Freeroll dilemma

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Year Zero

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So I’m in the process of rebuilding my bankroll via freeroll. My question is how to play early with a full table but most are sitting out except maybe 3 or 4 of us. Do I play this as if it’s 4 handed or what? I know many are going to say it’s a freeroll so have fun but am trying to rebuild my bankroll so I do take these events seriously. It is frustrating when I’m dealt with trash hands and 1-2 players are constantly stealing the blinds n antes.
 
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300HPGOD

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This is a good question that you will run into a lot depending the site you are playing. When this happens to me I play as though it is a 4 handed table so I lighten my opening range but I also focus on what the other 2 or 3 players are doing. Some will go overboard and play every hand and some will not adjust at all and have the same opening range as full ring. It is a little easier to get a read on others during these times because there are only a few others to pay attention to and not a full table. My advice would be to play as if its 3 or 4 handed, see who adjusts to the table only having a few players and who doesnt. The ones that dont you should be stealing from and the ones that play all hands you can be more apt to call post flop as they should have more air in their range. I would still stay away from playing junk, unless you are stealing, but you should be able to open up your range to 50% or so of hands.
 
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Sebarios59

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This is perfect what you say about taking it seriously, although when you play full ring and there are several absent you should have a little more fun than stealing the blinds of the users and open up your ranges enough to face the other 2 or 3 players in each hand in the table. But always taking it seriously as you say because for other people it may also be an important tournament to create your bankrool.
 
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mollymaggie

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So I’m in the process of rebuilding my bankroll via freeroll. My question is how to play early with a full table but most are sitting out except maybe 3 or 4 of us. Do I play this as if it’s 4 handed or what? I know many are going to say it’s a freeroll so have fun but am trying to rebuild my bankroll so I do take these events seriously. It is frustrating when I’m dealt with trash hands and 1-2 players are constantly stealing the blinds n antes.

You'll play it 4 handed which will allow you to play a wider range of hand then you normally would if the table were full. If a player is stealing your blind it's because you're allowing it the player has determined that you'll fold so you need to protect your blind by reraising that player you'll be surprised how fast they back off. You always raise the sitters when you're in the position to do it
 
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natelearnspoker

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Hey great question and as a fellow freeroll grinder it's really frustrating dealing with people who eat up the clock and are clearly just AFK. To deal with that, I widen my range as you said and constantly min raise so that I can steal the blinds from people sitting out. Even if your hands are trash, you can often find creative ways to make them work.
 
Luvepoker

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That is why I dont play freerolls anymore. Play the game as if you were just 4 handed is the best way to handle it. If you have a playing who is just pushing you you will need to take a stand at some point. Just remember he does not have anything most of the time but make sure you have a hand that can stand the heat.
 
Psyanide14

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I play it based on how many active players are playing. So if most are sitting out and only 4 are playing, I play as though 4 handed and hope the people sitting out are to my left so I can steal their blinds. You will find the others trying to get first in pot to steal the blinds as well so open your range a bit and flat them to see the flop. Play using position and best of luck.
 
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great tips everyone! I'm trying to build a bankroll through freerolls myself!
 
Polytarp

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Here is what I will do if I'm at the same table as you,
I'll try to figure out your bet range and bet out beyond that so that you fold.
I'll see if you're betting relative to position and/or your card range and call you down if able..this gives me an indication of your table smarts.
I'll mix up my bets..strong cards bet weak..weak cards bet strong..call etc...and play out the hand to the river to see who is playing what if possible..then I'll mix it up some more...
Overall, I won't play fair unless forced to..I'll raise my BB if you call in the SB ..if I think I can get away with it.
I'll try to never let you see a free card unless I think my benefit will be greater than yours.
I'll go all in if I think I'm good (using any of the prior information will help in that assessment).

Otherwise, I'm probably doing other things and playing random hands in between sitting out. Weekends are busy days and free rolls are risk free..so if I think I can skate ITM by sitting out or going all in here and there...I'll do it.;)
 
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alfiyka

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it is naturally easier to play at this table.But this rarely happens. This usually happens in freerolls with very early registration.Players just forget about the game.. I play by the number of players present.But at the same time ,very often there is a player at the table who is competing on the last hand.
 
zwbb

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Freerolls have their positive and negative points. The advantage is the possibility of gaining free playing experience in multi-table tournaments. The disadvantages include the motleyness of the public. Free entry makes the game accessible to everyone, which sometimes causes too risky, aggressive competitions. Starting here, players get the opportunity to grow in the future in limits. Poker freerolls are interesting for gamblers pursuing such goals: a way to play with no experience; the desire to have a good time without the desire to win; participation in competitions for the sake of prizes.
 
Igor Popadyk

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they say correctly, people play another game for money (but not all), you need to adapt to the field, then the result will come, personally my opinion
 
Garfield52

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I would play like a 4 handed table and grab the blinds of those sitting out whenever I get the chance. The other players that are in the game might be a bit cautious if you play aggressive.
 
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I see this a lot in the 888 freerolls. I usually wait the first few hands until the allin-ers go away, and then try to play like a 4 handed until I can get a stack that's intimidating enough to scare off the few left playing. Also a lot of people don't take the freerolls seriously so they will just go all in on seemingly random cards.
 
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1nsomn1a

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Freeroll, early stage, play more aggressively your hands with good post-flop potential, when several players are missing, there will always be players who will try to steal the blinds. put them 3 bets, place big bets when you have a strong hand, build traps.:)
 
IntenseHeat

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This scenario used to play out frequently on Carbon Poker as well. It's a little frustrating because it's hard to pick up any real pots since it's hard to play any real poker until the sitters start getting blinded off.

In the meantime, I would probably widen my raising range quite a bit, while making my calling range only slightly wider.
I'm going to probably play flop it or drop it.
You can count on a lot of post-flop continuation. For that reason, I'm going check/fold when I miss and avoid a pissing contest. But instead of leading out when I have it, I'm going check/raise. This should be somewhat effective at curbing some of that post-flop aggression. Once I've given them a little time to "figure me out", I'm going to start slipping in check/raise bluffs and semi bluffs and possibly leading out on my draws.

One thing to remember though, is that you won't even get a chance to really play properly until the sitters start blinding out. So it's important not to blow off your stack, trying to out aggress some agrotard before the real poker game even starts. But don't let them hold you hostage at the table either. If you do run into super aggressive players, you're going to have to make a stand at some point. Just remember to pick your spots wisely.
 
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zwbb

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they say correctly, people play another game for money (but not all), you need to adapt to the field, then the result will come, personally my opinion
In poker, some players have more skills than others. And therefore they win more often
 
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hanio75

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Missing players not is problem

I think when you're missing a player you should keep playing normally because it would be like as players who folded there's no difference. I like it when it happens in sit go. I love making easy money.
 
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hanio75

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I agree about your strategies. There are more posibilities to raise bets. this way win more pots.
 
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hanio75

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So go there ! play freeroll and you I'll get.
 
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You should always play the game and settle on the card depending on the number of players and not on the number of filled seats at the table.
 
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fourroses

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I know this ,I play tight and wait of a better hand ,I raise a little and when somone after me make a reraise I pass ,so long until Ihave a good hand ,then I go all in ,most I get called and I win ,with a big stack I can play now looser and I try to see so many flops as possible
 
Serg77

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You should play more hands than you normally play in such situation. Sometimes you should take it easy
 
Gah_JEC_13_Joi

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I think you should play as if it was a full table. Tight range so you not gonna be surpreside by any adventurer get quads on the flop.
 
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