Playing Poker For Play Money - Is it Real Poker?

[myquickwit]

Poker with play money is equivalent to playing football or basketball and not keeping score. It's a completely different game.

 

[longjohn1012]

Real vs play!!

Hi everyone, I have been playing online poker for the last 14 years. I suck.....lol. I think that playing real or play money is both the same. Now how much real money your buy in is does make a difference. Play money I still treat it as if it were real, yes you get the donks on both sides!! To me, I still like to play both to try to improve my game and to pick up tips, pointers and tells!! For me, playing both are the same and I think I treat them the same!!

longjohn

 

[Lheticus]

People behave differently in Play Money poker--that's why it's referred to as "not real" poker. It is, at the very least, an extremely different beast than poker for real money, even micro stakes. And I speak from experience in that last sentence. But hey, if PM is fun for you anyway, if it's what you wanna do then absolutely you do you. There's nothing wrong with having fun with it.

I would, however, be curious as to HOW you actually managed to derive fun from PM poker. It's not something I can manage, I'm a tiny bit jealous!

 

[abgvedr]

will you play the same if you lose 1000 play money or 1000 real $? And will all players play the same way? This is the answer to your question

Some people play beter if they lose fake chips. If there is nothing to lose. Not like they dont care, but the mind is more clear. And for some people the main thing is game is competition. Whether there is some prize or not.

 

[abgvedr]

I don't even care so much about money. One day i come and want to win, i open 10 tables and win a lot, the other day i come tired from work and just wana see cards rollin.
One day i go spend a ton of money for some meaningless stuff, the other day im buying potatoes with a discount.
Also real money poker could be so boring, fold fold fold, almost all hands is 2 handed 3 max or go raise fold. Maybe it's microlimits, but people are a little too concentrated and serious.

 

[bakang]

You may as well use play money on this one site who claims to be on the up and up; Let's just call em "cheat on line." There is nothing scarier than having the better starting hand on their satire of a random card generator. Most recently, I've got A3, I'm against KJ and as soon as I saw it I thought, "Why am I playing this for real money?" Cheat on Line accommodates the fish with a J on the flop. They are polite in that they usually don't wait until the river to rob ya, another tip off to their business scam, imo.
how hard would it be for a site like cheat on line (sic) to show their WTSD stats each week, so we could see how AQ does against 97 (about 50 percent, at best, on their small stakes "poker" site).
Anyone saying, "Why'd ya play A3?" is the fish I'm looking for. As if that is some kind of bad hand against KJ.

 

[neptun1914]

If you want to play just for fun without improving your game and just knowing basic rules it is ok to do it with play money. If your goal is to improve your game play money is not good idea because most of the players in play money games do it just for fun and do things that they will not do if real money were involved. I don't say that there are no players in play money game who try to play good but the majority are not such. Even freerolls (except CC freerolls) are generally not comparable to normal MTT. To sum it up - there are players in play money games who play well and there are players even at high stakes who play bad but generally higher buyins attract better players and you should play with good players if you want to improve your game.

 

[Pimp 007 x]

The main difference is the player mindset when playing with playmoney as opposed to real money.

People tend to not care when they use playmoney, and make very loose actions as opposed to playing the same players in a real money setting.

To use your examples. Say you're playing any type of sport with your friend, sure you're both trying to win, but in the end, it's only for bragging rights and neither of you will play at their 100%. But, If you add money for the winner to the equation, you will both try your best to win it.

 

[benitwapasu]

I think it would make more sense to play a freeroll for real money even if you might play a long time to make 5 cents.Playing for play money actually makes no cents.

 

[makisaa]

Playing for play money yes, it is real poker, because you play the same game. It has a different psycology, and so you play with more freedom, and this is an advantage!

 

[Evan Jarvis]

Most people says poker for play money is not a real game, it's fake.
But if you go outside and play football, or tennis, is it fake? Cause there are no money involved?
You know, one might argue, that money is the most fake thing in the world.
The most important thing in life is to have fun. It's a true meaning of life. You know, one would say 'You wrong, your family is the meaning of life', or 'Religion' or other stuff, but really, its just the different ways to have fun in this life. To be happy.
If you having fun then its good for you and for people around you.
And playing for fun does not mean not caring about the outcome. It means enjoying the process. Look for example at some players like isildur1, going up and down milions of dollars like he dont care. Its just that they care so much that its too much. It's like constantly being in the middle of the game.
And that means staying young in your soul, but growing up in your mind.

If everyone is taking the game equally seriously, then certainly play money could be considered real poker.

