Learning by playing free rolls.

[InkyDinkyDoo]

I'm currently doing a microstakes cash games (online) training course. Playing on pokerstars, 888, Sky and Paddy Power on 2NL. Also for the last week or so I've been playing the many freerolls on 888 and picking up some cents and dollars every second or third tourney. What I've noticed about freerolls versus cash games is that I'm going to learn very little about playing poker as its just a mad rush to double up and its all over very quickly. The best strategy to take is to stay out of trouble until the gunfight is over then you will make the money. My conclusion for a learner like me is that I won't learn much playing freerolls but the extra cents are helpful. Anyone agree or disagree?

 

[fundiver199]

You are absolutely right. Playing low quality freerolls with huge fields and fast blinds wont do much to improve your poker skills. Some freerolls are better though like the CC platinum level ones. But if you selected to focus on cash games, then by all means keep that focus and dont get distracted by freerolls. If for instance PokerStars reward you a ticket to their weekly 5k freeroll, its completely fine to just let it expire and grind your cash games instead. Learning is more important at this stage of your poker career than winning 40c in a freeroll.

 

[sharipov8090]

What are freerolls?This is an additional free chance to gain experience without spending a penny.So what's confusing you?A beginner in poker will need this experience .I only know that they exist and it's not even a matter of cents.Always strive to win with each tournament gaining experience.

 

[InkyDinkyDoo]

What are freerolls?This is an additional free chance to gain experience without spending a penny.So what's confusing you?A beginner in poker will need this experience .I only know that they exist and it's not even a matter of cents.Always strive to win with each tournament gaining experience.

I didn't say I was confused.

 

[sharipov8090]

I didn't say I was confused.

Oh, well, it doesn't change the essence of it.

 

[Brentsn]

Learning through Freerolls

I'm currently doing a microstakes cash games (online) training course. Playing on Pokerstars, 888, Sky and Paddy Power on 2NL. Also for the last week or so I've been playing the many freerolls on 888 and picking up some cents and dollars every second or third tourney. What I've noticed about freerolls versus cash games is that I'm going to learn very little about playing poker as its just a mad rush to double up and its all over very quickly. The best strategy to take is to stay out of trouble until the gunfight is over then you will make the money. My conclusion for a learner like me is that I won't learn much playing freerolls but the extra cents are helpful. Anyone agree or disagree?

there is plenty you can learn from Freerolls in my opinion. It’s how I did it. I had maybe 200 hands befor I started playing poker Dec. /19 so almost a year and a half. For the first few months I played cash games with little success. My bankroll would yo-yo for a week or two then disappear. When I found 888 and the great Freerolls they put out I dedicated myself to them. Yes some people just go all in on the early hands because you start with little chips and are playing for if you just started at most $12 and only 15 out of 2-4000 will get close to a dollar. In the early level ones 1st can only be $3. I can do the same if I decide to play the Freeroll sometimes. I think most of the play gets better in the level 20 and better Freerolls. Just remember if they do wild stuff it don’t mean you have to. Now after a year moving up the levels with bigger payouts I haven’t put any money on my account in six months. The bankroll still yo-yos but just with house money now. Last week I made it to the biggest Freeroll on the site level 80. I play the first one tomorrow and 1st place set to pay $10000 so competition will be good. I’ve won or ran deep in tournaments and used the Freeroll winnings to play $1-10 buyin tournaments with great success. And now that my roll is somewhat stable I am finding my way back to cash games at higher stakes and a better feelings with larger bet sizes. Six months ago I would fold to most large bets in a 2c4c game, I can now feel comfortable with any bet size from an opponent in a 25c50c game. I even won the Cardschat $300 for Canadians (first ever tournament win)I think twice and place 2nd once as well. So in my long winded way I say Freerolls have definitely worked for me.

 

[Brentsn]

What are freerolls?This is an additional free chance to gain experience without spending a penny.So what's confusing you?A beginner in poker will need this experience .I only know that they exist and it's not even a matter of cents.Always strive to win with each tournament gaining experience.

888 Poker has the best Freeroll program going. On some days I can have up to 10 different leveled Freerolls with average payouts from $2.50-$60. Then there is the biggest Freeroll (level 80) of the month tomorrow with a as it stands now a$1000 1st. Place payout. All with no money down. Yes in the lower level ones there are a lot of players and a good game may only win pennies but pennies can add up to buyin to cheap tournaments with what will feel like tiny fields where good play gets you a decent payout.

