I just got an e-mail from PokerChamps about a 100% deposit bonus up to $100. Not being one to turn down free money, I tried to read their T&C for clearing the bonus. It seems it's somehow tied into their rakeback deal, and I honestly couldn't make heads or tails of it. I have no idea if I'd have to play 100 hands or 100,000 hands with the other 7 people playing limit HE on the site.

Can someone explain their bonus clearing in plain English?

yeah... the dec 2 comment was just if you wanted to deposit a second time for the bonus. iirc, you have to clear the first bonus before you get the second. maybe i'm wrong or they changed it. anyway, march is plenty of time to clear $30-$40 at .5/1.

as for HHs, sadly they have none... and i mean none. not even when you're sitting at the table. as such, PT is useless.

to some extent, the lack of PT is a bonus, as it's harder for people to get a read on you. most people are too lazy to actually make good notes. also, it will keep people from seeing exactly how much money you're taking from them.

good luck... tell me how it goes. i'll share some of my notes with you if you like (if i have any for those players). PM me your id and i'll do the same.

I went ahead and deposited $40, since I had some money just sitting in Neteller. I played about 250 hands of very cold-decked poker at $.25/$.50 (the players are pretty soft as you mentioned), and cleared a big, whopping...

... 61 cents.

At that rate, I calculate it will take in the neighborhood of 16,000 hands to clear the entire $40 bonus.

yikes... it'll go up much faster when you don't have a cold deck.

again, i recommend HU and 3-4 handed... lots of hands, and your involved in most of them. AND... most of these guys have no clue how to play. they typically check-call waiting for big hands and then bet out. no deception.