Cody5991
Rock Star
Silver Level
There’s a song by Kenny Rodgers that will tell you everything you need to know 
. But in all seriousness just got to play the game solid all the way around and a lot of times you will have to make an all in call or raise at some point to get to the money unless you are really on top of things in the tournament.
. But in all seriousness just got to play the game solid all the way around and a lot of times you will have to make an all in call or raise at some point to get to the money unless you are really on top of things in the tournament.
takinitSLEAZEE
Legend
Loyaler
freerolls can be hard to cash in using a basic strategy, imo. Mainly because, other than their time, players are not invested. They can turn into a shove fest real quick. So the best advice I can give is to play the best hands in the best position, get lucky and double up: shove w/A-10std or better and call w/only Q's or better. Oh and try not to tangle w/better players and/or bigger stacks. Good luck, man.
xOneCoolHandx
Legend
Bronze Level
Does anyone have advice to go deeper in free rolls. I understand that eventually you have to move all in as blinds increase but I feel like I always move in at the wrong time.
So far there have been a few nuggets of wisdom. Freerolls are their own kind of animal and great training a development ground. I have won two and finished second in another, made the final table in a couple of others. Busted at or near the bubble in a few more and consistently make it to the top 20 to 30. This was all in the last 3 weeks and I freely admit that I bust early in them on a regular basis. I have built my bankroll from zero to over $20 almost exclusively through freerolls and I have earned several tickets to bigger events by playing Step events (I play mainly on ACR and BCP... ACR is what I am referring to here, although I do have similar results on BCP.) This is my strategy:
First, rarely do I preregister. I prefer to get in during the middle to late stages of late registration.This is because of the wild crazy play that occurs during the early stages. You can get it all in early with AA and lose very often because you are usually playing against 3-5 other players. Getting in freerolls early means that you have to either join the crowd or weather the storm Joining the crowd will get you busted far more often than it will get you a big stack. Trying to weather the storm means you are just giving away blinds and short stacking yourself. It is smarter to wait. Even though you will come in with a smaller stack and bigger blinds, if you can play solid but aggressive poker then you can chip up at a decent rate.
So, now you are in the tournament. Even though you have waited, there are still plenty od push and pray action going on, but you are in position to make good plays and if you happen to catch a hand like AA, you are far more likely to push and only get 1 caller. Of course, getting a premium hand is not likely to happen, so you will need to start playing your style of poker (I claim to be a tight aggressive player, but at this stage I play tight aggressive in early and middle position and loose aggressive in late middle and late position and in the blinds). This is where analyzing the other players and figuring out how they play, what type of cards they like to play, how they bet and raise preflop and on each street, those who are rocks, those who make hero calls, those that can be bluffed, ect. is KEY. You start making plays to see how others react and you watch the hands that you are not in to gain information on how to play the opponents at the table. I like to play a lot of suited, connected (hopefully both) or small gappers at this stage because these hands play well against a field (not that I am throwing away any pocket pairs...although I will if there are a lot of all ins in a pot...the cost is too high and generally, unless you have queens or better , then pocket pairs are generally going to have to hit a set to win, so I will toss them in that instance).
Another thing is, I RARELY will limp in, I so it every once in a while to change up my game and keep my opponents confused, but, if I am coming into a pot and it has not been opened or there are only limpers, then I am raising (anywhere from 1/2 pot to full pot depending on my position). Limping is a game of hit to win or bluff, and most of the time there are a lot of limpers once one person limps...so there is a great chance that the flop if going to hit someone hard. By raising peflop you accomplish two things: First, you narrow the field of opponents. Second, you have narrowed the range of hands that you are playing against (keeping in mind the tendencies of the other players, some will play any two peflop just because they are suited). Narrowing players and ranges will help you make better decisions post-flop.Employ different strategies for different players at different times, especially considering your position. For example, I was playing a guy last night who LOVED to bluff, he also loved to show his bluff and it did it on every hand against every player, but...he always bet a full pot when he was bluffing and would bet 1/2 pot when he had a solid hand. He also liked to raise preflop on about 80% of the hands. He was aitting to my immediate right, so sometimes I would call his preflop raises, wait for him to bluff the flop or sometimes (usually in early position to eliminate players behind me but also in the blinds or when he was UTG or the Button) I would 3 bet the size of the pot. Occassionally, I would fold preflop because I had really terrible hands that I did not want take the chance on getting to a showdown with and spoiling my table image. This is another lesson about freerolls....a good player would have adjusted their game to what I was doing, This guy never did and I eventually bled him down to push and pray mode.
