Chopper77
"Is this viable these days? A lot of guys I know are just getting started playing cards because it's the newest fad or whatever, and because of all the action online you can get started and play for very cheap. Starting at with $90 at $.50/1 limit hold'em I've seen students of mine get up to $5,000 - $6,000 within a few months with hard work and study. ....
Is it the same way with trading now with spot forex? Has anyone out there started an Oanda account with $500 and slowly built up their bankroll, moving up in leverage as they gain money and experience?
Has anyone out there done that? Is this feasible?"
It is possible of course. You have to have a system with a positive expectation though. Just like poker or blackjack, you must have an edge otherwise you will eventually lose it all. I have not done it in currencies ( i loost 250) but like another poster on this board and some of your students I did it on a small scale with poker. Mostly through bonuses.
Chopper77
Agreed. It's one of those things that sounds like a fun job to have, but is pretty unfulfilling after awhile. The money can be fantastic though, but who knows what happens when the poker boom ends..
Then you have to look for something else. This is wahat has happened to me after blackjack.
Chopper77
Back to the thread though! Does anyone know anyone that built their trading bankroll this way? Is this good advice to give a newbie?
Yes and No. No, because a newbie will not have a positive expectancy in the currency game. They will lose it all. Yes because maybe the newbie will quit after the small loss or look for ideas that will turn them inti a winner. Unlike poker and blackjack that information ( a wiining strategy for trading forex) may not be as easy to find.
gotmessner
Starting with a small amount and compounding your winnings is definantly feasible and has been done. Beware that it's not the easiest route though.
The easiest route is starting with a large amonut and losing it quickly. This has also been done... lots of times.
samson77
So it is doable but like poker it takes extreme patients and discipline and it's very BORING to trade like this.
Patience not patients. Thats what the doctor ordered! But Samson77 is right. Poker, blackjack and trading cann all get boring. Sometims you want to make a bet on a marginal count or play a borderline hand from early position or just trade to trade. Your discipline is wahat stops you from doing this.
EricP
started off playing real money poker about six months ago at Paradise Poker, when they had a promotion offering a free $2 account to try out their microlimit tables.
In order to better learn the game, I recommend buying Turbo Texas Holdem software (~$99)
I started (or restarted) like this , playing a small bank and parlaying to a bigger bankroll. A lot of my later wins were through bonuses though.
The Turbo Texas Holdem program is very good and just like the blackjack simulators I used it has taught me a lot. Why didn't I buy this program sooner??
EricP
To summarize, online poker is very beatable at the lower levels
I disagree. Unless I amunclear about what you mean by lower limits.
At 0.50/1.00 the players may be as beatable or more beatable but the rake will eat away all your profits. I am surprised more players dont see this. Use your Turbo THE program and simulate a good player "Bret Maverick" Vs a loose passive tabe. Adjust your rake (you may have to use a2/4 game and divide by 4) the profit, if there is any is negligable.
TTHE has showed me that the 4/8 game in Calgary where I played a little is not viable. 5 percent rake to 5.00 max, average tip 1.00 and bad beat jackpot drop of 1.00 for a pot over 50 make this game unworkable, except for entertainment purposes.
Chopper77
I think that's a little loose. I think 500-700 BBs is more reasonable.
I used to think 300 big bets was enough also but from the playing experience I've had ,chopper77 may be right. This is pretty disheartening though.
Whowah