PokerStars VPP/Hands Calculator

[spoonitnow]

I made this real quick today since I get asked to do a computation for someone at least 3-4 times a week.

http://www.spoonitnow.com/vpp_calc.php

There is more detailed information about the subject in the sticky in NL Strat: http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...ds-t72487.html

You're welcome.

[Keilah]

Thanks

[spoonitnow]

No problem imo

[badgers]

awesome tnx very much

[spoonitnow]

awesome tnx very much

No problem nit imo

[Wndllll]

I've read your Stars rb stuff several times now to try and work out the best strat for someone like me who is working through 5NL and is about to clear the initial $50 bonus and move to 10NL. You obv cover things from 25NL up but only touch on a plan before that to do with Full Tilt rb and bonuses. Could you explain it for my slow monkey brain plz?

[Sup3rM4N]

Niceee.. Ty

[Erpel]

I've read your Stars rb stuff several times now to try and work out the best strat for someone like me who is working through 5NL and is about to clear the initial $50 bonus and move to 10NL. You obv cover things from 25NL up but only touch on a plan before that to do with Full Tilt rb and bonuses. Could you explain it for my slow monkey brain plz?

I might be able to help here. PokerStars as a site is in the opinions of many just 'better' for reasons of software, support etc. Also if you are a high volume player you get more effective rakeback than offered by any site (Spoon's example for a Supernova is up to 50% - and that's not even Supernova Elite). This means that if you think you will be a high volume winning player your goal should be to play on Stars.

However, when you are not a high volume winning player the Stars VIP scheme offers much more modest benefits and a plain 27% rakeback deal with FTP is more profitable.

The basic yardstick for choosing to go Stars and never looking back seems to be the ability to maintain platinum every month reliably. Since the VPP per month for platinum is higher than the VPP per month required for Supernova at the minimum this would give you 8 months in the year as Supernova with 4 months at Platinum. At this point your effective rakeback is as good as or better than the standard 27% FTP rate.

To sustain Platinum every month you need to play 80k hands at 25nl, 52k hands at 50nl or 27k hands at 100nl. If you are trying to learn poker while playing 25nl and 50nl it is unlikely you'll be playing more than 4 tables and you won't be hitting those targets. It's only really when you are playing 100nl in medium volume that getting Platinum becomes near automatic.

If you never go above 2 tables PokerStars will never be the better deal.
If you never play high volume consistently PokerStars may not be the better deal.

To commit to the PokerStars VIP program I would recommend that you are playing 100nl and comfortably putting in 30k hands per month. With this, PokerStars is easily your best choice. Until that is the case FTP is likely your best choice.

Note also that Supernova qualification happens within a single calendar year from January to December. As an example I plan to play around 40k hands this year at 25nl on PokerStars (less if I move up) to clear my current 2x deposit bonus and then move to FTP and play 30k hands at 50nl which should clear the $600 initial deposit bonus and then basically stay on FTP until the end of the year and jump back to Stars to begin the new year and then aim for Supernova next year.

Other sites have other deals, but it's possible to get by with just the two. If you want to see if you can find a niche better deal you'll need to do some research on your own.

In your situation the basic point is this - PokerStars is not the best deal for you until you're a volume player so when you clear the bonus - move to Full Tilt to enjoy rakeback until you are playing stakes and volume that make PokerStars best for you and then move back. Note that 10nl at Full Tilt may take twice the rake - I don't play on Full Tilt yet so can't really state this with any authority, but I seem to remember reading about it. If true, this suggests moving to Full Tilt only when you are playing 25nl and 50nl.

[spoonitnow]

Yeah I made a post in BC outlining this in response to Wndllll and PM'd him a link to it.

[Erpel]

I probably even read it - just have been thinking about the same things for myself and figuring it out. I'll shut up now.

[spoonitnow]

I probably even read it - just have been thinking about the same things for myself and figuring it out. I'll shut up now.

Nah you're fine, was just throwing that out there since it was relevant.

So when are you coming into IRC? There's a video in my sig that shows how to connect.

[Erpel]

I probably even read it - just have been thinking about the same things for myself and figuring it out. I'll shut up now.

Nah you're fine, was just throwing that out there since it was relevant.

So when are you coming into IRC? There's a video in my sig that shows how to connect.

I'm afraid if I start brain dumping in IRC two things will happen:
1) I'll be banned for spamming
2) I won't get any hands played

And I have a certain fondness for reading and correcting my ramblings before hitting submit

[spoonitnow]

I probably even read it - just have been thinking about the same things for myself and figuring it out. I'll shut up now.

Nah you're fine, was just throwing that out there since it was relevant.

So when are you coming into IRC? There's a video in my sig that shows how to connect.

I'm afraid if I start brain dumping in IRC two things will happen:
1) I'll be banned for spamming
2) I won't get any hands played

And I have a certain fondness for reading and correcting my ramblings before hitting submit

You won't get banned in IRC. No more excuses, gogogo.