained 75$ last month.
My goal would be to reach about $500 by the end of the year ... but I think this will mostly be next year ...

Now, I've been playing Stars $1.20/45 SNG and sometimes $3.30, $2.20 or $1.10 freezouts. I've also been playing Party $1, other small tourneys on VC poker and some freerolls.
I would like to start playing the Stars $4.40 /180 SNG, but I do not have the bankroll for that (I read somewhere that you need around 100 buy-ins to avoid going broke).

What should I do? Should I keep on playing as I've described? Should I try ring games? I've played a couple of 0.25 NL on Party and Stars, but I basically lost money! So I've abandon it ...
Should I focus more on SNGs?

Thanks for the advice!

i would pull my money together and go 1 site at a time, first of all - 2nd I would play cash games - i just think there is a more solid rate of return instead of sporadic with the tempting huge payouts...Also, do some bonus chasing? do you like playing limit?

What I did over the last month is lost most of my BR, took my last $100 and started grinding 10NL - I was pissed that I lost, but at the same time it got me to realize that i had a lot to learn and to swallow some pride - Now i'm back up to $700 and back to 25NL - granted, its very low limit but the fact that i grinded it up myself im kinda proud of -

otherwise, is the money easily replaceable? Maybe do the $4.40's at Stars - those are really good for a little 180 man tourney - clock a couple of decent finishes or a win and your BR will be in good shape - i'll have to let everyone else answer the SNG tactics though - i just try to play cash with occasional MTT's

casino whoring would get you to $500 by the end of the week

Swig or others
Can you give some specific examples of how to do this.

true - forgot about the casino whoring - Find EasyT's casino whoring guide - its right on the front page...there are some Super easy $100 bonus' to clear - I actually went to vegas that way...took $100 and turned it into $500 in no time

Originally Posted by villagenut

Swig or others
Can you give some specific examples of how to do this.

Go to the house of cards forum. Actually ttanka and midas wrote the stickies.

There's a ton of personal thread's, the easy 3...

PlaetLuck
StarLuck
bet365

Its also possible to lose your $100 casino whoring if you get unlucky.

Please play higher than the $1+.20's. The rake is horrendous.

Originally Posted by Harry

Its also possible to lose your $100 casino whoring if you get unlucky.

If you're careful this is unlikely

Thanks for the advice guys!

Originally Posted by Harry

Its also possible to lose your $100 casino whoring if you get unlucky.

This is what I'm worried ... I would prefer investing money in a game where not only luck plays a good part (i.e. poker).

Originally Posted by LimpinAintEZ

i would pull my money together and go 1 site at a time, first of all - 2nd I would play cash games - i just think there is a more solid rate of return instead of sporadic with the tempting huge payouts...Also, do some Bonus chasing? do you like playing limit?

Well, I don't like putting the money on only one site 'cus for example I love the Party $1 at 16:45 ET, reaching the final table would give you almost always at least $20 ... for the moment I got one 37th and some top200 places. On the other side, I like the $1.20/45 SNG at Stars as it's king of a small tourney and I don't seem to handle well 1-table SNG.

I think I played only once limit ... as all the times I played ring games it did not went well, I stoped playing them ... I read somewhere, that if you are starting to play poker you should not mix too many things (i.e. playing SNG/MTT and ring is not a good idea).

Originally Posted by LimpinAintEZ

otherwise, is the money easily replaceable? Maybe do the $4.40's at Stars - those are really good for a little 180 man tourney - clock a couple of decent finishes or a win and your BR will be in good shape - i'll have to let everyone else answer the SNG tactics though - i just try to play cash with occasional MTT's

I think I have to be tight in BR management and not do this (eventually occasionally) until I have a $400+ BR.

Originally Posted by DaNutsInYoEye

Please play higher than the $1+.20's. The rake is horrendous.

If I had the BR I would play higher ... but for the moment I cannot afford it.

Originally Posted by jimmy44

Thanks for the advice guys!

Originally Posted by Harry

Its also possible to lose your $100 casino whoring if you get unlucky.

This is what I'm worried ... I would prefer investing money in a game where not only luck plays a good part (i.e. poker).

This was a concern before I really looked into it.

Starluck, you deposit $100, you get a $100 bonus. Now you just have to wager some amount, say $600 (I forget what it actually is). So you have $200, you would have to loose $100 before this became -eV.

As a rough guesstimate of maths...

House edge in blackjack, 0.47% (also don't remember exactly). So you loose expect to loose 47c everytime you gamble $100. So if you "gamble" with $600 your expected loss is around $3 leaving you with $97 profit.

Your only concern is variance, which can be easily overcome by betting $1 per hand, which takes longer.

regarding the casino bonus' - its well worth the "risk" to get your stack up to a quick $300 or $400 - Even if you just do the planetluck and starluck (i think those are the names, but basically the easiest no hassle bonus') you will have $200 in bonus - I don't know how to play blackjack optimally, but its really easy - All you need to do is print out the basic blackjack strategy and Follow it - thats all there is too it...

it is totally worth the risk vs. grinding out $1 tourneys with your hundred bucks - think about it - Triple in a week or lose $100 - Or grind out the correct limits - I "good" rate of return would be doubling your money in a month or so, i would say -

I asked if you played limit only because the bonus' clear faster at Limit than the NL you are ready to play - I would get your money together though - Not split it up - Go do the paradise bonus first - $50 bonus says pretty easy to clear, if you want to stay with poker - 1 way or the other, do the casino or a little bonus whoring - its' worth it....

You are rolled to play $5.50 SNGs, and if you win one you make $19.50 profit. Read the guides on FTR, play tight, and you really should be able to get the hang of it after 10-20 SNGs.

Originally Posted by biondino

You are rolled to play $5.50 SNGs, and if you win one you make $19.50 profit. Read the guides on FTR, play tight, and you really should be able to get the hang of it after 10-20 SNGs.

Actually, the profit is $17 ($22.50 for win - $5.50 buy-in)

The trouble is that that's a lot compared to my BR. However, yesterday I've tried 2 and I got a 3rd and a 4th place ... I'll try a couple more and see how it goes ...

Thanks for the help!

Originally Posted by jimmy44

Originally Posted by biondino

You are rolled to play $5.50 SNGs, and if you win one you make $19.50 profit. Read the guides on FTR, play tight, and you really should be able to get the hang of it after 10-20 SNGs.

Actually, the profit is $17 ($22.50 for win - $5.50 buy-in)

Only if you play at Pokerstars where they take away the 10th (i.e. worst) player and his buyin from the prize pool. Seriously, this is my biggest bugbear about Stars - 9-man ring is fine but playign 9-man SNGs is just bloodymindedly shrinking your ROI.

Originally Posted by biondino

Only if you play at PokerStars where they take away the 10th (i.e. worst) player and his buyin from the prize pool. Seriously, this is my biggest bugbear about Stars - 9-man ring is fine but playign 9-man SNGs is just bloodymindedly shrinking your ROI.

Where do you play 10 man $5.50 SNGs? Full Tilt?

Um, pretty much anywhere! I play/played SNGs at Party, Boss, Crypto and Pokerroom and they all have ten-man SNGs. I was being a bit tongue in cheek in the above post, but there is truth in there too - I reckon myself to be among the stronger players in the SNGs I play; therefore, on average, the 10th player is likely to be weaker than me, so I want him playing so I can pick up a proportion of his equity.

Originally Posted by biondino

Seriously, this is my biggest bugbear about Stars - 9-man ring is fine but playign 9-man SNGs is just bloodymindedly shrinking your ROI.

did you really just say Bugbear? i'll tell ya, these foreigners and their fancy words