Tell me your story about how you lost or won more with your free money you built up ?

#1 22nd March 2010, 9:09 AM

I sold many play chips to get to 80 bucks a few times way back about 2 years ago and everytime I would try and play ring games that where beyond my bankroll manaegement I would be drawn or loose with big hands to bigger hands (like 12 15 times in a row). ... if i played mtts I would allways do pretty good. But soon as i went to a ring game i would get beat at the river or get dealt trips and loose to higher trips . Does anyone have a a story about their free money they built up ?

#2 22nd March 2010, 9:46 AM

Not me, I just seemed to donate over the last few years. I never use play money and don't bother with free rolls.

I now make money at poker, unless I play cash tables (just can't throw away TPTK), but tourneys are now my friends and I have not had to reload for ages.

As far as free money, no such thing in my book. I do know however that if money is not an issue I do play a lot better with less worries, I have been using my Full Tilt points to try qualify for decent buy in tourneys and find that I can let loose and build a chip stack, shoving ATs in position is an option when I don't have money on the line, but NIT play if my own money AQs minimum.

Probably not what you were after Nexus, but thats me

#3 22nd March 2010, 10:07 AM

I didn't do it with free money, but when I returned to online poker in May 2007, I had a friend transfer me $100 on Stars and never looked back. I was playing with 100 BB bankroll management, lol.

#4 23rd March 2010, 10:28 AM

pokerstars gave me the 10$ bonus and i lost them in about 5 minutes at the 2nl tables, no matter what hand i had, going all in i would lose. ofc i wasnt going all in preflop, or on a draw, i was playing as i usually play.

#5 23rd March 2010, 12:55 PM

I first deposited $30 on FTP in May 09, Thinking that knowing the rules of poker and the hand strengths was enough to compete... how wrong was I? I soon lost my 1st $30, despite having a couple of ITM finishes in a couple of small SnG's. Added to the fact that at one point I spent around $15 trying to ($0.75) satellite into a mini-FTOPS Tourney that only had a $10 buy-in!!! Dumb, I know!

I re-deposited another $30 and repeated the story above. I know this doesn't count as free money, but I'm getting to the point.

Personal finances and family commitments prevented me from depositing more, and i was reduce to playing the freerolls. 27th July 09, I won the UK freeroll for $15... Lost that playing micro stakes after scooping and extra $10 from one hand and then thinking that I could do it again. Over confident.

August 09, won the Carbon Poker short-handed freeroll, another $15 won, another $15 lost... again at the cash tables.

Sept 09, having re-deposited $30 with FTP, I entered their 'Take 2' promo and ground my way through the month at the Micro stakes tables and scooped the $50 bonus, although it took me $15 in losses to do so, BR now stood at $65. Thought I'd step up a bit to the 2/4c micro tables and lost that lot too.

Realised that game selection, not playing above my ability's and improper bet sizing are the key issues to address, Oh yes, and PROPER BANKROLL MANAGEMENT!!! (I can't stress that enough to all the newbs out there.)

Finally decided that just playing 1000's of hands of poker was not enough and that to truly master this game I not only had to play poker, but become a student of the game. Traded in some loyalty points on a store card for Phil Gordon's Little Green Book and Phil Helmuth's Texas Hold'em.
Christmas 09 and my mother-in-law (who is convinced that she'll see me on Late night Poker one day, no pressure!!) gives me John Vorhaus' Killer Poker & Killer Poker Online. And I also aquire Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book. Suddenly everything clicks into place....

14th March ... Finished 5th in the CC $400 Freeroll for $24, which restarts my FTP bankroll and at the moment, I'm sitting on that like a hen who's afraid the fox will steal her eggs!!!

I've also managed to work up another BR on a beta test site to $25 from $0, playing the MTT freerolls on offer there. Only wins that range from $0.25 - $3, but in the last week or so have managed an ITM finish at least once or twice a day. I have now decided that cash games are not for me and I'm a better tourney player.

