trolaAa
Rock Star
Silver Level
N
Nickwastaken
Rock Star
Silver Level
I guess you can say ive basically been replicating this model as well with the series of freerolls on pokerstars...
Between the bankroll mob freerolls and the poker school's alone ive been able to play consistently and have cash for SnGs.... But i havent risked it at a table yet....
I wonder if thats where ive gone wrong...
Between the bankroll mob freerolls and the poker school's alone ive been able to play consistently and have cash for SnGs.... But i havent risked it at a table yet....
I wonder if thats where ive gone wrong...
rifflemao
Pugs Not Drugs
Silver Level
I wonder if CFerg played the $10k challenge exclusively, or did he play it as a side project while continuing to grind a separate bankroll?
I think it would be an interesting side project, but you can miss out on good freerolls (and new dep bonus of course) by not depositing, so I tend to agree with the OP.
I think it would be an interesting side project, but you can miss out on good freerolls (and new dep bonus of course) by not depositing, so I tend to agree with the OP.
F
freestocks
Legend
Bronze Level
Really? Please tell me which sites so I can avoid them.
J
JamaicanKid
Visionary
Silver Level
Starting from 0 is good if u have access to private freerolls. Since i've been a member of CC freeroll club it has been a god sent, i've haven't bothered to play in any other that I use to like pokersites or bankroll mob, fields are too large and payouts too little. Only 3 days ago i turned my 7 bucks fulltilt into a 100 bucks in a days work..... people's problem aren't deposits or lack thereof, the main problem is bad bankroll management and trying to move up the stakes too fast...at least thats my problem.
F
freestocks
Legend
Bronze Level
Awesome. I love hearing how people create a bankroll.
I am hoping to change how and how much I play after becoming a member of the CC freeroll club.
J
JamaicanKid
Visionary
Silver Level
Yea, playing for a first prize payout of $4.50 with a starting field of 6000 plus is very tedious work. If u get to play in CC club it would definitely be a good break.
C
CactusCat
Rock Star
Silver Level
I started by playing freerolls. It wasn't so horrible a grind. Sportsbetting.ag and FullFlush (I think they are different skins of the same network) have $10 Turbos and $100 Freerolls running the whole day, with about 300 and 1000+ runners respectively. If you picked up a few hands and got the money in, and held, you'd cash for $0.50 or $1.00 in $3.00. Then you usually take a bad beat and bust.
It took about two to three months to run it up to $15.00 where I couldn't bear to keep going and finally started buying in at $2NL and occasionally at $5NL.
I can see the argument that freerolls stagnate your development as a poker player. However, I don't think that is necessarily the case nor that it was a waste of time. The first time I ever made a hero call - Ace high call-down on a paired board on the river, on the bubble - was on a freeroll, and without making that and being right, I don't think I'd have had the courage to call down bluffs for a $2 buy in in a real game.
It's also bittersweet, busting deep in these tourneys. Every time I take the spot knowing I have the best hand, and "play to win", I bust. I'm sure we've all experienced bad beats on the final two tables and past. But even experiencing that disappointment and disbelief still made me stronger mentally, and on the cash tables I'll still be in control and refuse to tilt.
It took about two to three months to run it up to $15.00 where I couldn't bear to keep going and finally started buying in at $2NL and occasionally at $5NL.
I can see the argument that freerolls stagnate your development as a poker player. However, I don't think that is necessarily the case nor that it was a waste of time. The first time I ever made a hero call - Ace high call-down on a paired board on the river, on the bubble - was on a freeroll, and without making that and being right, I don't think I'd have had the courage to call down bluffs for a $2 buy in in a real game.
It's also bittersweet, busting deep in these tourneys. Every time I take the spot knowing I have the best hand, and "play to win", I bust. I'm sure we've all experienced bad beats on the final two tables and past. But even experiencing that disappointment and disbelief still made me stronger mentally, and on the cash tables I'll still be in control and refuse to tilt.
MasterOfDisaster
Legend
Silver Level
Why not take the best of both worlds?
Let's say starting with $ 100 and an Ewallet sorry no US.
Start with 5 sites, deposit like $20 on each, play new players depositors and often you get some instant cash and/or tickets/tokens(RESEARCH) only play with that and leave your deposit intact. Also look for the best affiliate for each and every site if you want to absorb extra value. There are ways you have got a couple of valuable games each day (European evening mostly) so you can play every day without any investing money and winning without actually investing.