Another strategy I employ is staying ahead of the blinds. I keep the tournament lobby open and monitor average stack size while trying to stay over 30 blinds (this includes BB +SB+antes for 1 round...so at 50/100/10 with a full table I would want to be near (preferably well over) 7200 chips. This is not always possible because either the cards aren't cooperating or there is play at the table keeping you out of pots. BUT, if I fall below 20 blinds then I have to open my range and get into some pots.
Finally, don't get into shoves unless you are really strong. Runner runner seems to happen frequently in these types of tournaments (unless I am the guy needing it...lol) and people will call shoves needing runner runner. Play smart! Too often I see people with small pocket pairs either shove or call shoves preflop when there have been shoves and calls in front of them by either rocks (extremely tight players) and similar situations (two people you know are both playing either pocket pairs or two face cards..,it is hard to hit a set or fade 4 or more face cards with a small pocket pair.)
In the middle stages, you should just be playing solid, tight, aggressive poker depending on your position. Some people really tighten up in the late middle stages, I have a thread running about how I play these with some insight and advice from other players. I feel that this is a great time to open up and pick up a lot of chips, Once you start getting close to the bubble, there will be a few people playing aggressive to try and chip up and take advantage of those who are trying to just get to the money. I challenge these people some but this depends on your own style. Just beware of getting into big showdowns without the nuts because you don't want to cripple yourself. You will also see a lot of short stacks getting picked off because they have to double up before the blinds eat them up. Their ranges are wide open, so use your best instincts when playing these, especially in the blinds... I don't like risking a significant amount of my chips in this position but Inwill defend my blinds with a very large range for a couple of reasons...#1 I can knock someone out #2 even if I don't, the rest of the table knows that I will defend my blinds and will be wary of coming after them....even the big stacks (I routinely defend my BB so most of the time they already know but there are always new people coming to the table or you are getting moved.)
So, that is some food for thought for you. Ultimately, as you learn and grown in the gamw, you will develop your own style. Best of luck.
Luvart
Legend
Platinum Level
Play as many of them as possible.
And have a solid tight strategy to avoid marginal multiway situations with crap hands.
But there is a significant difference between small-field Freerolls and large-field freerolls with thousands of players. I avoid large-field freerolls because they are a waste of time.
And have a solid tight strategy to avoid marginal multiway situations with crap hands.
But there is a significant difference between small-field Freerolls and large-field freerolls with thousands of players. I avoid large-field freerolls because they are a waste of time.
pedrovitorcosta
Rock Star
Bronze Level
tauri103
Legend
Silver Level
play a lot of hands in the first part of the MTT and do not hesitate to check or fold until you find the right spot.take your game before the bubble and bluff only when you're in position.in the last part Tournament luck counts for 60% so better to play only max hands. I do not hesitate to throw low or medium pairs when just folder to achieve its goal.When you have the chance to reach the table final and that you are average in your stack. keep playing and let other players who have less chips move first to grabs places. When there are only 3 or 5 players left, that's where I decide to take a big risk. which I like the most because it is the one where I achieve the most result. I hope it will be useful to you.
HobokenNJ
Rock Star
Silver Level
Sometimes you see wild things near the bubble. I was last place by far (all others had 3 or 4 times as much chips as me). I was probably out in the next orbit due to blinds and antes. One person out and everyone left standing would be in the money.
Well....
Some character decided to hit the all-in button with something like 3 6 offsuit, and someone with QQ called (or something like). Mr. 3-6 offsuit was out. I was in the money.
adriantempo
Legend
Bronze Level
I just did 16/1000 today and I lost with KK vs 77.
I was very patient, try to stay average stack and try not to fall under half the average stack.
It is possible to win a freeroll even if you have 1 big blind or half of a big blind. I know because I did a final table with just that. 3/9748 and I lost with a premium hand (like QQ) because there were many people going allin at the same time, and there was a KK also (which didn't win).
Eventually you will get the jist of it, it takes time and many fails.
If it's a good spot, you can go on with a weaker hand.
If it's a weak spot, you need nuts.
I think you need over 100 to know how to play them. Or to know the crowd that plays that particular freeroll.
I was very patient, try to stay average stack and try not to fall under half the average stack.
It is possible to win a freeroll even if you have 1 big blind or half of a big blind. I know because I did a final table with just that. 3/9748 and I lost with a premium hand (like QQ) because there were many people going allin at the same time, and there was a KK also (which didn't win).
Eventually you will get the jist of it, it takes time and many fails.
If it's a good spot, you can go on with a weaker hand.
If it's a weak spot, you need nuts.