Yesterday, I finished 198th out of 10,000 in the Round 1 Freeroll, and I'm now hoping to increase my BR in the $1000 FR this Sunday.

So now I have a BR of around $50 on two or three sites, the question I am asking myself now is, how to invest it in games that I can turn a profit on? Should I even start to invest it yet, or get some more experience in the freerolls and a bigger BR before stepping up a notch? Tips greatly appreciated...

#6 23rd March 2010, 9:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogfish44

I first deposited $30 on FTP in May 09, Thinking that knowing the rules of poker and the hand strengths was enough to compete... how wrong was I? I soon lost my 1st $30, despite having a couple of ITM finishes in a couple of small SnG's. Added to the fact that at one point I spent around $15 trying to ($0.75) satellite into a mini-FTOPS Tourney that only had a $10 buy-in!!! Dumb, I know!

I re-deposited another $30 and repeated the story above. I know this doesn't count as free money, but I'm getting to the point.

Personal finances and family commitments prevented me from depositing more, and i was reduce to playing the freerolls. 27th July 09, I won the UK freeroll for $15... Lost that playing micro stakes after scooping and extra $10 from one hand and then thinking that I could do it again. Over confident.

August 09, won the Carbon Poker short-handed freeroll, another $15 won, another $15 lost... again at the cash tables.

Sept 09, having re-deposited $30 with FTP, I entered their 'Take 2' promo and ground my way through the month at the Micro stakes tables and scooped the $50 bonus, although it took me $15 in losses to do so, BR now stood at $65. Thought I'd step up a bit to the 2/4c micro tables and lost that lot too.

Realised that game selection, not playing above my ability's and improper bet sizing are the key issues to address, Oh yes, and PROPER BANKROLL MANAGEMENT!!! (I can't stress that enough to all the newbs out there.)

Finally decided that just playing 1000's of hands of poker was not enough and that to truly master this game I not only had to play poker, but become a student of the game. Traded in some loyalty points on a store card for Phil Gordon's Little Green Book and Phil Helmuth's Texas Hold'em.
Christmas 09 and my mother-in-law (who is convinced that she'll see me on Late night Poker one day, no pressure!!) gives me John Vorhaus' Killer Poker & Killer Poker Online. And I also aquire Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book. Suddenly everything clicks into place....

14th March ... Finished 5th in the CC $400 Freeroll for $24, which restarts my FTP bankroll and at the moment, I'm sitting on that like a hen who's afraid the fox will steal her eggs!!!

I've also managed to work up another BR on a beta test site to $25 from $0, playing the MTT freerolls on offer there. Only wins that range from $0.25 - $3, but in the last week or so have managed an ITM finish at least once or twice a day. I have now decided that cash games are not for me and I'm a better tourney player.

Yesterday, I finished 198th out of 10,000 in the Round 1 Freeroll, and I'm now hoping to increase my BR in the $1000 FR this Sunday.

So now I have a BR of around $50 on two or three sites, the question I am asking myself now is, how to invest it in games that I can turn a profit on? Should I even start to invest it yet, or get some more experience in the freerolls and a bigger BR before stepping up a notch? Tips greatly appreciated...

thanks for your response !! my story is very simuliar and i to did well in mtt's with my free money but soon as i went to ring games a got crushed with my big hands

#7 23rd March 2010, 9:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forsakenone

pokerstars gave me the 10$ bonus and i lost them in about 5 minutes at the 2nl tables, no matter what hand i had, going all in i would lose. ofc i wasnt going all in preflop, or on a draw, i was playing as i usually play.

sounds very familiar ... but mtt's and sit n gos seems like yo9u can avoid all that ..

#8 23rd March 2010, 9:52 PM

Mine's pretty simple.

I won a few fr's before joining CC and it usually took very little time to lose it all..lol

Then I found CC. I spent a lot of time absorbing posts by guys like Zach, Tenbob, FP etc. and played plenty of games with the people here. I won a little cash here and there at various poker sites while playing CC sponsored games, took it to the cash tables and built it up from there to comfortable br's.

