Beginner's Dilemma: small deposit or play money?

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CommonZens

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Hello everyone, this is my first post. I started playing poker 2 weeks ago. I've been playing with play-money and managed to accumulate 500,000 chips (don't know if that is a lot). It has been "relatively" easy. All I do is follow the instruction in youtube tutorials. :D I feel greatly motivated and aspire to become a poker pro.

My question for you is this:
I am worried that if I play with fake money I'll acquire bad habits. However, I feel I shouldn't go into real cash games without enough experience. What are your thoughts about this?


If you recommend to better make a small deposit and practice that way, where would be the best place to start. Or if you recommend to continue using fake money, until what stakes could I consider to be playing with similar player as in real cash game in the lower stakes and make the transition?


Also any tips or hints for a noob like me are appreciated.


Thanks a lot.
 
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AG04CAS

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Hi play money is exactly that PLAY.

If you have studied the game and it is working then why not put a small deposit on a soft site and play some small SNG or 1c/2c cash.....This way you will get to see where you are as play money is simply not a comparison to real play even at the entry level microstakes.
 
8bod8

8bod8

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My experience, and many others (just search cc forum) is that play money games are different from real money games.
My situation is very similar to your, I've concluded:
- if I'm good enough to make money, I can do so with freerolls (initially); a deposit would give the earnings a boost
- if I'm not good enough, I'll spend the entire deposit
- every new type of game I play will require a learning curve
Result:
- I'm playing freerolls at different rooms
- keep some track of my performance/mistakes
Good luck!
 
ssory83

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I think any poker player, be it and the beginner, should make a minimum deposit. You only play virtual chips, I do not think she has any charm.

 
This Fish Chums

This Fish Chums

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First thing is to stop playing play money and start getting into freerolls where there is stiffer competition. Americas Cardroom has $10 freerolls that start up about one an hour or less depending on how long it takes to fill up.

If you have a small deposit worth of money to lose, then I would recommend depositing and playing very low stakes (either .01/.02 cash games or 1.10 tournaments/sit-n-gos). Getting actual cash experience is infinitely more valuable learning-wise than any other type of learning poker.
 
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domdiego

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I agree, start playing freerolls to get more experience and get to know some different types of opponents you'll find in other tournaments, use the money you earn in freerolls to invest in 1 to 0.50 cents tournaments with this you go far.
 
vinnie

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I am a big proponent of just making a deposit and playing with real money. I, once, built a bankroll from freerolls. It was not an optimal use of my time. It would have been much better to just deposit real money and work my way up from a reasonable deposit.

You can afford to risk some amount of money. What they amount is depends on your specific situation. But, everyone has some amount of money they can afford to spend/risk on entertainment. Just deposit that much and play real money games.

It is better. You will improve faster. There is almost no point in playing the play money games.
 
natasha555

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to be able to withdraw money you need to make a deposit look maybe you have some sort of bonus on the deposit use it.
 
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maragatero

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Play with other´s money..

I hate to lose money, then I began to play in freerolls and taked all the free bankroll that the rooms gave in other times. I made around $ 1000 in 4/5 years and I could learn, practice and loin a good time. Ever the rooms have promotions that you can take. partypoker had one where I taked a ticket for a $250K and I was able to enter in prizes. I won u$s 625!!!
But, if you don´t worry to spent your money, you're in a hurry to be a professional player, you are willing to give up everything to follow this path, respectfully, you could be trying to kill yourself!!
Be patient,study and practice a lot, and be carefull with your bankroll!
Regards
 
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AlbieTross

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Play money will not help you improve your skills because players play more hands because there's no real value to lose, right? Try doing freerolls and learn techniques there and if you're lucky you won't have to make any deposits.
 
Peppinotom

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Just fulfil the requirements here on CC to enter the freeroll/club, this is the most realistic poker you can get for free or small money. play other freerolls in the meantime to apply the things you learn here. If you can easily afford a deposit, that would make sense as well to invstigate the different game types (Cash/SnG/Tournaments), as you need to make a deposit and verify your identity and adress anyway before you will be able to withdraw.
 
MattRyder

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If you're really serious about getting good at the game and eventually going pro, you have to put down a reasonably sized deposit and then play games that allow you to practice sound bankroll management. There really is no other way. CC freerolls are a great way to pass time, but the only way to get good at playing real money poker is by playing real money poker.
 
frnandoh

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Play freerolls and you can have some real cash without deposit
 
charlie2013

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You are just starting to play poker, my advice is to get in the bubble in some freeroll games and win some cash. Then, you will have some cash to see what game to play.But make sure the tournaments you are playing...PLaying play games is good too. I play a lot before to play on real cash. I learned a lot in play games! Its always good to practice.. I have around 2,000,000 in play chips.. Good luck
 
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Oleg196

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Only play for real money. Playing the game chips will teach the basics, but will not let you know the beauty of POKER. Poker is not only winnings, but also losses, tension. This can be learned only by playing on YOUR money.
 
VITOS

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If you have just decided to play poker online and are familiar with the basic aspects and rules of the game, why not start a career in poker from the no deposit bonus. You will be able to play poker for free, without calling and without the risk at the same time own resources and using only the initial capital.
 
eberetta1

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yea. in about 2 months of posting, you will be able to be in plenty of freerolls offered by Cardschat and will never have to resort to doing play money poker any more.


I usually only deposit at a new site using poker winnings from my other poker sites. That way, none of my own funds have been at risk.
 
Nikka18

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I think you should start using real money. Because it's difference than playing with the play chips.
 
Amanda A

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Play all the free rolls you can and try and graduate to micro tourneys without making a deposit. I'm trying to get something together from nothing and it's not easy but I'm sticking with it. :)
 
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BigRivers

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Freerolls are definitely better than play money. I would suggest using bank roll management practices and starting with micro stakes.
Good Luck
 
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CommonZens

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Conclusion I gather.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. What I gather is that it's definitely better to play with real money. There seems to be some split opinions on whether it's better to risk your own money (small deposit) or wait for the freerolls and start little by little without risking your own money.

So in the end it's a question of your own risk aversion and if you have any money to spare.


Based on everything you've told me what I will personally do is make a small deposit (I can spare maybe 20-40 bucks). If I end up loosing everything, I'll wait for the freerolls and in the meantime practice with play money.


Maybe later I'll make a post with my experience (hopefully a positive one). Thanks to everyone.
 
Aremaz95

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How well you started playing with fictional money, but I recommend playing now freerolls there you will gain experience before making a deposit
 
Mr.$t0k

Mr.$t0k

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It's better to play freerolls to get some experience and gradually fill up a deposit. Play monies do not really give anything, only inadequate moves.

Sent from my Redmi 4X using CardsChat mobile app
 
Edison A

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I recommend you first have to give up practice and also learn about theories ... theories you find in books or forums like these, you have to learn to play with position that gives you many advantages in a tournament, you have to learn that in each instance or part of a tournaments you have to play differently, a tournament has 3 stages, if you want to play only CASH you also have to read articles about strategies used is a CASH table because it is a different type of game, CASH tables they require a good study to the players of the table, that is very important in a table CASH to know your opponents
 
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