What to do with my $50?

I have been given $50 from Everest to play with. I need 1000 Summit points in less than 60 days when I accrued 156 in the first 60 so I'm never making that.

Obviously I don't plan on leaving this money just to disappear back to them.

I've only ever played cash games at $0.02/0.04 but I was wondering whether I should try my luck in say 5 $10 tournaments, or a few big SnGs or whether I should just up my stakes in cash games and have a go.

I've moved up to $0.03/0.05 today and already noticed there are far fewer call machines and a great deal more people attacking my blind.

anyone got any thoughts?

Don't do that.

I don't know how the Everest point system works, but usually you will have to put in either a lot of volume (4+ tables) at 2nl or less volume at a higher limit like 10nl.

If you are used to the lowest stakes and are half decent in them, then stick with that and just open more tables. Moving higher just to unlock a bonus will just leave you with the problem of blowing your bankroll on trying to get that bonus. I know many players who busted themselves just trying to clear a bonus by moving up to a level they can't handle.

I also wouldn't play 5 $10 sng either. Easy way to lose it all if you run into the bad side of variance.

Play the limit you are comfortable with, just play more of it at a time. If you are playing 1 or 2 tables, bring it up to 3 or 4 and play a longer session.

Your goal is to unlock that free money to add to your 'roll, not to bust your 'roll trying to get the bonus.

GL

I'm already comfortable at $0.02/0.04 with 4 tables. I made about $27 over 5k hands and only got 200 points. I can't play 20,000 hands in 2 months.

The $50 I am never going to unlock, I have it in my balance to play with at the moment and I can keep anything I win above it. But I won't be keeping it as I don't have time to get 800 more points in 60 days.

I'm holding my own at $0.03/0.05 with 4 tables, HEM was saying my loss of $1.50 was equal to my -EV which I don't quite believe but that's what it says.

Don't bonus chase IMO. For me, doing this has always lead me to not playing my a-game

OK, I'm obviously not explaining myself well enough.

I know I will not get the bonus therefore I am not chasing it. What I want to know is how to use it to best effect. I have $50 to burn essentially.

So pretty much you have nothing to lose and can keep anything you do make....I would probably play some MTTs, maybe you can win big and if not, no loss to you

To me it seems like you have a $50 that's use it or lose it, basically. Clearing the points lets you keep the 50 but not clearing leaves you with the profit right? Why not go for a high score?

OR -- everyone should move up when they're comfortable but you have a chance to try out some limits that you may not be rolled for. So even trying the differently levels to know whether or not you can handle them or not. it might take away some anxiety when you build your BR high enough to move up since you've played well in them.

Maybe your starting assumption is worth re-examining. 20k hands isn't exactly impossible if you multi-table. Assuming an average of 50 hands per hour on each table, that's 400 table-hours. Four-tabling means 100 hours of playing time. That's about one hour and 40 minutes per day.

Also, you may want to check how the site treats the bonus money alongside yours. For example, if you have $30 of your own there plus the $50, what happens if you take some shots and end up losing say $20? If you end up not earning the bonus, does the $20 you lost come out of your $30 (I'd guess it does), or out of the bonus?

imo surely take a few chances at stuff u feel comfortable at, multi table or sngs, try to get the points, seems difficult but u never no

Well if you just got it to burn, then just enter 2 big ones and bink one. Easy peasy

My money is the first to take a hit. They take the $50 out in 60 days or whatever is left if it is less than $50.

I played 4x tables at $5 buy in and only got 15 points. I need over 800 by mid/end of Feb.

I'm going to find the exact date out, withdraw my money in advance of that date and probably play a high cash game, see how I fair.

I'm still confused on what exactly the dealio is here for ya???
Did 'you' deposit anything? Or it it one of those PN or PStrat deals where they give you a 'free $50'? (then need to clear a bonus.. but there seems like they have variations with them. I actually took a 'free50' on PartyPoker but I'm pretty sure they only gave me $25 & then if I deposited another $25 I'd be eligible to clear another $25 bonus... something like that. tbh I forget how it worked because I didn't even really care. I wasn't interested in clearing the bonus. I just wanted to try out the PartyPoker software at the time... so I figured "why not.... & why not try it out for free"
As far as your questions go, it's pretty hard to answer them when I still can't completely understand what you're even asking.
Should you jump up in buyin levels? Umm.. I'd say 'no' (but that'd depend obviously if you're in a time frame pinch & are looking to amass a ton of pts.).
Should you play $50-$10 sng/mtt. Umm... I'd say 'no'.. or 'why not'? (again I don't know what your goal is so I can't give a decent answer). If your goal was to try to go busto, then 'yes'.. move up to the $10's (especially if you haven't played them before). Are you a sng or mtt player? If not, then > 'no'. (seems straightforward.... no?).

Why not keep playing what you're playing? Your bankroll is too small to sustain yourself at higher limits (ie. it's not uncommon to lose 10 sng's in-a-row, even if you're Elky or Seidel, or Ivey (or 'me', lol).... or even 20 games. MTT's it's not uncommon to not cash for 30-50 game stretches.

Without knowing your goals, my answer would be > keep playing what you're playing, try to add on a few more tables (if they have more tables available on that site).

i think this is a free $50 from pokerstrategy and if he doesnt make 800 odd summit points in 60 days they take the money back from him, if it was his own money he could have played at his pace...

Another thing to look for is that some sites cancel certain bonuses if you withdraw before completing them.

Spot on. I can't have explained it very well but you managed to catch my drift

I've basically withdrawn my initial $20 I put in and my winnings of $30 and am now just playing with their money. They'll take the $50 out in March and I'll withdrawn my winnings and go elsewhere for some rackback. Probably going to stick at 0.03/0.05 4 tabling for now as I'm currently down $4 at that level.

When it comes to early March, Ill withdraw the profit and go play some ridiculous table where I have like 2 100bb buy ins and see how it pans out. If I lose the $50, I lose it a few days before it gets taken off me by Everest anyway.

If you're playing with money that's not your's unless you clear the bonus & there's no way you can clear it playin' your typical volume at the stakes you regularly play there... then by all means jump & up & pray you go on a heater & run like God. What have you got to lose?

If he loses it, and doesnt get the points needed, how does Pok Strat go about getting their money back or is this just a heres $50 make the points and if you lose it oh well. I could even try higher stakes like that LOL

Lose it to me in HU sit and go. At the low limits you will never clear the bonus. And they prob wont let you withdraw any of the winnings till you clear that bonus. Either move up in stakes or play 5 or 10$ sit and gos. Tournaments dont give much points for the time you could be on the tables or in a short sit and go. Just kidding bout losing it to me.