If I can do it, anyone can. Main thing is reading enough threads and getting to know which members are best to listen and learn from, participate when you can with questions.

#9 24th March 2010, 2:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adventurebound

Mine's pretty simple.

I won a few fr's before joining CC and it usually took very little time to lose it all..lol

Then I found CC. I spent a lot of time absorbing posts by guys like Zach, Tenbob, FP etc. and played plenty of games with the people here. I won a little cash here and there at various poker sites while playing CC sponsored games, took it to the cash tables and built it up from there to comfortable br's.

If I can do it, anyone can. Main thing is reading enough threads and getting to know which members are best to listen and learn from, participate when you can with questions.

Awesome reply man !!! i will look at those members you mentioned and see their threads and replys ... I love it when i see a mamber reach out to someone like me and take their time to direct !!!! you them man and im just visiting

#10 27th March 2010, 4:53 PM

I started playing free rolls after months of playing play money on Full Tilt, I figured it would be better playing the same game for real money payouts. It took a while to cash but I keep at it. I was up to $10 and now down to $8 ,but Joining CC is a definate plus because The free roll play is a million times better and the people are real nice too! I just started playing cash ring games for .01/.02 and I just cashed in the last one winning 2.60 so on a good ring game day I can make as much in 1 hour as I could in a 5 hour free roll, I can also loose it quickly but I dont risk a lot. I also play the qualifier to the daily dollar which is a good payout if you can survive.

#11 27th March 2010, 5:09 PM

I started playing freerolls on Full Tilt ~2 years ago or so when my friend told me about them and said if he could do it I could. Played a ton of them, became a freeroll whore for a little while, started cashing in them, and played $1 9person SnGs with the winnings. Built up my BR to ~$20 a few times but would eventually play drunk and lose most if not all of it, but whatever it was fun and free.

Eventually took it a little more serious and stopped wasting money after a night of drinking. Had about $20-$30 when the last Take 2 promo happened and decided to try and nit my way to the $50 bonus (and won a couple dollars while doing so). Got the $50 bonus and the 1 a day freeroll and my BR was on its way.

On Pokerstars I believe my friend lent me ~$10, after I had lost the free $5 PS gave me long before, and I haven't really looked back since.

Joined PlayersOnly when another forum I am/was on had some freerolls there. Cashed for a dollar and change, played a $1 SnG and won it. Then played DoNs and ran my BR up to over $200 before cashing out.

Pretty much only play at Pokerstars now, even though I just got RB from Full Tilt. Still have small rolls on both PO and FTP, but haven't played at either in a while.

#12 27th March 2010, 5:21 PM

Heh, before I deposited on pokerstars A friend gave me 10$ which I lost cuz I couldn't have a solid BRM...Then I won 2.20$ in the FPP freeroll and thought great I'm right back on track so I get into a 2+0.20$ SNG and my first hand is a monster KK!
I figure it's great!one limper and one raise before me and I'm not gonna play this hand wrong so I instantly go all-in! The raiser calls and shows AA and gets his third ace on the flop!
I was soooo pissed! I don't know why online sites always like putting these 2hands together although the real probability of them being together at the same time is extreeeeeemely SLIM! You rarely ever see it in live poker but always see it online it's disgusting! Especially if you believe that you could win money from nothing and you were playing your best poker!

#13 28th March 2010, 3:16 PM

I deposited 100$ on Pokerstars and it only took about a week for me to lose it all. I won ten bucks on a free roll on Carbon then won a 1$ dazzler and got it up to about 150$ But before that i won a couple fun step 3s and got my 1$ but lost that real quick. Btw i didnt know you can sell play chips?? how do u do that?