When you won an amount than use it to play leagues ,added games and tourneys with overlay(RESEARCH) or look for the best promotions/missions etc often small play requirement to get yeah again added value ( this can be in lot of different ways)
If you rather play cash also you'd be way better of to leave NL cash for what it is, cause talent won't beat hard work anymore so unless you are willing to put an tremendous time in it. Better other games!
Let's say starting with $ 100 and an Ewallet sorry no US.
Start with 5 sites, deposit like $20 on each, play new players depositors and often you get some instant cash and/or tickets/tokens(RESEARCH) only play with that and leave your deposit intact. Also look for the best affiliate for each and every site if you want to absorb extra value. There are ways you have got a couple of valuable games each day (European evening mostly) so you can play every day without any investing money and winning without actually investing.
When you won an amount than use it to play leagues ,added games and tourneys with overlay(RESEARCH) or look for the best promotions/missions etc often small play requirement to get yeah again added value ( this can be in lot of different ways)
If you rather play cash also you'd be way better of to leave NL cash for what it is, cause talent won't beat hard work anymore so unless you are willing to put an tremendous time in it. Better other games!
W
WShanor
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I'd love to make a deposit of $100 or so and play from there. My problem is that I don't have a visa card so I can't make a deposit. I'm not familiar with how the other payment methods work so I just play freerolls. If someone wants to help walk me through how to depoist on ACR without a visa I'd love to get a pm from you. 
horizon12
Legend
Silver Level
Start from scratch, it's easier than you all think, if you can not beat bad players, the game for real money you have nothing to do ...
Yes, the only negative is the time because freerolls not so much..
Yes, the only negative is the time because freerolls not so much..
dj11
Legend
Silver Level
It should be noted that things have changed drastically since BF. When I started at party poker back in about 2005, I could have multiple $100 freerolls running at the same time! With about 1000 players in each. They were public freerolls from a time when the promo value of those freerolls was a bargain for those sites.
Those were the good ole days of OLP. Nothing even close exists today.
MOST poker players, live or online, are not trying to go pro. In this case I will put forth the semi-educated guess that 'MOST' is something like 90%. They realize that there is an entertainment value in playing freerolls and play money poker, as well as an education to be got for free. They realize that they like the idea of not having the pressure to perform at the outset.
When Ferguson came out with his challenge, it was at a point in time where we who were in the construction world were beginning to understand the upcoming great recession. 2006 'ish, maybe 2007. He presented it as way to get started, at small risk in a responsible way. Nice to know his challenge will outlive him.
The play money/freeroll route to $$$ is so much different today, that CF would have to rename his challenge. With the exception of WPN and their $10 FR's on demand, I don't think any site is spreading many FR's. Certainly not enough to be multi-tabling FR's regularly.
Like I've said many times, IMHO, the only thing we can not learn via Play Money/FR's is the scared money aspect of the game. Deposting repeatedly will make folks decide to learn the game faster, or find a new hobby. My gut feeling is that most noobs faced with that decision will decide to find a new hobby. 'Most' in this case might mean 50%+.
Those were the good ole days of OLP. Nothing even close exists today.
MOST poker players, live or online, are not trying to go pro. In this case I will put forth the semi-educated guess that 'MOST' is something like 90%. They realize that there is an entertainment value in playing freerolls and play money poker, as well as an education to be got for free. They realize that they like the idea of not having the pressure to perform at the outset.
When Ferguson came out with his challenge, it was at a point in time where we who were in the construction world were beginning to understand the upcoming great recession. 2006 'ish, maybe 2007. He presented it as way to get started, at small risk in a responsible way. Nice to know his challenge will outlive him.
The play money/freeroll route to $$$ is so much different today, that CF would have to rename his challenge. With the exception of WPN and their $10 FR's on demand, I don't think any site is spreading many FR's. Certainly not enough to be multi-tabling FR's regularly.
Like I've said many times, IMHO, the only thing we can not learn via Play Money/FR's is the scared money aspect of the game. Deposting repeatedly will make folks decide to learn the game faster, or find a new hobby. My gut feeling is that most noobs faced with that decision will decide to find a new hobby. 'Most' in this case might mean 50%+.
