C
coldogga
Rising Star
Bronze Level
Usually I play 180 player SNG's on fulltilt that pay first and second. The first 5 minutes the field size halves so its not as bad as it sounds (And although its a turbo the massive shrink in field means it feels like a regular tournament).
Basically, I stomp all in with Pockets (On anything short of average stack size anything, but if I'm a lead QQ+) AK.. NOT AQ/AJ. This works in early tournament, about the 30 player mark is where these freeroll railers start to play seriously (Although there generally terrible players), I've hit like 5 final tables out of about 10 games, and won 3 of them..
Funny thing is there generally inexperienced terrible players, so I'll come onto a final table with about 1/5th the lead, and 4-5 handed will run circles around them because they're still trying to play 9 handed
Hope this helps, it might take a bit longer on a bigger tournament, but if your playing freerolls best to keep it small at first
They are bingo players, and there terrible. Dont
Basically, I stomp all in with Pockets (On anything short of average stack size anything, but if I'm a lead QQ+) AK.. NOT AQ/AJ. This works in early tournament, about the 30 player mark is where these freeroll railers start to play seriously (Although there generally terrible players), I've hit like 5 final tables out of about 10 games, and won 3 of them..
Funny thing is there generally inexperienced terrible players, so I'll come onto a final table with about 1/5th the lead, and 4-5 handed will run circles around them because they're still trying to play 9 handed
Hope this helps, it might take a bit longer on a bigger tournament, but if your playing freerolls best to keep it small at first
They are bingo players, and there terrible. Dont
spiderman637
RIP Buck
Silver Level
Well i allways wait for 10 minutes so dat the donks can fight each other...
Den i play a bit aggresively till u pile up a decent amount of chips...
And den its a waiting game..
Wait for good hands to come your way and u can feast on them, theres no need to play every fair hand as u already a good amount of chips !!!
This stratergy works nice for ME freerolls !!!
Den i play a bit aggresively till u pile up a decent amount of chips...
And den its a waiting game..
Wait for good hands to come your way and u can feast on them, theres no need to play every fair hand as u already a good amount of chips !!!
This stratergy works nice for ME freerolls !!!
FREEROLLSFTW
Rock Star
Silver Level
i try to not play alot of hands at the beggining cuz alot of ppl are going all-in with rags unless i get a big pair, i even fold A-Q,A-J. I try to control every hand I get into and never commit alot with mediocre hands. it gets crazy when theres 300 ppl left or so when the blinds are extremely high and bascally everyone goes all-in preflop. just need decent skills and alooot of luck
T
ted80
Rock Star
Silver Level
here's my strategy...don't get mad and don't call names when J2 demolishes your AK or even your AA...they had 2342342342343 in chips by level 2 of the tourney and were calling every bet no matter what and may be gone by level 5. at least it was free. you do get to see amusing things.
blinds are 50/100. player 1 with 5000 chips raises preflop 300 chips. everyone folds to player 2 (2200 chips) who calls. player 1 bets 500 chips, player 2 calls. player 1 bets 1000 chips, player 2 calls. player 1 doubts himself now, though for some reason, he bets 100 chips...player 2 folds. i MUST type HAHA! in the chat...and it usually happens in at least 1 out of every 2 tourneys i'm lucky enough to be at a table to see it
blinds are 50/100. player 1 with 5000 chips raises preflop 300 chips. everyone folds to player 2 (2200 chips) who calls. player 1 bets 500 chips, player 2 calls. player 1 bets 1000 chips, player 2 calls. player 1 doubts himself now, though for some reason, he bets 100 chips...player 2 folds. i MUST type HAHA! in the chat...and it usually happens in at least 1 out of every 2 tourneys i'm lucky enough to be at a table to see it
bogweed1964
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I started playing online a few months back with the intention of NEVER depositing and building my bankroll by entering freerolls and then rolling that up at ring tables and SnG's so I'm used to freerolls and the maniac play there.
Whilst I in no way claim to be an expert I am now building a healthy free bankroll of cash and player points.
My strategy for playing the freerolls is to play tight and be VERY patient, play virtually the entire tourney using a short stack strategy, loosen up a bit if you start to build a decent stack but be ever mindful that the majority of players are relying on luck and not strategy or game play.
As the other posters have advised keep your head down early doors as there will be all ins flying around left right and centre, don't be tempted to join in unless you have AA, KK or QQ (preferably on suit) or AKs, and only do so if you can accept being taken down by 2 pairs 2’s & 7’s.
Avoid being the first to go all in, unless you are very short stacked or you have the chip bully at the table and they have laid down a large bet or raise. If I have decent stack I will generally call or check pocket aces and depending on the flop then look to raise and try to draw maximum value from the pot. Throwing all in should in normal play scare of some speculative hands but this is freeroll and anything can and will happen.
Crazy raises are the other thing to watch for and there will usually be a few callers so try not to get dragged in unless you have the cards to take it all the way.
At the beginning when the blinds are low and your stack relatively high limp in to see the flop if you get the chance with even speculative hands, there are a lot of "call stations" and that 7,8o in your hand can suddenly become a straight or 2 pair on the flop and that 30 chip limp can soon become profitable.