The issue is when a few players at the game don't take it seriously because there is no money on the line and then they just mess around.

It is still a game at that point, but a very different game than the one where every play is well calculated, refined, and comes with a deep understanding of the risk being taken.

The play money pushfest is about patience, and being able to hold in those all in situations that inevitably come your way when people are willing to move in with any 2 cards. :angel:

 

[Evan Jarvis]

The main difference is the player mindset when playing with playmoney as opposed to real money.

People tend to not care when they use playmoney, and make very loose actions as opposed to playing the same players in a real money setting.

To use your examples. Say you're playing any type of sport with your friend, sure you're both trying to win, but in the end, it's only for bragging rights and neither of you will play at their 100%. But, If you add money for the winner to the equation, you will both try your best to win it.

Spot on!!!

 

[Elfina777]

No, play money does not bring the excitement and intensity of the game that gambling or freerolls bring, a waste of time, you should not get carried away.

 

[DiegoRamos]

Most people says poker for play money is not a real game, it's fake.
But if you go outside and play football, or tennis, is it fake? Cause there are no money involved?
You know, one might argue, that money is the most fake thing in the world.
The most important thing in life is to have fun. It's a true meaning of life. You know, one would say 'You wrong, your family is the meaning of life', or 'Religion' or other stuff, but really, its just the different ways to have fun in this life. To be happy.
If you having fun then its good for you and for people around you.
And playing for fun does not mean not caring about the outcome. It means enjoying the process. Look for example at some players like isildur1, going up and down milions of dollars like he dont care. Its just that they care so much that its too much. It's like constantly being in the middle of the game.
And that means staying young in your soul, but growing up in your mind.

I think it depends on the buy-in amount.

The lower levels are below the freerolls, that is, they are inferior to the weaker games of the real.

Now analyzing the million buy ins, it is equivalent or at times better than the micro limits.

Perhaps...

 

[Entrik]

I think so! If you really play well at poker and you have a stable income, then you don't have to work at all!

 

[Claudiunm]

Not at all.
Playing for play money is not the same as playing poker.
However it is a great place to learn the 'math' of the game!
For example:
With fictitious money I learned that if I made a flush, but my biggest card is an 8, I have to fold.

 

[63burner]

Risk/reward too unreal to be real anything..

If you are playing poker for free chips, it is not real poker in the risk/reward sense.
Real poker, real life, there are risks, upsides, and downsides; one learns from experiencing the risks and rewards.

In free or play poker , what is the gain, or loss? There is nothing tangible to gain, if chips really mean nothing.

Playing for play money is a way to kill time, but not as an aid to playing real, competitive poker, where there are tangible wins and losses.

 

[abgvedr]

Play a couple of CardsChat League games, which are play money, and those who think it's a bunch of donks going AIPF, you would be wrong. The CardsChat events can often fall into the same category.

Actually, I play 5 Card Draw play money games on PokerStars and I would say 95% of those who play them are serious enough, too. And there is nothing to gain but possibly a few play chips and some decent learning experiences.

How and where can i play those League games?

 

[B1961579]

If your idea of fun is to regularly slam your head against the wall in complete disbelief at the bonehead play of a bunch of undisciplined players, please, go ahead and enjoy your play money poker. Been there, and trust me, you cannot tame the players at those tables. They have all-in fever. I’m all out. :burnout:

 

[Shells]

How and where can i play those League games?

The Spring League is underway now, but if you are interested take a look at the first post of the link below. We will have a Summer League sign-up sometime in June, too.

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cardschat-league-43/cardschat-spring-league-2021-sign-up-481612/

 

[romamirr]

Playing for play chips is a waste of time. There is no logic in this, you cannot learn to play well there. Pure entertainment and nothing more.

 

[GARCIA PABLO DANIEL]

hello

no ... lose grace you have no pressure and you can play any hand it is useless ... only good for beginners to practice ... but the true essence is at stake for money !!!

 

[Stringy]

I think it's only fake in the sense that the where you treat the money or the way other players treat the money may not be the same as a real game. i.e i may not mind going all in with play money and so take more risks but with real money I'd play a lot tighter

 

[lyki67]

No, it's not!! Only entertainment for a while. Good only for learning main steps in poker game by beginners.

 

[WellAA]

If your idea of fun is to regularly slam your head against the wall in complete disbelief at the bonehead play of a bunch of undisciplined players, please, go ahead and enjoy your play money poker. Been there, and trust me, you cannot tame the players at those tables. They have all-in fever. I’m all out. :burnout:

certainly all-in fever is rather contagious at the poker table!