Learning to play on play money tables...

DanS87

DanS87

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What are peoples opinions on using play money tables on poker sites to try and improve their game?

I was having a conversation with a friend who regularly uses play money tables to improve their game. Their argument is along the lines of "why should I pay and lose money when all I'm trying to do is get better at playing?".

My point was that play money tables are not a true representation of playing poker. There's no risk involved (and no real gain either) meaning there's no reason for someone not to go all-in on an off-suit 2,7 on the pre-flop just for the hell of it. You won't pick up good instincts and experience from it.

As for the cost, there are plenty of micro buy-in tournaments and games that help keep the cost down. There's also freerolls that, despite technically suffering from the same 'lack of risk' issue as play money, there is a gain to be had and so when playing at the later stages, things become much more civilised (typically, anyway).

I would be keen to see what other peoples opinions on the matter are, as if I am wrong then I could be missing a trick on improving my game for less monetary investment :eek:
 
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nutself

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I think playing with play money in poker can be compared with trading in stock market with virtual funds, the performance you achieve with those "virtual money" does not mean you can obtain the same result when real money is involved, the psychology impact of money is something hard to be ignored.
 
mervin88

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just play CardsChat Freerolls CardChat Leagues, you are going to improve with real money involved at 0 risk
 
lcid86

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Freerolls are a much better place to learn. Play money is a waste of time unless you are trying to get used to new software.
 
Iryna Stryzheuskaya

Iryna Stryzheuskaya

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I think you need to play for real money. I agree with your arguments.
 
VanAlves

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I'm playing with fake money. I'm not psychologically and technically prepared yet, I don't think it's a waste of time.:p
 
eetenor

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What are peoples opinions on using play money tables on poker sites to try and improve their game?

I was having a conversation with a friend who regularly uses play money tables to improve their game. Their argument is along the lines of "why should I pay and lose money when all I'm trying to do is get better at playing?".

My point was that play money tables are not a true representation of playing poker. There's no risk involved (and no real gain either) meaning there's no reason for someone not to go all-in on an off-suit 2,7 on the pre-flop just for the hell of it. You won't pick up good instincts and experience from it.

As for the cost, there are plenty of micro buy-in tournaments and games that help keep the cost down. There's also freerolls that, despite technically suffering from the same 'lack of risk' issue as play money, there is a gain to be had and so when playing at the later stages, things become much more civilised (typically, anyway).

I would be keen to see what other peoples opinions on the matter are, as if I am wrong then I could be missing a trick on improving my game for less monetary investment :eek:


Thank you for posting

It all depends on what aspect of your skill set you are trying to work on but you should always play freerolls to build bankroll while you are learning if you are playing play money only.
If bankroll is not a consideration then you can skip to low stakes not micro to learn to play where skill has more impact.

Play money advantages.
learning to play multiple tables 6 or more
learning to play 3 street poker as few hands do not go to the river.
multiway poker range considerations
learning to be more aggressive based on reads-
increase our bluff attempts and then analyze the spot with no $ cost

The key to play money practice is it is not about winning hands often you will be losing hands as the V chase and do not fold to bluffs. You want to have the ability to stop and look at the hand you just played or session and focus on your decisions not on the outcome.

Hope this helps
:):)
 
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ROYALROAD

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A play money table is also needed for beginners.
I think that even advanced users will be useful for doing all-in research.
 
roger perkins

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I never found a play money table that in anyway resembled real money play.
 
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I see no point in playing for play chips when there are so many freerolls where you can even earn money.
 
eetenor

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What are peoples opinions on using play money tables on poker sites to try and improve their game?

I was having a conversation with a friend who regularly uses play money tables to improve their game. Their argument is along the lines of "why should I pay and lose money when all I'm trying to do is get better at playing?".

My point was that play money tables are not a true representation of playing poker. There's no risk involved (and no real gain either) meaning there's no reason for someone not to go all-in on an off-suit 2,7 on the pre-flop just for the hell of it. You won't pick up good instincts and experience from it.

