Best poker sites for tournaments in the UK - where are the softest fields?
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@tom_slots Philosophical question there mate. But I've got bills to pay and a bankroll to build. Once I'm rolled for higher stakes then sure, I'll seek out tougher competition.
For now, I need to maximize my edge where I can find it. That's just smart bankroll management.
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@tom_slots raises an interesting point about skill development vs profit maximization. There's actually a mathematical sweet spot:
Optimal Challenge Level = Current Skill × (1 + Learning Rate) - Risk Tolerance
Where Learning Rate = (Skill Improvement per Hour) / (Current Hourly Rate)
If your primary goal is bankroll growth, you want opponents approximately 15-20% weaker than your current level. Too weak and you don't improve, too strong and variance destroys your roll.
@poker_pete_uk At 12% ROI you're in the optimal zone. Don't move up until you're consistently beating your current level.
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This thread is getting too deep for a simple "where to find fish" question lol
@sarah_g Did you try their satellite system? Bet365 runs £3 satellites to their bigger tournaments and they're basically freerolls with the player quality.
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Plot twist: while we're all debating optimal challenge levels, the recreational players are having more fun than any of us.
Maybe they're the real winners?
@betting_pro Those satellites are juicy but the volume is too low for serious grinding. Better off just buying in direct if you can afford it.
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Update on William Hill poker - tried their Sunday £25 tournament and it was actually decent. Got 140 runners which isn't terrible, and the late stages were definitely softer than equivalent Stars tournaments.
Still think 888poker is the sweet spot though. Good balance of field size and player quality.
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New to tournament poker here - which of these sites has the best beginner tutorials or training materials? Don't want to just donate money while I'm learning.
Also, what buy-in level should I start at? Currently have £500 set aside for poker.
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@newbie_casino With £500 start with £5-10 tournaments max. You'll want at least 50 buy-ins for proper bankroll management.
888poker has decent training videos in their poker school section. PokerStars has more content but it's more advanced.
Honestly though, YouTube and Twitch streams will teach you more than any site's built-in materials.
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@newbie_casino Don't listen to Pete about 50 buy-ins - that's cash game advice. Tournament bankroll management is different due to higher variance.
For SNGs: 75-100 buy-ins minimum
For MTTs: 150-200 buy-ins (depending on field size)
For high variance formats: 300+ buy-insWith £500, stick to £2-3 tournaments until you prove you can beat them consistently.
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@casino_dan is right about bankroll requirements but wrong about starting stakes.
£2-3 tournaments are full of nits and bingo players - weird mix that's actually harder to beat than mid-stakes. The £10-15 range has the best balance of decent action and beatable opponents.
Trust me, I've lost more money in micro tournaments than I care to admit.
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Three months later and this thread is still going! Shows how much we all love arguing about poker strategy
@newbie_casino Hope you didn't get too confused by all the conflicting advice. The truth is, any of these sites will work if you put in the study time. Pick one with software you like and grind away.
Personally still crushing Bet365 tournaments. Their player pool hasn't gotten any tougher despite this thread probably sending a few sharks their way.