I will say this to anyone playing non-money poker

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pgzn

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WHY! And this coming from a guy that played play money poker for a year and a half. (mainly because its illegal in the us for some retarded nanny state reason). Played money tables for the next year, and even though breaking less than even so far - what is the point of play money tables. A complete waste of life. IMO. That is all.
 
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MAX101

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When I first started playing poker it was play money,the only reason I started playing play money was because so called friends of mine would invite me over to play, but they would team up on me because they knew I didn't know how to play like two pair beats three of a kind, they would look at each other an smile an say yea it does beat your hand lol , well I figured I better learn how to play ,everybody at first starts playing play money until they think they know enough to play for a little money usually from winning a little cash from freerolls,but little did I know this game takes a long time to even figure out just a little bit of how it really should be played ,it's a big learning curve!!! just when you figure out one thing you realize there's a whole lot more to learn, what you prob got out of playing play money was people will play almost any two cards and you prob learned to sit back until you got a high pair and try to trap those fish, and the next thing you'll do is prob find a couple of poker books to help you play alot better, only saying this is because most of us who play poker have been there an done this so play money wasn't a total waste of time !!
 
EvertonGirl

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Play money is fine when you are playing a site for the first time, so you can get a feel for their software.

Play money would not be a waste of time if you are skint for example and want to get enough play money chips so you can sell your chips, to someone who actually wants to buy them. I am not sure if this happens anymore, but it used to. Obviously if you live in the US then it wouldn't be worth selling your chips on PS as you can't play real money tables.
 
SANDYHOOKER KY

SANDYHOOKER KY

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The first site i signed up on was party poker, like 8 or 10 years ago.Wow, there's poker online, it was a new thing to me, The first year i played 10-15 hours a day, every day. I usually sleep 4-5 hours normally anyway, so it didn't interfere with my sleep pattern, perfect pastime, my favorite game, on 24-7, for free! I played in free rolls, and there were huge fields with many crazy players, so i cashed a few, but just didn't like them. Playing so many phunny munny ring games, and tournaments and free rolls taught me a great deal. I finally make a deposit, and played [of course] micro stakes, was slightly ahead after awhile, and then one day boom, i couldn't make deposits. A little while after that, bam, the U.S. is no longer allowed to play for cash, awhile later, The U.S. is totally banned from the site. I guess they put my money in their pockets, anyway, i learned a hell of a lot from all that play money playing. Every now and then, i play for fun on poker stars and full tilt, just for the hell of it.
 
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spstevens

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Linear thought line .
I have not played play money in a decade or so but if you enjoy it --have fun.
Why play solitaire? bridge? pinochle etc ? If it makes you happy and passes the time for you go for it.
If your goal is to profit at money tables I concur but if you just enjoy playing another line of thought needs entertainment here.
 
crusinnn

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For me I only play it for specific reasons and it's not a complete waste of time, I play it on stars when I want to improve in certain areas, I use play money to test it out. It sucks how they don't have Hu play money to practice on. This is just me , a lot of players would consider this a waste of time.
 
Arjonius

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I doubt there's much to gain from playchip poker beyond the complete newbie stage.

In my case, I played a few playchip games when I first started just to see what the software was like. Even though I'd only played poker years before with friends, and never holdem, the learning curve was very easy so was playing freerolls for money within a day or two, and deposited money to give myself a bankroll very soon after that.
 
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hffjd2000

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I believe the main reason to play "play money game" is, your new and just want to feel the software. Its not even recommended as a practice ground before shifting to money games, because play at play money games in not true poker. Almost all will go all in, just like at facebook zynga poker.
Its better you practice at freerolls, then shift at money tables afterwards-ofcourse at low stakes to avoid high losses.

Goodluck.
 
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1blanqueanu1

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it is best to start practicing in freerolls tournaments and make a small investment of a minimum deposit knowing he may lose that little investment and practice, review the hands you play and try to improve. Apart from that way is to adapt the game for real money, because when people play money to real money play unless differently and less looser criteria. And the important thing is that after that little practice you can feel more safe or not to start then with more money in the bank
 
trolaAa

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complete waste of time if you know the game already...
 
fletchdad

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I wish I could learn to like play money tables when I am drunk, but I dont seem to........:(
 
dj11

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There is more than one reason to play poker. Most will think why bother if there is no $ to be made. I got into online poker because my free bridge site broke up, and with nothing else to do most days, I found Stars and played for the fun, and competition.

I knew I could deposit, and I know myself well enough to realize that it would be stressful, and I really didn't want to bring fresh stresses into my life, it had enough without adding any new ones.

I enjoyed then, and still occasionally now, play money poker. The only place I can find 5 card O8 is at Stars, and being US, no $ are involved.

So, entertainment is a very good reason to play play money poker.
 