As for the cost, there are plenty of micro buy-in tournaments and games that help keep the cost down. There's also freerolls that, despite technically suffering from the same 'lack of risk' issue as play money, there is a gain to be had and so when playing at the later stages, things become much more civilised (typically, anyway).

I would be keen to see what other peoples opinions on the matter are, as if I am wrong then I could be missing a trick on improving my game for less monetary investment :eek:


Thank you for posting.

The number one reason to practice on play money tables is that you can have GTO preflop charts and other training tools open while you play and you will not be cheating because it is free.

Just remember to not have the tools open on the same device you are playing on as you will get banned from site just for having the tools open regardless of why.

Hope this helps
:):)
 
O

otmputquant

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Really appreciate this thread btw. In my experience with the play money on BOL, people do not play as they would with real money. I mean people going all-in on 2-7o UTG. People playing outside of the normal range for the position. The avg pot size for play money is >10x bb but in the real money section it's about 5x bb. I would say best place to learn for me is free rolls and really cheap sit&go.
 
DanS87

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Really appreciate this thread btw. In my experience with the play money on BOL, people do not play as they would with real money. I mean people going all-in on 2-7o UTG. People playing outside of the normal range for the position. The avg pot size for play money is >10x bb but in the real money section it's about 5x bb. I would say best place to learn for me is free rolls and really cheap sit&go.

Yeah, I'm seeing more of a consensus around this train of thought.

Some of the points made about playing on play money tables are interesting and valid though. Using play money tables to get used to new sites etc is a fair one.

The points about using it for researching stuff though I would still say isn't as valid as it would be playing in freerolls etc. People on play money tables are just far too loose and so any research you do in there is going to be skewed.
 
BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch

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Its all about how serious you take the game and every hand, even at the play chip tables. Every hand could be a learning opportunity if you get a strategy thats suitable for yourself (or matches your personality) and is suitable for who you're playing against.

I would say, you could develop a solid ABC123 game playing play chips regardless of the game with some type of strategy book or training vids or whatever as long as you take the games serious and follow the advice of the strategy, review your session and correct mistakes. And that alone would probably make you better than at least half of the folks you play.

Its your job to not only recognize your mistakes but figure out your opponents mistakes like overplaying hands or calling with hands out of position and critically thinking about the hands and referencing them in your strategy and just not blindly saying "im up x amount or down x amount this session" and judging your progress by how much you're up or down. You shouldn't even worry about how much you're up or down but how well you played. You can play hands perfectly but still lose hands. So yeah, get a book or strategy and focus on playing the best you can instead how much you're up or down.

You have to learn how to deal with different types of players and the playchipers are no exception. I can't tell you how many times I was at a $1/2 NL Holdem live table with folks that have buyins of $300 where I raise it with something like a middle pair to like $5-6 bucks and have multiple callers, hit a set on the flop, shove the entire $300 and at least one of them call the whole entire $300 ( like another $290 TO GO, PLAYING BLINDS $1/2 AND ONLY $10-15 in the POT!!!!) on only a straight draw or some type of draw or just with AK while missing the board entirely!! Ill especially see that call of AK missing the board call with someone with only like $65-80 who keeps rebuying.

My point is those type of folks are not only at the play chip tables but at the live cash games, low online buyin tourns and they make their way to the wsop every summer!! So get used to them, lol. And learn to deal with them, don't shy away from them.
 
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thesternburglar

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It's play money. It's not reliable. Too many callers. Too many people running you down. If you want to learn watch a 5-10 no limit game online.
 
speper

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Real play is with money, even if it is small amounts, so it is important to learn to play and reduce pressure
 
eberetta1

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I have met people that just are not into the gambling aspect, but enjoy the game of poker.

Sort of like people that like to shoot a game of pool. But if you are real good you can make some serious money. But others have no intention of ever playing pool for real money, it may take away the fun of the game.
 
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Use them to practice your opening and 3betting ranges from each position. Use them practice recognizing what the strong hands are on each flop texture.

You can use higher stakes 'free money' tables to learn actual play strategy, since some players begin to take their play money seriously once the amount represents an investment of time.
 
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