Play Money

[Mattscreas]

Ok i'm new at poker and i have my head in a few books at the moment. I'm very keen to learn.

The thing is i read all this info from the books and then i go and sit at the play money tables to try apply what i learnt to my game. The problem is these play money players only seem to know one button and thats all in.

It's very frustrating as i can't get a decent game to try and learn as these guys will play any 2 hands and bet anything. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't play like that with there own money.

So should i avoid play money tables as they are rubbish or should it be the other way around, meaning as they are all so bad i should be able to walk away victorious?

[jeffsbabe]

If you want to learn to play poker then stay away from play money. You can deposit as little as $10 on some sites. The team games are starting up here at 4king in January. Get you post requirement up, download a site(use 4king ) we are going to play at and join us in our tournaments. That's the best way to build a bankroll. Welcome to the forum.

[LombardiStix]

Lol you'll learn about as much playing poker with play money as you will learn about poker playing monopoly. Make a small investment and get on those micro limit tables. Gl friend.

O yeah... and READ THE ARTICLES LISTED AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE.

Stix

[villaridge]

Yes you can learn poker at play money tables. lol, I know people that have built up a couple of million chips of play money. but, lol, they suck at real poker.

The thing is, it is play money, so u will never see the same or real type of play there as u would in a money game, where people have invested some of their money. You can learn, but you are learning bad poker habits with your play and it will hurt you when you try to move up to real games.

Ok, next are freerolls. Now a lot of play with these is also like play money. as no one puts in their own money. but there is a difference in freerolls, u can make real money, and then look at what freeroll you are playing. there are big ass freerolls like pokerstars or fulltilt with literally 10's of thousands playing. a waste of time I say. there are small field freerolls that poker forums run, like here at 4K. Great value!

Then, here at 4K, we have $1.10 buyin games with $25 added. Fantastic value. we usually get 30-50 people in these games. so that is $25 added and say 30 people play that is another $30. so you play for a $50 pot with 30 people.

There is no way around this, u need to play games like the ones we have. So as others have said, I urge you to make a small investment, and come learn some real poker

[illphillllllll]

like others said, play money isn't the best place to start. villa's post is your best bet on learning the game and building a bankroll. i would hold off on depositing til after you get a good feel for the game. most people who start playing will lose their initial deposit, learn the game first before you start risking your own money, good luck.

[Ramster]

As others have said the best way is to take the plunge and make a small deposit at a site where there are private forum games with small buy ins
You may not win or if you do it wont be a fortune but at least you are getting experience of playing for real money at a level which shouldnt really hurt you in the pocket and in my experience you get quite a good quality of game
Also if something happens in the game that you think you could have played better if you post the hand history someone will always be around to give you their opinion on how you could have played it better or if you did the right thing
Just remember 1 thing that Poker is a game you are always learning

Good Luck Mate

[2Aces4me]

read books and sites in the internet are the best choice to learn poker and some home games with friends. At the Playmoney tables the player´s really play loose because its only playmoney which can be reload everytime.

Go to the 0,02/0,04 or 0,05/0,10 $ tables and try your knowledge which you have from the books are the best way to learn poker.

[Ripclawph]

since you are already reading some poker books, i assume that you are a dedicated person and shows that you are patient as well... good qualities for a poker player. now depending on how patient you are... you may want to try those freerolls (forum freerolls like here in 4kp) if you dont want to stake any money yet since they have a fewer players unlike the site sponsored one's which consist of 2000+ to 8000+ players. it may take you a couple of days or weeks or even months to build up a decent bankroll in this method but decent strategies will only work mostly at the late phase of the tourneys.

playing play money i guess will just mess up what you read on those books. unlike playing real money games where there is at stake... follow villaridge's advice! great value games are available out there especially here in 4kp where you will not only win some $$ but also the of each member.

welcome to the 4kp family...

[LuckyGabrielo]

You can check Daniel Negreanus books- Poker Strategy
Or Harringtons, they are very good books which you can learn true SECRETS, belive me it works for me

[andrew5]

play money is not the best place to learn to play make a small deposit or play freerolls