 

[sharipov8090]

888 poker has the best Freeroll program going. On some days I can have up to 10 different leveled Freerolls with average payouts from $2.50-$60. Then there is the biggest Freeroll (level 80) of the month tomorrow with a as it stands now a$1000 1st. Place payout. All with no money down. Yes in the lower level ones there are a lot of players and a good game may only win pennies but pennies can add up to buyin to cheap tournaments with what will feel like tiny fields where good play gets you a decent payout.

The main thing is that all this brings results.And you enjoyed the game.

 

[Alizona]

I hope you realize that cash games and tournaments are not the same game in terms of strategic decisions we make at the table. But I think you do realize the difference already because you said the best idea for tournament strategy is to just "stay out of trouble until the gunfight is over". This is a perfect example of the differences between cash and tourneys. You would never say those words to describe a cash game. Every hand is a new gunfight at cash games!


So my conclusion is that, by playing the freerolls, you've already learned something important that will serve you well down the road in whichever format you decide to focus on, cash or tournaments. So you see? It wasn't a waste of time at all, because you've learned a big thing from your experiences already.


The learning process never stops in poker. Or in life. We learn until the day we eventually die... the day we stop learning is the day we stop getting better. Never stop!

 

[campp]

Freerolls are great! If nothing else, you’ll see more hands, get a better understanding of MTT strategy and hopefully pad your bankroll a bit.

 

[infonazar]

I believe that freerolls are the best option for beginners. Thanks to freerolls you will gain valuable experience and will be able to increase your bankroll. But you should also try our free course, thanks to which you will achieve good results much faster. Good luck.
https://www.cardschat.com/become-a-winning-poker-player/

 

[redmast]

Nobody comes to learn how to play poker for freerolls. People come to win a little money on freerolls, but sometimes this money helps to get much more money. It was so with me. In the course of two days, I converted a cash ticket, having passed 3 qualifying tournaments, into 3K dollars.

 

[glebchekotin]

But its better to play normal freerolls, like private freerolls by Cardschat where players are thinking and trying to do their best every time

 

[Zirkzee]

The problem with freeroll tournaments is that many players go all in preflop with all possible hands. As a result, you learn less the post-flop game. But this is essential in cash games to make a profit (except maybe with a short stack strategy). But I think that's not only the case in freerolls. Sooner or later all tournaments will become an all in or fold festival. You will be forced to do so by the rising blinds. But in the early stages of a tournament, many players play tight and you can compare it to cash games. This is the stage of the tournament where you learn the most about post-flop play.

 

[franken222]

I'm currently doing a microstakes cash games (online) training course. Playing on Pokerstars, 888, Sky and Paddy Power on 2NL. Also for the last week or so I've been playing the many freerolls on 888 and picking up some cents and dollars every second or third tourney. What I've noticed about freerolls versus cash games is that I'm going to learn very little about playing poker as its just a mad rush to double up and its all over very quickly. The best strategy to take is to stay out of trouble until the gunfight is over then you will make the money. My conclusion for a learner like me is that I won't learn much playing freerolls but the extra cents are helpful. Anyone agree or disagree?

I totally agree. Freerolls are in "all-in fest", at the beginning.

Let them all play themselves out of contention, then you'll do ok.

I take all the small winnings from freerolls, and enter "buy-ins" with them.

 

[partz]

Hard thing, but it can be possible. It depends what kind of freeroll is also!

 

[Jimlad999]

This is how I started playing online. I played and still play alot from playing freerolls where I don't need to worry to much regarding how I'm going to play depending on how much I bought in for.

 

[ROYALROAD]

There are also many things which can be learned from the free roll surprisingly.

 

[AllOut]

you're right, most of the freeroll with wide field is not the best place to learn poker however for those who are new in the game should be play them. It's always better experience without losing your money. So instead, studying or watching profesional players would help them understand game before going into real money.

I believe cardschat freerolls are best out there. There's restrictions for each level so I think one can learn a lot on those tourneys. Also, it's always better to build bankroll from 0.

 

[zohnum]

I like to play free roll, I learn a lot from them...

 

[psycodelic1]

i think in this situation when every 1 has nothing to loose anything can happen