Freeroll strategy

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dad2adrina

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I find myself intensely attracted to freeroll MTT satellites as they generally reward a victory with a ticket to a much nicer payout than my bankroll allows for a direct buyin. We all know this thats why we play them. However, in my history of freerolls i may have won a ticket from the satellites twice and never cashed in the following tournament.

Right now i play on bovada and love those $5k satellite freerolls. Usually 300 or so join and tickets go to the top 15. It never seems too unreasonable to make the top 15 yet i seem to continuously bust top 50-80. It seems like i do quite well chipping up throughout the tournament until that point where ill still get donkey called all in with garbage and sucked out on turn or river.

My question is this, in normal MTT it is almost tangible as to how the game play changes from tight aggressive into loose aggressive at the bubble and then again tight at the start of the cash only to loosen up again at the final table bubble. That strategy always has seemed to work for me until the freerolls.

What are some of your freeroll tips to making the top 15 since i seem to miss it recently?
 
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TheNoobie

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Play TAG in the early stages, dont bluff, not now or later. Since it is a freeroll and people lose nothing most of the time they wont even hesitate before calling you.
You can loosen up just before the money, if the tournament has been running for too long people will not feel like sacrificing their tournament life of 1-2 hours of playing just for a hand that might not win. Time to steal blinds.
Lag or Tag on final table ? Id still say TAG for 9 players, when less play loose. In the beginning people will be trying to steal blinds so expect reraises right next to all-ins, so play just the strong hands you get. In the beginning of the tournament you need to let them knock theirselves out without taking a participation unless you have a real hand.
 
BoddJonar

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I find myself intensely attracted to freeroll MTT satellites as they generally reward a victory with a ticket to a much nicer payout than my bankroll allows for a direct buyin. We all know this thats why we play them. However, in my history of freerolls i may have won a ticket from the satellites twice and never cashed in the following tournament.

Right now i play on bovada and love those $5k satellite freerolls. Usually 300 or so join and tickets go to the top 15. It never seems too unreasonable to make the top 15 yet i seem to continuously bust top 50-80. It seems like i do quite well chipping up throughout the tournament until that point where ill still get donkey called all in with garbage and sucked out on turn or river.

My question is this, in normal MTT it is almost tangible as to how the game play changes from tight aggressive into loose aggressive at the bubble and then again tight at the start of the cash only to loosen up again at the final table bubble. That strategy always has seemed to work for me until the freerolls.

What are some of your freeroll tips to making the top 15 since i seem to miss it recently?

Well as the one above me wrote, to initially play TAG is a good strategy, try to avoid gambling or get pot commited early unless you have a big hand.
Do NOT chase draws or call any shoves preflop without the three big hands.
Even tough the majoroty of the players are donks, they show up with awesome hands from time to time.

Seriously tough, don't call shoves with half-good hands unless you have a good read on them or have them or their stack is 10% of yours or less.
That's one of my worst leaks in freerolls, and the main reason I bust on.

Example:
BRM 25$ on stars just recently.
Had accumulated 16k chips, moved to a new table.
Get A10 on the dealer. SB with 13k shoves.
I call.
He shows AK. No cards help me.
Down to 3k.
Back to 14 K as I wrote this lol.

Good luck and may the variance be with you!


Cheers


Ps: In soviet russia, you are the donk.
 
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Arjonius

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Frankly, the one of the best things you can do is to accept that games like these are almost certain to be unproductive. First, you have to make it through a high-variance freeroll, and then, to make any money, you have to cash in a field where your ability is probably average or below. To make a meaningful amount of money, you have to go deep in the second game - and don't forget that the average ability level tends to rise as the fields shrink.

If you consider how many tries it's likely to take to win a ticket, the average number of hours per try, then how many tries plus how many $5k games you're likely to play before cashing plus how long they'll take, you're looking at a pretty small $ per hour.

Whether it's worth it is up to you. All I'm saying is to be aware that what you're choosing to go for may not be as appealing if you consider your probability of success.
 
