Beginner's Dilemma: small deposit or play money?

[johnny tigre]

Since you have acquired some experience in playing poker using play money, you can move to real money but i suggest that you dont gamble your own hard earned money (unless you got plenty of them). You can go the freeroll way and earn your spurs there and time will come you gonna win small amounts and in time you can get to win bigger prizes. Which you can use to play with bigger games.

 

[Ruppadup]

Deposited some. Brought the 50 $ several times to 100 and then got to greedy and fast ... so actually i play freerolls and if i got another 50 $ to spend then i will depo again ... the moment i can afford it, i deposit. Mostly i do before i rly can afford it xD

 

[Mr.$t0k]

Deposit can be made only when you have free money, and for development in the game for training you can play freerolls. It's a slow way but it's free !!

Sent from my Redmi 4X using CardsChat mobile app

 

[schtiuky]

Try some freerolls for a month or 2 there you will find your answear. Freerolls playears are the same players in low stakes if you manage thouse you can manage low stakes.

 

[nera75]

Do not play more on conventional chips, you will never learn to play poker better to play some freerolls and make a small deposit more watch the video, stream, read and apply knowledge in the game for real money!

 

[CullinanPoker]

Freerolls are played similar to play chips, with no regard for money what-so-ever. You can try your luck at free rolls and Cards chat has plenty of them.

 

[NHequalsFU]

Play the freerolls and build you up a small bankroll from there. Good Luck to you on the grind.

 

[LevySystem]

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.

Make sure you use appropiate BR-Management. Even 20-40 bucks can last you a long while (and you can build up from there) if you play the right games


Just dont start playing 1.10 MTTs for insatnce when you only have 40$, you will go broke most likely then.

 

[Nick301274]

It's one thing when you play for real and quite another thing when on conditional, I would advise you to make a small deposit of $ 10 and play cash games, with a limit of 1 cents to 5 and participate in freerolls.
Poker is not only psychology, luck, lottery, but also calculation, analysis, endurance, patience

 

[Luvulongtime99]

I would make a small deposit along with playing freerolls. then read read read read read. I just think if you where to stay in the free money game you would pick up so many bad habits and gamble to much after converting to real cash

 

[nutthink]

you say you wanna become poker pro. if you planing to be serious poker player may this link can help. gl gl


https://www.pokerstarsschool.com/article/Poker-Bankroll-Management-and-Moving-Up-Stakes

 

[EvertonGirl]

If you can afford to lose a certain amount, then deposit that amount and use a good BRM!

If you can't afford to lose any money, then play the freerolls.

You can make a decent BR starting with freerolls then playing BI games that's within your limits.

I thought I was a great player when I started playing on pokerstars as I was playing play money, I later found out that I was a fish

 

[white_vision0]

Personaly,I think freerolls are better than play money. In play money,players don't care about their chips,they play different. Are real players don't play with fake chips

 

[Will83]

Play with real money, start small. With play money you can develop bad habits and a skewed perception of the game.

 

[Anders1616]

Make a small deposit like 10 - 20$, and start playing small stakes.
Then you get all the benefits, free tickets and bonuses.
And the free rolls can support more cash to the bankroll.

 

[es530]

Hello. I think it's best not to make any deposits yet. let's play the free tournaments, understand the dynamics of the game, gain experience, study the game. and if all goes well, we will not need to make a deposit. because we will have cash. Welcome to the forum and good luck.

 

[polote21]

playing in real money is very difficult, you must try first with the freeroll tournaments or failing in the micro limits

 

[PKRNRS]

Get in there and play for real.. No reason to hold back. The great thing about online poker is you can play with pennies. You don't need a lot to start. Also play free-rolls and start that way.

 

[rafbam]

maybe you should first check out some videos on Bankroll-management ; if you start playing with real money this is VERRY important. Unless you're willing to keep paying more then you'll ever get from the game.

I can say for sure that play-money-games are a lot different then real money; in play-money-games you'll get a lot off all-inns, in real money, the higher the input the less, you won't see that a lot pre-flop.

One last advice play only with money you don't need; it's better to play with 0.01$ and play with no stress, than play with 10$ and have the pressure that you MUST win.

Enjoy this wonderfull game called poker.