Playing with play money

Playing play money to help you learn tips in how to play is around 999x worse than watching a poker video IMO, i probably watched 2000hours of poker at the age of 18 and helps you learn so much, play money you cant play properly at all as nobody cares about losing the money, play a few freerolls to get some money and then get tips in how to play and build it up is the best way to start, thats how I got into poker and thats how its my second job; amazing

While I agree with you in general about the quality of play when there is nothing really on the line, I have found some modicum of value in play money SnG's.

1. I use it to practice discipline and spew avoidance. It is very easy to fall into the trap of shoving preflop with trash because everyone else is; however, once you realize you are truly better than those players, you can maneuver your chips to greater advantage and dominate.

2. Even though many players at this level will play any two cards, I have used it to begin thinking about poker strategically. For example, it may be worth adding some trash to your range knowing others will pay off with their entire stack when you hit the flop huge. It isn't unusual for these players to pay 100BB or more with TPTK when you have a monster. When you don't hit, you can fold cheaply.

3. There is value in just playing hands to develop experience. The ability to read a board quickly and know your 2 pair isn't really a good hand comes through repetition.

On a trip to a brick and mortar room after spending more time at play money online, I noticed a significant difference in my level of play, and I attribute much of this to that practice.

I just think playing play money is a waste of time. Even if u r trying to learn i would play freerolls. Play money 90% of the time u will find a constand alll in raiser, or someone just playing stupid. Same thing in freerolls, except once u get down twords the money u will find a lot better poker game. and u could still win real money for free at the same time

Play money is a joke , i needed to wait 3 days until my money would be transfered to moneybookers and my PS account was empty so i decided to give it a try , ended having 2.5million per like 10 hours per 3 days from 1000 chips.
I would not recomend playing with play money , if youre just starting with poker better make a deposit and try NL2 , its 50x better than play money.

babydrago9 said:

Playing play money to help you learn tips in how to play is around 999x worse than watching a poker video IMO, i probably watched 2000hours of poker at the age of 18 and helps you learn so much, play money you cant play properly at all as nobody cares about losing the money, play a few freerolls to get some money and then get tips in how to play and build it up is the best way to start, thats how I got into poker and thats how its my second job; amazing

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I totally agree. I have played poker for some months and have only spending ten minutes with play money. It is not nearly real poker. I have played lots of freerolls and then other cash games and MTTs for the money I have won there. I have played for like five months and only deposit like 30$ (I lost them in some hours). But last Thursday did I won a tournament at 888 poker and maked 450$. So I have learned a little bit of poker but it's not because of play money

xCipx said:

I just think playing play money is a waste of time

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I have a challenge of mine to see if I can get to 100 million play money chips on a certain site. Its fun to me.

I also think the idea that nobody cares about their play chips is not always true. I know I do. I think it is more accurate to say you will see play money players go on tilt more often and make bad plays.

I also have improved my hand reading ability and board reading ability from play chip poker. Like mentioned before playing repetitive poker will improve these skills no mater if I am playing with money or not. Of course by playing with better players you will get better reads and see more "standard" play.

I agree that playing free rolls is a good start but the thing is as a USA player I only have so many options to chose from. I do try to play in most free rolls I can though. One thing I noticed is I play in free rolls better because of practice from play money poker! Maybe because sometimes the level of play is similar.

I started with 1k chips playing at the lowest limits with play money and got sucked out on 5 times in a row. They kept hitting straights and flush when calling all ins with inside straight draws and flush :s

GG play money bank roll. No more tries until I deposit real money into a fake money game. Not happening. lol

Taught me about variance. Variance is bad. Stay within your limits. More than 5 buy ins are definitely needed

And it depends on your play money site. If you play one of em rpg games which has a casino to remove cash from the economy and poker is in there, there's a good chance the players there will play better than other play money sites. Some maybe even as good as the real money cash grinders. If they don't, their rpg character won't have cash to do anything else

No replacement for real cash games though. Speedexas is right. If you don't get sucked on a bunch right at the start, you're gonna make a lot more cash than you should be making

Play money isn't going to teach you much, alot of the time people are just all going all in.

I find the carbon 1/2 play money tables to be decent. Not GREAT mind you but they take it seriously enough you can work on your own game risk-free practicing counting outs, pot odds, learning the software, using any 3rd party stuff, etc as well as just general playing practice. I've run into several players who play as if it is cash (ie: I've never seen them showdown rags hoping for luck etc) I usually tag these players so I know at a glance I can take them seriously.

I suppose if you go significantly high in stake levels even play money types will play somewhat seriously since it took them actual work/time to get to those levels.

Agreed though eventually you will hit a definite wall and will need to go cash if you want to continue to improve. Biggest trick when learning using play is to play at your best. If you get a suck out, use your hand replayer (if available) to look it over and make sure you did what YOU were supposed to. If you played your hand properly, then don't worry about the donks winning their fake money. They are just getting better at being bad so if they ever go cash it'll add some extra to the poker economy for the rest of us

In the beginning, why not? As a first stepping stone. It helps you calculate a bit and get a general feeling for the game while you get warm in your clothes. As for when the first step has been taken, it is wise to step away from it right away. The potential to improve is quite low indeed.

The carbon 1/2 play money tables that the user above me recommends could be a good thing though. Thumbs up!

I just think almost anyone can afford a small roll to play 2nl, and the play is a million times better than at play money tables, so why bother?

If you are just learning the rules of poker, sure play money is fine for a while. But once you start thinking about the game and are practicing strategies, play money is a complete waste of time.

Play money games are a risk free way to improve your hand reading and board reading skills.

In limited circumstances they can be useful in trying out new strategies.

Why risk money to do those sort of things when you can do it for free?

Almost no one treats play like the real thing. You are better off playing with a small amount of real money and learning how to play from that.

Best way to learn something is play micro tounrnaments with real money (buy-in $0.50; $1.00). If you are player who don't spend a lot of money to play poker it's really the best way.
With play money, maybe is the best way to lean playing rush poker.

The first time I actually sat down and was committed at a poker table that involved on fake or play money, I was very surprised.

I played very tight, as did the other 9 players at the table. I mean everyone was folding... except premium hands or wut not.

But I was playing very very well. I became chip leader fast, and held it forever. Eventually I got bored and logged out but I do admit. One time I did this and I did very well.

Gave me a huge boost of confidence and I still brag about it today. Then again I was being handed the deck in a way. By bragging I just mean how I am talking about it like here in this post.

Try it once if even thinking of it, and do your best.