Hi , I was just wondering if it's possible to go from playing freerolls to playing cash games(0.25/0.50)?
If so what's the best way to do it?
Do you start off at 1c/2c and go from there?
How much buy-ins do you need at each stake?When to increase the stake?
Also would you benefit from a good poker program?
I would really appriciate any advice.
It is certainly possible. It's going to take some persistence on your part, and a little luck never hurts. You'll need to have the mental stamina to invest lots of time in freerolls for very little pay out. The large field freerolls held by
poker sites you will need lots of luck to cash in those. I'd recommend searching for private freerolls held by independent sites (such as the ones offered here by the wonderful CC staff
). Those generally have fewer entries and better payouts. I have ran up decent bankrolls going the freeroll route a few times. I had previous experience playing
real money games online so I had a bit of an edge over a complete beginner though.
Where to start after you have cashed in a freeroll is really up to you and what you are most comfortable playing. The 2NL ring games are a decent choice. Micro stakes single table sit and go games are another good option. Of course keep playing the freerolls to pad your baby
bankroll until it can sustain itself. There's a decent chance you will bust your roll when you are first starting, but try not to let that discourage you. There are times you will run good and times you will run bad.
There are lots of different advice on bankroll management systems. Some cater more towards people who like to take risks, and others for more conservative minded people. I would use the search function here at CC for bankroll management and find one that fits your style. You can tweak it however much you want since there is perfect plan.
Poker tracking software is a really good investment if you want to improve your play, track your progress easily, and/or play multiple tables at once. You probably won't need them for freerolls or while you have a small bankroll, but when you start moving up stakes or putting in a higher volume of
hands you should consider picking one up (assuming you can justify the purchase). Both of the major trackers offer free trials so definitely take advantage of those before buying one.
Good luck! It does feel good knowing that you have ran up a bankroll starting from nothing. Just remember to keep studying and working on your game as you go along. There is a ton of useful information at CC as well as other places online so soak up as much of that as you can.