#14 2nd April 2010, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elie_Yammine

Heh, before I deposited on pokerstars A friend gave me 10$ which I lost cuz I couldn't have a solid BRM...Then I won 2.20$ in the FPP freeroll and thought great I'm right back on track so I get into a 2+0.20$ SNG and my first hand is a monster KK!
I figure it's great!one limper and one raise before me and I'm not gonna play this hand wrong so I instantly go all-in! The raiser calls and shows AA and gets his third ace on the flop!
I was soooo pissed! I don't know why online sites always like putting these 2hands together although the real probability of them being together at the same time is extreeeeeemely SLIM! You rarely ever see it in live poker but always see it online it's disgusting! Especially if you believe that you could win money from nothing and you were playing your best poker!

That is a really cool story .. Yeah and everyone says its because you play so many more hands but you know what I see it allot oh well ..

#15 2nd April 2010, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steak vegita

I deposited 100$ on Pokerstars and it only took about a week for me to lose it all. I won ten bucks on a free roll on Carbon then won a 1$ dazzler and got it up to about 150$ But before that i won a couple fun step 3s and got my 1$ but lost that real quick. Btw i didnt know you can sell play chips?? how do u do that?

Thanks for your story , about the selling of play chips ,, we can't say the names of other sites on cardschat i believe . but if you type in google "sell pokerstars play chips .. and you get to a site that has the logo of pokerstars you should be at the right place.

#16 2nd April 2010, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gent

Not me, I just seemed to donate over the last few years. I never use play money and don't bother with free rolls.

I now make money at poker, unless I play cash tables (just can't throw away TPTK), but tourneys are now my friends and I have not had to reload for ages.

As far as free money, no such thing in my book. I do know however that if money is not an issue I do play a lot better with less worries, I have been using my Full Tilt points to try qualify for decent buy in tourneys and find that I can let loose and build a chip stack, shoving ATs in position is an option when I don't have money on the line, but NIT play if my own money AQs minimum.

Probably not what you were after Nexus, but thats me

actually I like how you explain everything in a general way .. Nice and clean like lol... thanks for your time..

#17 3rd April 2010, 10:23 PM

Haven't deposited a dime on any site and have built over 100 dollar bankroll on a couple different sites. Main thing is the math eventually does come through. I'd suggest following the 2% br limit rule rather than the 5%. Bad streaks happen to everyone, just have to have a big enough br to push through those streaks.

#18 8th April 2010, 2:14 PM

Friend donated $1.30 to me on FT.

Took the $1.30 and won a SNG, had $6 and change as a BR.

Grinded 0.01/0.02 for about 20,000 hands, ended up making about $50.

Took $50 and took a shot playing 5NL, ran up to $100 after 10k hands.

Took a shot at the 10NL, 25NL, 50NL, 100NL. Found my groove at about 100K hands.

Couldn't handle my BR properly, since its online and the money was "free" I ran my BR up to $900, dropped down to about $100 bucks in about 4 days.

Turned that $100 into $600 playing 10NL/25NL and took a shot at the 100NL FR. Beat the game for over $1500 over 50,000 hands. BR sitting at $2000.

Took a shot playing 200NL, 400NL, 600NL, 1000NL.
Obviously underrolled, and SS the 5/10 game.

Did well, ended BR with about $4500.

Ended up losing about $2000 back running $1000 under EV playing 400NL, and some sick swings at 100NL and 200NL.

Cashed out $2500 bucks to pay for root canal and crown.

Happened over a course of ~125,000 hands though.

Now total BR $50.

I will be back ...

#19 8th April 2010, 8:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GiantBuddha

I didn't do it with free money, but when I returned to online poker in May 2007, I had a friend transfer me $100 on Stars and never looked back. I was playing with 100 BB bankroll management, lol.

Hey Buddha, you play limit exclusively, right? Do you recommend that as the best option for low-stakes grinding? Have you ever thought about moving to NL?

Good luck with the tail end of the grindathon!

#20 9th April 2010, 10:53 PM

Built up a few sites via some freeroll pennies but don't play often on any of them these days.

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