Peteyweestro

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Even for a newbie i think the free money tables could be more damaging the helpful because the majority of the play is nothing like it is in real money situations, so to try and use it to learn is like learning ice hockey by playing football :confused: ?
 
hobonc

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If you want to learn new games then play money can save you a lot. I used to play in a lot of 10 game tourneys and when I first started I learned the basics and some strategy by playing on play money tables.
 
el_magiciann

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Play money tables are not that bad if you are new to poker tables, we all played play money tournaments and tables when we begin playing poker i think, and we play even now some of the freerolls we like the most, and by playing more hands you get better at poker, dont forget this :)
 
blakewyte

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I wouldn't say that it's a complete waste of time nor that it's purely for beginners.

I do play in the play money tournaments or SNG primarily to try out new strategies and plays. Practise my aggression etc etc. On FT, I noticed that even in a play money tournament where the payout was just more play money, the players were still tight and solid in their play (this compared to playing play money tournies on PS).

So doing that helped me improve my game in a way? Not only that, it's a good break when I'm on a downswing from zoom/rush and real money tournaments. So I can still play but not really feel the pinch of losing real money.

If any of that made any sense.
 
zEric7x

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I do because I was bored and it is risk free poker. I have a challenge on a Zynga poker to try to win hundreds of millions of chips. I just see it as a way to pass the time.

I guess money is just not my motivation sometimes to play poker.
 
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terryg642

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play money poker

I don't care for play money ring games I'd rather play in freerolls were you actually gain some money if you win,but I did log into carbon on a play money table one morning out of boredom.The people were all friendly an affectionate to each other it's my gues ,that they all played at the table every morning and got to know each other,my point is in our quest to make a million dollars we forget poker can be a great social game.
 
rdm4k

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I use play-money when I wish to learn a new game and play some hands.
I used to play some of those NLHE games when I still didnt know the game: it was a pretty new stuff, I ve seen it on the tv, lets try it.

Then when I "got" the game I started to play free-rolls instead. It is a good compromise between the lean of the game and the chance to make some T-money ro use in real money games.

When I started I used to play any freeroll game I could find on any site I knew :)
It did work!! I create my 1st BR from there.
I wish you the same, that's the best way to move the steps to improve your game
glgl
 
jordanbillie

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Very interesting that the OP never replied in his own thread. Troll alert?
 
dj11

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I have been known here as a defender of play money poker. I still am, tho not as loud as I used to be.

Another thing that I believe is that in tourney's, being able to play a real money game with the attitude that it is a play money game is more important than most folks care to credit it for. It is the scared real money player that suffers from a lack of regard for the game in favor of the money involved.

I have always said that one of the things play money games can not teach you is how to deal with scared money. Thing is that I evolved that to now think that learning to play with scared money is the bigger waste of time.

If you/I realize that the game is more entertainment than anything else, and any real money involved is just the price of admission, I believe we are all better off. This does not mean learning how to have MORE fun doesn't happen, but I do think the maniacal seeking to get better can be counterproductive.

2 Caveats here;

1 - My poker motto has always been "He who lasts longest has the most fun"

2 - Coming off another big LOCK win last night. And as those in the know know, at this point considering any LOCK br as real, is futile.

:cool:
 
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pain_pain_go_away

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IMO The reason we all played played play money games in the beginning is the same reason we would play xbox or playstation; for FUN... For me this is still the main reason i play poker for money, i think alot of players have lost sight of this in their race to get rich, for me winning money is more of a bonus than a goal.

I also believe that play money games can be a good way try out new software, game varieties and tactics without any risk. OK fair enough you will get alot of ATC merchants who will happily shove with 7 2o, but TBH alot of the time, things aren't much better on the real money tables. And i'd much rather meet these shaven monkeys at a play money table or in a freeroll than in a tournament that i've payed $109 to get into...

I think a great compromise between the two are freerolls, in which you can win a small reward without risking any of your hard earned cash. Even if you only win a few cent, out of small acorns grow mighty oaks. I myself started playing freerolls about a year ago and haven't looked back since.

Now, i'm not rich by any means, but i play poker almost every day, without ever having deposited a penny. Full tilt & pokerstars have bankrolled my favourite hobby; poker. I haven't hit the big time, but poker has made the struggle to make ends meet a bit easier. Full tilt have helped me make morgage payments and sent me on holiday....

You can't tell me play money, or more to the point freerolls are a waste of time. There's my two cents anyway.
 
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I used to play poker for candy as a kid with my friends (maybe that's why I became such a fat kid). But even then I was playing for something. A few times in my life when we were bored and just had a deck of cards laying around I've played for free and it sucks.

Always play for at least candy.
 
PokerPete

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...my wife plays only play money...
...she doesn't understand how I can "fold before I even see the flop", she has no desire to ever be a "pro", is happy and content playing at her current level, and most importantly she really has fun doing so...
from time to time I jump into play money SnG's with her and we have an absolute blast...she loves it when she sends me packing with 27os vs my AA or a runner-runner flush draw
...good times...good times
 
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locha2013

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I don't played play money tournements, because I am used to play freerolls they are much more effective and more interesting when you got far in the tournement. I have seen some guys playing play money tournements, but they don't wanted to win something and only played it as time wasting.
 
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