Be aware of "dead players", a large percentage of players who enter a freeroll don't even both playing it, or log in late, so be aware of which players aren't active and there position relative to you. Its not unusual to actually find yourself playing heads up as the rest of the table is dead.
Take good notice of what players are prepared to run with, most hands will reach showdown so observe their hole cards and see why they were prepared throw in or match that 300 chip pre-flop raise.
You will find yourself being moved to other tables frequently, take your time at the new table to adjust, allow a few hands to observe before joining the action.
Even in the early stages you will find a "chip bully" at your table, they will have gone all in on first hand and doubled if not tripled up and there after try to raise everyone in to folding on subsequent hands. Be patient, the chip bully is your friend, they are a "cash cow", just bide your time and you'll get the chance to milk them.
Be aware of your position in the tourney, don't panic if you find yourself near the bottom of the pile, its a marathon not a sprint, when the bubble approaches most will "draw their horns in" if you’re low stacked use this opportunity to push pre-flop when you get the chance, most players won’t risk “gambling” at this stage and will be happy to ride their stack through the bubble.
Depending on how many players the bubble leaves there is usually a resumption of frantic play which usually sees a few casualties, so again be prepared to ride this out, you can gain a couple of placings by doing nothing at this stage. If you make the final table good luck, this is all in territory again, play it tight but don’t be afraid to go for it if you have the opportunity.
I hope this is of some use and hope that a few of the better players here can tweak the holes in my strategy.
Whilst I in no way claim to be an expert I am now building a healthy free bankroll of cash and player points.
My strategy for playing the freerolls is to play tight and be VERY patient, play virtually the entire tourney using a short stack strategy, loosen up a bit if you start to build a decent stack but be ever mindful that the majority of players are relying on luck and not strategy or game play.
As the other posters have advised keep your head down early doors as there will be all ins flying around left right and centre, don't be tempted to join in unless you have AA, KK or QQ (preferably on suit) or AKs, and only do so if you can accept being taken down by 2 pairs 2’s & 7’s.
Avoid being the first to go all in, unless you are very short stacked or you have the chip bully at the table and they have laid down a large bet or raise. If I have decent stack I will generally call or check pocket aces and depending on the flop then look to raise and try to draw maximum value from the pot. Throwing all in should in normal play scare of some speculative hands but this is freeroll and anything can and will happen.
Crazy raises are the other thing to watch for and there will usually be a few callers so try not to get dragged in unless you have the cards to take it all the way.
At the beginning when the blinds are low and your stack relatively high limp in to see the flop if you get the chance with even speculative hands, there are a lot of "call stations" and that 7,8o in your hand can suddenly become a straight or 2 pair on the flop and that 30 chip limp can soon become profitable.
Be aware of "dead players", a large percentage of players who enter a freeroll don't even both playing it, or log in late, so be aware of which players aren't active and there position relative to you. Its not unusual to actually find yourself playing heads up as the rest of the table is dead.
Take good notice of what players are prepared to run with, most hands will reach showdown so observe their hole cards and see why they were prepared throw in or match that 300 chip pre-flop raise.
You will find yourself being moved to other tables frequently, take your time at the new table to adjust, allow a few hands to observe before joining the action.
Even in the early stages you will find a "chip bully" at your table, they will have gone all in on first hand and doubled if not tripled up and there after try to raise everyone in to folding on subsequent hands. Be patient, the chip bully is your friend, they are a "cash cow", just bide your time and you'll get the chance to milk them.
Be aware of your position in the tourney, don't panic if you find yourself near the bottom of the pile, its a marathon not a sprint, when the bubble approaches most will "draw their horns in" if you’re low stacked use this opportunity to push pre-flop when you get the chance, most players won’t risk “gambling” at this stage and will be happy to ride their stack through the bubble.
Depending on how many players the bubble leaves there is usually a resumption of frantic play which usually sees a few casualties, so again be prepared to ride this out, you can gain a couple of placings by doing nothing at this stage. If you make the final table good luck, this is all in territory again, play it tight but don’t be afraid to go for it if you have the opportunity.
I hope this is of some use and hope that a few of the better players here can tweak the holes in my strategy.
doops
Visionary
Silver Level
There is no one sure way to stay alive in a freeroll. You have to get lucky. That said, I'm with the others on playing very little, very tight, early on. Don't rely on luck, and do not fear the big stacks-- they are playing too wildly to last long, and they will be distributing their chips soon enough.
I'd say play small-ball but the bingo players will likely not let you. Try it though-- you might be at a table full of rational people. It's a strange feeling when your table remains mostly intact for an hour, while more than half the rest of the field is gone.
I'd say play small-ball but the bingo players will likely not let you. Try it though-- you might be at a table full of rational people. It's a strange feeling when your table remains mostly intact for an hour, while more than half the rest of the field is gone.
PurgatoryD
Visionary
Silver Level
Wow, this is a great thread. Thanks to everyone for your input! I always worry that freeroll play will mess up my normal play, but if you make it far enough in the freeroll, it does seem to "normalize". But until then, I like the consensus: play tight! I always worry about being too tight, but it sounds like with a freeroll, that's the only way to be!
-Dave
-Dave