[BrettButter]

Originally Posted by ontheuptick

Haven't people used the CC's that are like giftcards before?

I don't know exactly how it works, but I was under the impression you could buy a Visa card with $500 on it, and get that deposited into your online account... Am I way off here?

My friends used to use pre-paid Visa cards that they would buy at Walgreens, and they worked. One day they told me it didn't work anymore, and I had tried it once after and had no problems. You have to pay a fee for the card, so you're already starting off negative if you do it that way. The ones here were $33.95 for $30, and $106.95 for $100. At least if it doesn't work, you can spend it somewhere else, but I'd say try some other methods listed before this one.

[ipgyst]

Prepaid VISA and MC were huge after the UIGEA went into effect. They are all pretty much dead now.

[tomb1]

Why don't you register and download the software on both sites? Then you can see if you prefer one or the other for the player interface. I think both sites offer play money play.

Even if you choose FTP as your main site, I hope you'll use PokerStars to join our Thursday night Chiptalk tourney!

[hachkc]

Originally Posted by abby99

Some people (including me) think that the games are a little softer at Full Tilt.

Tourney or Ring? Micro, low or mid stakes? I assume its NLHE either way.

I've heard this too but logically it wouldn't seem so. FTP offers RB and generally more bonsues which would seem to attract the more pro online players while P* has a much better marketing machine as well as more traffic which would seem to indicate more fish.

[hachkc]

Originally Posted by ontheuptick

Thanks for the thoughts. Regarding bankroll management, I'm going to start off very conservative. I plan to deposit 20 buyins of the level I anticipate playing (.10/.25), but I'm going to start out playing .05/.10 for a little to learn and get comfortable. Eventually, I'll then start playing .10/.25, as long as I still have 20 buyins.

Just for the record, online is different then live. A decent number of folks I've known that play alot live and win seem to have issues initially when they switch to online for several reasons (new environment, better play, lack of phys tells, further abstraction of money, etc).

Definitely go conserative which at the 10nl (.05/.10) is about $500 using jojo's math. Also, is this purely recreational or are you serious about it? When I say serious, I don't mean you planning on quitting your job and providing for the family via online poker. I just mean you are actively trying to get better, use a disciplined approach to your BR and make some money at it. If so, investing in a good tracking tool like pokertracker is important. You don't need it right now but you definitely should plan on getting it in the near future. Also, don't forget to enable capturing your hand histories to disk now. If nothing else, you can review them later or load them into a tracking tool or hand replayer.

[noelsarchs]

I play ONLY super micro limits (10 cent SNG's) and freerolls....and everyone at those levels plays any ace and every flush draw out there, and chase a lot. My biggest losses playing .01/.02 and .05/.10 where people play to river and hit runner runner two outers. And most of what I've lost were full houses cracked by bigger fulls on those runner runner hands.

That said, I can't really give you any advice other than those micro micro limit donks.

[Poboy]

Originally Posted by tomb1

Why don't you register and download the software on both sites? Then you can see if you prefer one or the other for the player interface. I think both sites offer play money play.

Because you can't get rakeback after you register and download.
I'd go FT rake back is a big deal. Ultimate Bet also offers rakeback.

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by tomb1

Why don't you register and download the software on both sites? Then you can see if you prefer one or the other for the player interface. I think both sites offer play money play.

Even if you choose FTP as your main site, I hope you'll use PokerStars to join our Thursday night Chiptalk tourney!

I'd say be careful just downloading and trying out sites. Sometimes already having a play money account will void special offers such as those at PSO.

Have you looked into doing one of the free money promos at PSO, which I don't think anyone has mentioned yet? They give you real money, no deposit needed. It's how I started in online poker.

Get rakeback on Fulltilt when you sign up there.
Good luck!!

[Nexttime]

I couldn't find the mac client for Pokerstars. Is it still in beta?

Anyone have a direct download link?

[ontheuptick]

Originally Posted by hachkc

Just for the record, online is different then live. A decent number of folks I've known that play alot live and win seem to have issues initially when they switch to online for several reasons (new environment, better play, lack of phys tells, further abstraction of money, etc).

Definitely go conserative which at the 10nl (.05/.10) is about $500 using jojo's math. Also, is this purely recreational or are you serious about it? When I say serious, I don't mean you planning on quitting your job and providing for the family via online poker. I just mean you are actively trying to get better, use a disciplined approach to your BR and make some money at it. If so, investing in a good tracking tool like pokertracker is important. You don't need it right now but you definitely should plan on getting it in the near future. Also, don't forget to enable capturing your hand histories to disk now. If nothing else, you can review them later or load them into a tracking tool or hand replayer.

Yes, I know that online will be very different from the live play that I'm used to. That's the main reason that I plan on playing down a level at the start, until I get my feet good and wet.

And yes, I am going to be serious about it. I will be actively trying to get better, and expect I'd get pokertracker eventually. I also estimate that I'd get some coaching from TMJ since I play cash games, at some point down the line. Is pokertracker just the pokertracker.com website? I went there, and expected a nicer website for such an oft-used product, so I wanted to make sure I am at the right place..

Right now, I am leaning towards going with FullTilt because of the rakeback, supposedly a better mac client, etc. I will probably end up getting a P* account as well down the road so that I could play in the chiptalk tourneys..

Thanks a lot guys. Keep the advice coming!