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hffjd2000

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Freerolls, The payout structure is so deep. You have to be lucky 3 or 4 times to be on the money. That said being so very tight is no good strategy.
 
d44ve

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My strategy is to play loose for until the first break and hopefully double or triple up my money. Then after the first break, I play tight, it usually works for me. You have to get past the idiots first though
 
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jj20002

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freerolls tend to have a big field and the time structure usually is turbo, so it means one needs to have a lot of luck to hit 4 or 5 big pots (multiways), where one usually gets busted and that´s just to get among the leaders and then try to keep there (winning another bunch of hands) to surf until the itm or the ticket´ places (when they pay around the top 100 or so), after that to reach the ft, one needs to get another wave of pots based more on luck than in poker, so at the end the game is closer to a lotto than other thing, so i don´t think a freeroll like that tend to need a lot of brain just a lot of luck
 
imtheman

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10 Important Tips for how to win a freeroll

1. Play only premium hands at the start of the tournament.
The start of the freeroll will always be a Donk Fest, most of the luck riders will push all their chips into the middle with any 2 cards. Dont play against them only because you see they are so bad and push all in with 7 2 Ofs . You have to play your cards not your oponents because otherwise you will finish by getting a beat beat ( Those donkies are very lucky sometimes )
2. Look after dynamics change
As the luck riders drop out you will be left with opponents that have more of an idea of what they are doing, and they will now have their eyes on the money positions. This means you can play more tactically, and use a few more plays that you couldn't have used at the start, because these players will now actually be able to fold their hands. So be aware of when the transition from luck to poker starts to take place, because it will be time to change gears
3. Dont try to steal the blinds with poor hands at start
The blinds are so small at start and will be a madness from you tryin to steal the blinds with trash cards. Plus 90 % of the players are calling station in the beggining of the tournament and you will not manage to make them fold, so you will end up with more loses then wins.
4. Play hands in position
The information is very important in online poker, thats why you must try to play more hands in position. For example : You are UTG +1 and u have 99. You raise 3x and the button calls. The Flop is T J K . You check and the button bet. In this moment your online actions is FOLD..
But lets say you are in CUT OFF and you have the same 99. You open 3x and the BB calls. Same Flop comes TJK .He checks, you bet and he fold
5. Never call overbets or open shove without premium hands
The reason for this is that so many players bet big or sometimes even shove preflop with hands like AA, KK, QQ just to induce that they have air.
6. Never slowplay your hands
This is a huge mistake to slowplay your hands. Im sure that some of you had AA and got beated so many times. Dont try to be tricky because on a freeroll you will always have action. Someone will be always there to call you 3 streets or even to shove when you have The Nuts
So if u have AA in BB and all table limped in front of you Bet Big preflop and value bet 3 streets.
7. Observe your table
Is very important to see what kind of players are u dealing with. If u observ your table you can get huge informations such as what hands a player limps with, what hands a player raise with etc.
I saw many times players limpin with AA, KK, QQ been passive preflop and postflop. Be carefoul at those players you dont wanna mess with them
8. Dont let you emotions to change your gameplay. Avoid TILT
When your emotions playin for you, the tournament is finished for you. Play your cards, dont let the tilt catch you/
9. Read the table tells
Most of the players use repetitive patterns without even knowing this. Look at bet sizing ( very important ) , also look at how many seconds tank before bet or call.
Also if a player was very quiet and suddenly he starts chatting while is in a hand thats a major tell. That player has the nuts.
10. Dont call donk bets with air
Sometimes you see players that bet very low ( 1 BB Max 2 BB) . You are very tempted to call or even raise them with air. Dont do that!!!!
Rarely a player bet small and fold a 3bet.Even if is a blocking bet they will call your 3bet.
So dont do that with air, just with The Nuts
Those are the 10 Golden Rules if u wanna win a Freeroll. Thanks for reading and see you next time with more informations
And may the odds be EVER in your favor


 
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SpookMBluffwell

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painful...

OMG it is so painful in those big freerolls to get beaten by a suckout knowing he's going to be out only a few hands later when he gives your chips to someone else!
 
