When should I start real-money play

[fletchdad]

Only play with money that wont hurt you if its gone.

I go to dinner and I can pay 30-40$ per person. Or more. So I take the wife out, 100$ no problem.

Maybe you cant pay that much for a night out, but whatever you pay when you go out, just dont go out 2-3 times, and VOILA... instant bankroll that wont hurt if its gone.

Play money vs real money... like shadow boxing vs in the ring.

 

[TeUnit]

think play money may hurt your game more than it helps it

 

[xlmnx]

Play money poker

Play money poker is good for entertainment and people that are still learning the ropes of how to play. Even the freeroll are a bit unrealistic these days in my opinion and low real money games also are a bit donkish. My opinion is that until u can place in freeroll at will you might not be ready to face the MOB which is lock poker. Ive had alot of luck with small games winning 10 or so inarow 1.50$ buy in heads up matchs. Slow and steady in real money is good. Im new to cardschat i just posted my intro thread dont be strangers. I hope my post was helpful.

 

[AugustWest]

Your in the US, so Carbon/Bovada are your only choices right now.
Lock/Revolution are going under............
So try 4NL/FR to get your feet wet. I believe that tournament poker
has way too much variance, but that is a personal thing.
You also need a tracker/HUD to help you analyze your play.
Be prepared to find it a totally different game than what you are used to!!

 

[Propane Goat]

I have heard that the sooner you get away from play money the better, only use play money to get familiar with the absolute basics like position, how to bet, who and what the blinds are, the software, etc. Beyond that your own game will not grow because play money isn't really poker, it's bingo played with cards and you won't see virtually any of the conventional strategies used in real money so you won't be able to get experience in how to counter those strategies.

Play money poker reminds me of when I was around 8 years old and was being "taught" piano by a neighbor. We had no room for a real piano so she dragged out this piece of plywood that was built to look like a piano keyboard and I was expected to "practice" on this contraption that did not have actual moving piano keys, and emitted no sound whatsoever. The only thing that piece of crap was good for was to learn which keys were for A, C, G, etc. The "lessons" were once a week for fifty cents a lesson and even at that price were still a ripoff.

 

[AvaloNNN]

Start immediately. $40 is solid for beginner.

 

[MargoMardus]

I mostly playing freerolles not for fun but becase i want do see how far i can get!Im not good player but trying do play seriously.If theres 10000-25000 opponets and you can get at least between 1-2000 is good inaf to me.Every game i play as it was my real money.I dont think theres much differences about real money tabel or play money,only difference is that in real money tabels are less noobs and players who just playing "Bingo" ! Allsoo everything depence about cards you get! I get good cards mostly after fold

 

[zEric7x]

I played at a casino once and I didn't do good at all. I plan on trying again later this year and I will try a different strategy. I was being way to aggressive. I guess I picked that up from mainly playing online for free money and free rolls. I needed to play less hands and play in position more. Something I honestly didn't really consider.

 

[Aleksei]

Your in the US, so Carbon/Bovada are your only choices right now.

That is very not true. intertops is going strong and is probably the best US site right now, and there is some amount of action at Winning network sites. Hell I wouldn't even rank Carbon as the best Merge site, Sportsbook.ag is Merge's sportsbook (in case the name didn't give it away), which makes it substantially softer than Carbon (not that that's very hard -- Carbon has a ****ing free HUD, so everyone's bloody Phil Ivey there -_-)

 

[WeenieSVK]

I think you are just wasting your time at play money tables. 99% of people are just not serious there. Even If you are absolute beginner its better to learn play poker in freerolls, not play money. Still many players there dont care, but in later phase of tourney its become serious tourney I think.

 

[Atari]

It sounds like you have the experience and confidence to start playing real money. Most importantly is I would stick to your budget no matter what. (unless you're using the money you win).

 

[kevbot]

I agree with some others in the thread that in order to get better you really need to start playing real money (at very small limits with your bankroll)