Wanting to Start Playing Seriously, Need Advice

[Zee Devee]

I have been playing recreationally since October, building a $50 deposit on Stars to a modest roll of $300~ish. I play SnG's mostly (6.50's) and have started to play MTT's.

There are 4 main things I am wondering:

1. I want to buy either Poker Tracker or Poker Office- PT is a one time cost of 55 (I think), and PokerAce is a one-time cost of 25, for a total of $80. Poker Office is $79 annually, but I can get it through Pokersourceonline.com by downloading and depositing money on another site and playing there for x amount of time- I could also get PT this way. So this is my question- should I get PT and PokerAce or PO?

2. Given I can one of these off of PokerSource, I was thinking of taking out my 300, wiping PokerStars from my machine, then downloading it from the site there and deposit my roll on another account and playing on PokerStars for the 100 FPP's needed- then I will also get a deposit bonus for a first time deposit. Once I am done with that I will transfer my account back to my original one because I have about 600FPPs here. Does this sound plausible?

3. Can I transfer FPP's to another account on Stars?

4. At my level, should I even bother with software? I find myself not being able to pay attention at the tables, I bother with music, roommatets, girlfriend, internet, etc. and I think a HUD would help me a lot, thoughts?


And 1 non-software related question:

5. I currently play the small buy-ins, $1.10, $2.20, and occasionally a $3.30 rebuy; each with about 1500 people starting- should I be hoping to win one of these because the field is so big I would need to get insanely lucky? Or should I keep playing them?



Thanks to everyone.

[Da GOAT]

just get PT, let the rest wait.

actually since your playing SNGs get SNGPT first. get PT when BR permits. i kept an excel sheets for along time b4 i bought PT.

SNGPT IS A MUST (i dont see you mention that BTW)

[donkbee]

2. Given I can one of these off of PokerSource, I was thinking of taking out my 300, wiping PokerStars from my machine, then downloading it from the site there and deposit my roll on another account and playing on PokerStars for the 100 FPP's needed- then I will also get a deposit bonus for a first time deposit. Once I am done with that I will transfer my account back to my original one because I have about 600FPPs here. Does this sound plausible?

You're going to make another account to get the deposit bonus? They're not going to let you do that.

[Zee Devee]

The thought is to make another account so I can get the Pokersource point thing, but in order to do that I need to make a new acount, could I just use a different email account? I don't think its technically allowed, but can they track it?

FWIW I never got a deposit Bonus when I put my money on because they didn't offer it.

[Fillionaire]

The thought is to make another account so I can get the Pokersource point thing, but in order to do that I need to make a new acount, could I just use a different email account? I don't think its technically allowed, but can they track it?

FWIW I never got a deposit Bonus when I put my money on because they didn't offer it.

Yes they can track it via your other details. Not to mention your IP etc. Personally, I wouldn't try it. Regarding your other questions,

1) If you are sticking with tournaments I'm not sure how much you need either. Someone else mentioned sngPT which sounds like it may be a good program for tournament players. If you play any cash games though Pokertracker is essential. You can use Gametime HUD free w/ PT.

3)Very doubtful, but doesn't matter if you can't open a second account.

4) Sounds like you need to multitable. Then you won't have time to focus on anything else

5)Keep playing them if you enjoy them. You are playing within your bankroll and a few cashes would build it up that much more.

Best of luck to you!

[weezie]

ya, don't make another account on the same site thats a no no

[Zee Devee]

just get PT, let the rest wait.

actually since your playing SNGs get SNGPT first. get PT when BR permits. i kept an excel sheets for along time b4 i bought PT.

SNGPT IS A MUST (i dont see you mention that BTW)

I've seen SNGPT written around here a lot, but I don't know what it does. It means "SnG Power Tools" right? What does it do?

[dsmrolla06]

SNGPT gives you the ev of pushing all in and calling all ins in a sng and gives you the ICM calculations, or how a play turns out in $$ev. I found the program to be a waste of money myself, i mean its alrite if you have no idea how to play a bubble. If you have a question on if you should push or call something, you can post it on here and get the same result. Also it didnt support FT or AP for me which was another disapointment. I think your better off getting pokertracker and pokerace hud for the same price. The hud stats should improve your game more than SNGPT will.

[Da GOAT]

SNGPT gives you the ev of pushing all in and calling all ins in a sng and gives you the ICM calculations, or how a play turns out in $$ev. I found the program to be a waste of money myself, i mean its alrite if you have no idea how to play a bubble. If you have a question on if you should push or call something, you can post it on here and get the same result. Also it didnt support FT or AP for me which was another disapointment. I think your better off getting pokertracker and pokerace hud for the same price. The hud stats should improve your game more than SNGPT will.

Blasphemy, SNGPT>PT & PAHUD

PAHUD isnt needed for low level SNGs
PT isnt needed for SNGs
SNGPT is gospel

Im surprised. not one other peice of software can single handedly improve one game as fast!!!

[dsmrolla06]

I didnt feel it really improved my game that much.

[Sprayed]

Before you buy any software, I would suggest that you purchase some books or read-up on these boards and others about proper play. SNGPT and PT won't be that useful to you if you don't understand what they are telling you.

Learn ICM first if you are wanting to be a serious student of the game. SNGPT will then be useful to you because you will understand what the numbers are saying and the reason why a play is +EV. Also, you need to learn pot odds and hand values. That's where books come into play or just simply reading these boards.

Softwares are great, but they won't make you a long term winner if you don't understand basic poker theory. Lastly, don't create another account. Any of these sites will figure it out and you may be banned from their site. That's a -EV gamble.

[Zee Devee]

Before you buy any software, I would suggest that you purchase some books or read-up on these boards and others about proper play. SNGPT and PT won't be that useful to you if you don't understand what they are telling you.

I've read all 3 HOH about 8 months ago and I'm thinking about buying TOP, should I reread HOH 1 and 2 before getting TOP?

[redmanstl]

I'm always reading/re-reading one the the HOH volumes, TOP, or Winning @ Small stakes hold 'em by Sklansky/Malmuth/Miller gang. Seriously........I've not been not in the process of reading one of those 5 books since about last July.

[drmcboy]

buy TOP now, you're going to read it 2+ times a year, may as well start now.

I am always meh on software when starting out, and really meh on it for tourneys, but I am in the minority.

[aokrongly]

...

[mcatdog]

5. I currently play the small buy-ins, $1.10, $2.20, and occasionally a $3.30 rebuy; each with about 1500 people starting- should I be hoping to win one of these because the field is so big I would need to get insanely lucky? Or should I keep playing them?

You should stick to tournaments with smaller fields until you have a bigger bankroll. The nature of those huge tournaments is that you tread water or slowly lose money until the day when you get really lucky and hit the jackpot. Right now you should be trying to build your bankroll more methodically. I recommend the $4.40 sit-and-gos with 180 players. You definitely don't have enough money or experience to play the $3.30 rebuy on a regular basis at this point. Play it once in awhile for the fun of it if you want.

You don't need Poker Tracker or Poker Office unless you play ring games. For sit-and-gos they are useless for the most part. In fact, if I were you as a tournament player I wouldn't buy any software until your bankroll is closer to $1000. If you have a question about whether you should steal the blinds with a hand near the end of a SNG, post it in the SNG forum.

Don't start another account on PokerStars. They will more than likely catch you and ban you from the site.