Few career related questions, don't open if you're a jerk

[Zemljanin]

I'm a beginner on this site (4 started games, 0 finished). I already (probably too early) signed up for one tournament, since I'm curious how it feels (hope I'll finish at least one game 'till August 26 , otherwise I wouldn't have a free slot ). However, I'd like to hear from experienced players:

In what phase (score 1200, 1400, 1600... or games played 20, 40, 60...) a player should start to actively play tournaments? Regularly? When s/he should drop off playing public games? (I mean - being curious, I saw a few top players' records ; they play only private and tournaments games)

And one issue more:

I have a (weird?) desire to reach the first page of the scoreboard as a free member . Perhaps become the best placed "silver" player . But it's SUCH A NUISANCE to be limited to only four simultaneous games ...
So, as soon as I satisfy my vanity (or as soon as I lose temper ), I'm going to buy a premium membership.

However, there is a problem - I don't have a paypal account. I have a credit card; I have even accounts on few ewallets, but paypal isn't one of them. Wire transfer is also out of the question, since it is so complicated.
Are there a possibility to pay via my Visa card directly? Or via some ewallet other than paypal (moneybookers, click2pay...)?

Thank you in advance.

[Clive]

Tournaments are there for your leisure, anyone can join...though usually question marks aren't allowed because of the high chance of deadbeating/not joining. I started playing tournaments when i discovered the tournaments thread, personally.

You should stop playing public games if you care about your score much and it becomes unwortwhile playing lower players cause of the low point gain for win and high loss for losing. Some players (such as me ) don't care about this however...

About buying premium - i also had no way to pay (not even a card) so i got a mate who did to do it, and just gave him the cash. If you know a such person you could do this.

[Zemljanin]

I started playing tournaments when i discovered the tournaments thread, personally.

And you continued to play them regularly until today?
What was your score then? How many finished games you had?
(Approximately, of course)

[AAFitz]

at 1000 points, the possibilities are endless. If you are good, the quickest way to the top, is to win 35% of your 6 person escalating games... you can reach the first page in 100 games.

If you arent a risk savant, you can play triples with two experienced players, and win a few points at a time. But this will take forever at 4 games at a time.

If you are good, youll get to the first page. It only gets tough, approaching the first page... the first 500 points are easy, the next tricky, and the next 500 do not come easily... after that I unfortunately have no experience, but the next 500 require precision, with no mistakes, and a careful plan.

good luck with it...

[Wild_Tiger]

anything can work, whatever you like.
I play mostly doubles and triples but singles games work just as well.

[AAFitz]

anything can work, whatever you like.
I play mostly doubles and triples but singles games work just as well.

of course he had a really good partner for a lot of games

[lalaland]

you don't need a paypal account to use the credit card... or one is created automatically when you pay. you don't need to set up anything beforehand to pay with a credit card.

[Zemljanin]

you don't need a paypal account to use the credit card...

I really don't... Elsewhere. But on this site, I don't see a possibility at the moment. Anyway, I mentioned this problem, but I could discuss it with some CC official, in pvt. In this thread, I'd like to hear as much useful information about tournaments...
In what phase playing them is starting to be really useful for growing player?

[Clive]

I started playing tournaments when i discovered the tournaments thread, personally.

And you continued to play them regularly until today?
What was your score then? How many finished games you had?
(Approximately, of course)

Yes. And my score is roughly same now as when i started.

[silvanthalas]

In what phase playing them is starting to be really useful for growing player?

I'm not sure I'd quantify tourneys as 'useful' in terms of helping you grow as a player.

To me, tourneys provide a bit of a change of pace from just jumping in games that are created by others or creating my own, but they're not necessary for enjoying my time here.

I played here for several months before joining my first tourney (which subsequently became abandoned after the organizer went MIA), and I'm still going in my second.

That first one had a number of players around the 1000 point mark, so you can see that tourneys are for everybody; we just want folks that won't deadbeat.