I think you need over 100 to know how to play them. Or to know the crowd that plays that particular freeroll.
xOneCoolHandx
Legend
Bronze Level
Your welcome. What site do you normally play on?
I see this a lot nearly the money bubble. There are some players who get super aggressive with any two because they know most people are folding everything except premium hands, so they think they can chip up this way. It is a very bad strategy. You are risking all of your chips to get 3 BB worth of chips. I am not saying that the aggression is bad, I play this way near the bubble too, but I am not pushing. especially when a min raise will get most players out and a 3/4 the pot size raise will get all but premium hands out. So, if yourr the joker playing 36 and you fire in a 3/4 pot size raise and QQ comes over the top, then you have all of the fold equity in the world. Much better strategy because you can pick up lots of pots and at apprx 3 BB per pot, you can chip yourself from a medium stack to a big stack employing this move judiciously while limiting your chances of getting busted out before the money.
I am glad that you ended up in the money Hoboken. Patience is a virtue, especially in poker, and you demonstrated that. Good job!
You make some good points. You do need a little luck to run deep into a tournament. Most of all, you need your good hands to hold up. It seems like every tournament that I win, I put a bad beat or two on other players and most of my good hands hold up. I will take some bad beats, too. Sometimes crippling ones. Through experience, you learn to identify when your big hands have been bested so you can limit the amount of chips you get in the pot. So, I agree that it takes time and practice to learn to play at any level, especially the type of players that freerolls attract because there is such a wide variety. Funny thing is, if you asked any one of them if they are a good player, invariably the answer is yes (I have done this from time to time...only the coy or humble answers come from players that you want to absolutely watch out for)
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HobokenNJ
Rock Star
Silver Level
True enough. In this case, the top 4 players got paid the same amount (a $5 tourney ticket), so allowing me to blind out would've gotten him the exact same thing as moving up to be chip leader. Wild stuff.
adriantempo
Legend
Bronze Level
There are many different strategies. For example, try to notice what is the average pot, most of the time is like a full stack, that's why I often hide my strenght if I know a player AFTER me is aggressive. He will bet.
Try to identify players who would STEAL by going allin, and just set up a trap by just calling, I almost never raise because other people raise it for me and it just gives them extra confidence if they are the raisers (while I know I have the best hand).
If you don't flop good, it's no problem folding, that's why you need to get to see the flop cheap. If you are late position it's ok to invest more but very rarely do I ever call 4BB in the Button.
Identify the type of player, by just watching them, no need to play, I play very little and fold often and I get through the tournament by doubling up most of the time. How ? Being the right place at the right time.
Most of the time if one player had a bad beat, the next hand he is allin, if you are ahead of him, calling with KTo often gets you more wins than not.
Identifying players is crucial, some players just call every hand. If you are late, it's worth the raise. Some people just raise every hand. With those I slow play my hand. Some people fold almost every hand, I never play with them.
Try to always play late. Because the pot gets huge often, and you are the last one, you have an advantage, people might increase the pot for you. Per freeroll you only need a couple of doubling ups, that means having the best hand in late position, just be patient.
And some people just bet like 10% of the pot, never let that happen, it's usually because they have a straight draw or a flush draw. If you have the best hand, half pot is called by more loose players, if you want to protect, go 2/3 or pot bet. If you play against tight players, they will fold most of the time if you bet more than half pot.
Try to identify players who would STEAL by going allin, and just set up a trap by just calling, I almost never raise because other people raise it for me and it just gives them extra confidence if they are the raisers (while I know I have the best hand).
If you don't flop good, it's no problem folding, that's why you need to get to see the flop cheap. If you are late position it's ok to invest more but very rarely do I ever call 4BB in the Button.
Identify the type of player, by just watching them, no need to play, I play very little and fold often and I get through the tournament by doubling up most of the time. How ? Being the right place at the right time.
Most of the time if one player had a bad beat, the next hand he is allin, if you are ahead of him, calling with KTo often gets you more wins than not.
Identifying players is crucial, some players just call every hand. If you are late, it's worth the raise. Some people just raise every hand. With those I slow play my hand. Some people fold almost every hand, I never play with them.
Try to always play late. Because the pot gets huge often, and you are the last one, you have an advantage, people might increase the pot for you. Per freeroll you only need a couple of doubling ups, that means having the best hand in late position, just be patient.
And some people just bet like 10% of the pot, never let that happen, it's usually because they have a straight draw or a flush draw. If you have the best hand, half pot is called by more loose players, if you want to protect, go 2/3 or pot bet. If you play against tight players, they will fold most of the time if you bet more than half pot.
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pedrovitorcosta
Rock Star
Bronze Level