BoddJonar

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10 Important Tips for how to win a freeroll

1. Play only premium hands at the start of the tournament.
The start of the freeroll will always be a Donk Fest, most of the luck riders will push all their chips into the middle with any 2 cards. Dont play against them only because you see they are so bad and push all in with 7 2 Ofs . You have to play your cards not your oponents because otherwise you will finish by getting a beat beat ( Those donkies are very lucky sometimes )


I especially second to this, was playing a turbo freeroll secs ago with a really huge russian donk, shoving EVERY hand, like 28 hands in a row, and he was to the right of me. Thing is I decided to call him off with AK, he shoved 72suited and ofc the tard wins it all.
He won almost every shove, it's so damn annoying!
Then he types fish to me in the chat...
Makes you wish you could strangle them from where you are...


Cheers
 
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dad2adrina

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I generally just shut my laptop with a purpose and talk to my dog about how "he wasnt supposed to call wuth 5,2o preflop when i 3 bet him all in!" Haha
 
BearPlay

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When funds are low, freerolls are a great way to build your bankroll without any risk, save for the time invested. And they are also free and learning vehicles.

To determine your most successful strategy, think about who your competitors are. Generally, they fall into two categories:

1) Fish - people who have no clue about poker

2) Psychos - people who could care less about the tournament


A lot of these players do not know what they are doing and they just want to have a laugh. And in almost every freeroll, you can always count on running into someone who blows a fuse somewhere, who throws all of their chips into the pot without any plausible reason.


To win a freeroll, play with a big hammer:

Only play good starting hands.

Raise big and bet large, bigger than you would normally.

If you have a good hand, go on the attack.

If you have nothing, fold. Don't bluff.


Let the (good) cards come to you and eventually you will find your footing.

Best of luck ;)
 
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terryg642

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freeroll

no.one rule in freerolls there free don't lose your cool when your AA gets cracked by 2-7.no.2 there's about 600 people in these things so your odds are long on you even placing in these,so you have to play alot of them,keep at it until you win some real money got to the micro's were the field is about 10% the size of the freeroll.Most of the time you have to play with a hyperaggresive style,don't be afraid of a big multiway pot with hands like AT suited or Jt.
 
Last edited:
shanest

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10 Important Tips for how to win a freeroll

1. Play only premium hands at the start of the tournament.
The start of the freeroll will always be a Donk Fest, most of the luck riders will push all their chips into the middle with any 2 cards. Dont play against them only because you see they are so bad and push all in with 7 2 Ofs . You have to play your cards not your oponents because otherwise you will finish by getting a beat beat ( Those donkies are very lucky sometimes )
2. Look after dynamics change
As the luck riders drop out you will be left with opponents that have more of an idea of what they are doing, and they will now have their eyes on the money positions. This means you can play more tactically, and use a few more plays that you couldn't have used at the start, because these players will now actually be able to fold their hands. So be aware of when the transition from luck to poker starts to take place, because it will be time to change gears
3. Dont try to steal the blinds with poor hands at start
The blinds are so small at start and will be a madness from you tryin to steal the blinds with trash cards. Plus 90 % of the players are calling station in the beggining of the tournament and you will not manage to make them fold, so you will end up with more loses then wins.
4. Play hands in position
The information is very important in online poker, thats why you must try to play more hands in position. For example : You are UTG +1 and u have 99. You raise 3x and the button calls. The Flop is T J K . You check and the button bet. In this moment your online actions is FOLD..
But lets say you are in CUT OFF and you have the same 99. You open 3x and the BB calls. Same Flop comes TJK .He checks, you bet and he fold
5. Never call overbets or open shove without premium hands
The reason for this is that so many players bet big or sometimes even shove preflop with hands like AA, KK, QQ just to induce that they have air.
6. Never slowplay your hands
This is a huge mistake to slowplay your hands. Im sure that some of you had AA and got beated so many times. Dont try to be tricky because on a freeroll you will always have action. Someone will be always there to call you 3 streets or even to shove when you have The Nuts
So if u have AA in BB and all table limped in front of you Bet Big preflop and value bet 3 streets.
7. Observe your table
Is very important to see what kind of players are u dealing with. If u observ your table you can get huge informations such as what hands a player limps with, what hands a player raise with etc.
I saw many times players limpin with AA, KK, QQ been passive preflop and postflop. Be carefoul at those players you dont wanna mess with them
8. Dont let you emotions to change your gameplay. Avoid TILT
When your emotions playin for you, the tournament is finished for you. Play your cards, dont let the tilt catch you/
9. Read the table tells
Most of the players use repetitive patterns without even knowing this. Look at bet sizing ( very important ) , also look at how many seconds tank before bet or call.
Also if a player was very quiet and suddenly he starts chatting while is in a hand thats a major tell. That player has the nuts.
10. Dont call donk bets with air
Sometimes you see players that bet very low ( 1 BB Max 2 BB) . You are very tempted to call or even raise them with air. Dont do that!!!!
Rarely a player bet small and fold a 3bet.Even if is a blocking bet they will call your 3bet.
So dont do that with air, just with The Nuts
Those are the 10 Golden Rules if u wanna win a Freeroll. Thanks for reading and see you next time with more informations
And may the odds be EVER in your favor



That's def a leak I have in these. they make such weak bets and I try to blow them off but they call down with such garbage. Thanks gonna avoid these spots in future
 
DaBrowner

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play only big hands, and try to play postion as much as possible. I agree with most post here
 
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don1980

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I love those Bovada 5k freerolls also man. I finished in the money 4th place about a month ago for $366.
 
HaNz17

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It all depends on the type of freerllos turbos and normally have a given structure for thousands of people for a few awards.
 
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dad2adrina

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Yeah im trying to build up some more points now to go on like a rampage of points to ticket freerolls. Especially before black diamond series starts. Maybe get a freeroll into one of those events which would be pretty ****in sweet.

I find that the more "expensive" the freeroll when using points the fewer people in them with similar awards.
 
rifflemao

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5. Never call overbets or open shove without premium hands
The reason for this is that so many players bet big or sometimes even shove preflop with hands like AA, KK, QQ just to induce that they have air.

The one exception to this may be if you're last to act, facing several all-ins, and have a hand that could flop huge. Sometimes you get priced in to play bingo on a hand you would usually fold to a single all-in.
 
LastSon76

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I've just recently made the money in 2 freerolls on BetOnline, 1st in one (started with about 1100 people), 20th in another (prob close to the same at start). . .this is all great advice, but especially important to remember when back-to-back freerolls (which i love to do on the weekends). . .Big problem there is build up of TILT where you've gotten beat by the worst hand again and again. . .gonna have to remember to stay tight early on and keep my KEWL.
 
LastSon76

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HA! And as I'm typing that last post, I get my 2 pair busted by a gutshot straight (prob cuz my bets were too small). Crazy.
 
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BigggTymeR

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I'd totally agree with the Noobie, he basically sums is up.. Play TAG and Value bet, Value bet and Value bet. The best way to go about these free rolls! People won't even fold bottom pair and give you 3 streets of value for just top pair..
Another tip, don't try to flip if you are 25BB+ because the post flop edge we have in these freerolls is much more than shipping AKo and getting called by 27, he is still going to suck you us 3.6/10 times, so don't make that mistake ;)
 
yaponnchik

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Can anybody to advise materials on playing a poker, as correct to expect chances, psychology of game and strategy.I will be very thankful.Thanks in advance
 
bilbo63

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One thing I have learned playing play money MTT's on Stars when I was getting comfortable with poker is don't panic and go tilt when you are short stacked.

When I'm cut off and my M is 5 or less I wait for a good hand to play and lots of times I've come back from the grave when the variance went my way and I've made it to the final table.

So,the best advice I could give is never give up and go bingo when you have suffered a bad beat or 2 and find yourself short stacked.

Patience is definitely a virtue in this game.
 
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