Raizz
Rising Star
Silver Level
after reading these posts i figured id write a little something. THINK about what you win when you place in a freeroll. say you place and its 2 bucks and the site offers a 2nl table 3 dollars max buy in cash game. Are you really going to stress over 2 bucks? take 2 dollars of change and put it in your hand lol it really isnt anything!!! Im reading all of this stuff about Chris F challenge and bankroll management. If you want to spend a bunch of time saving on freeroll wins until you get a 100 bucks before you play cash games then go ahead lol. Imho if i win 2 bucks in a freeroll and they have 2nl im playing it. 2nl is soft and even if you lose its two dollars that you got for free. its 2 dollars. im not saying if you have two hundred dollars to sit with it all, what im saying is its 2 DOLLARS lol, use bankroll management when it applies until then if you got a buy in or two just use it, dont be scared to lose two bucks because if you lose it you can enter another freeroll and do it again. so you can only play freerolls until you have a hundred bucks or sit with your winnings and play freerolls at the same time and get to a hundred bucks faster. If you are scared to play 2nl with 2 dollars i have a feeling your still going to play scared even at 100 bucks playing 2nl. I have turned 5 dollars into a grand on stars from a freeroll win and ten dollars that a friend gave to me into a grand on ultimate bet before the super user incident, I immediatly cashed out of ultimate bet after that. My point is, I never play scared or worried in micro stakes or any stake. I use my skills and capitalize on weak players. The thing about micro stakes is after you develope your skills its almost not even fair to 75% of players because you own every move they make. If im broke and i win 2 bucks im playing with it while freerolling again and again until i hit a hundred bucks, im not going to spend three months only freerolling before i sit with 3 dollars at a cash table.
Chris did the challenge for fun because hes a millionaire and it would be fun for him. I play for money because I need it, I cant even call it takeing a shot with 2nl with 2 bucks when gas is 3 bucks a gallon and my rent is 725 dollars+ I got real bills to pay and i couls whipe my @$$ with 2 bucks and not care about it. Thats just my opinion, but hey what do i know lol. make a 100 dollar deposit and play 2nl. Get your feet wet!!!
Chris did the challenge for fun because hes a millionaire and it would be fun for him. I play for money because I need it, I cant even call it takeing a shot with 2nl with 2 bucks when gas is 3 bucks a gallon and my rent is 725 dollars+ I got real bills to pay and i couls whipe my @$$ with 2 bucks and not care about it. Thats just my opinion, but hey what do i know lol. make a 100 dollar deposit and play 2nl. Get your feet wet!!!
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Sil3ntness
Legend
Silver Level
I'm not a fan of playing from $0 because it's similar to playing with play money. I honestly believe if you play nothing but freerolls you will get use to low level play.
I'd rather play $11 double or nothings or $5.50 regular tourneys and etc. .05 / .10 cash game tables where you can actually play real poker and stimulate your brain. I've played my fair share of freerolls and the donkaments of people shoving J4 off suit UTG every time gets old quick.
I'd rather play $11 double or nothings or $5.50 regular tourneys and etc. .05 / .10 cash game tables where you can actually play real poker and stimulate your brain. I've played my fair share of freerolls and the donkaments of people shoving J4 off suit UTG every time gets old quick.
N
nygmen2007
Visionary
Silver Level
The idea of starting from 0 to anything is a big challenge, and while it is that just a challenge it has major drawbacks, and unless you have major discipline it can be frustrating, and ultimately how many people have actually made something out of this....
horizon12
Legend
Silver Level
If you are playing ABC game and know push/fold , a week later starting from 0 . already possible to play microlimits , because field freerolls very easy crushing...
Per week can easily earn 10 dollars just playing freerolls..
Daniel72
Legend
Bronze Level
Starting from $0 can be fun for a challenge.
But i also think you do better depositing some (for instance just work for some money in a job for this) and you can play better stakes.
And yes, for withdrawing you have to deposit anyways.
But for me poker is fun on any level
But i also think you do better depositing some (for instance just work for some money in a job for this) and you can play better stakes.
And yes, for withdrawing you have to deposit anyways.
But for me poker is fun on any level
R
RamdeeBen
Legend
Silver Level
Yeah agree...
I mean, unless the free rolls was like cards chat free rolls where the prize pools can be good and the fields are limited then I'd always just deposit even as little as $10 as opposed to trying to grind out pennies for months on end just to get your foot in the door and stake yourself for the 50c games or whatever it may be.
Playing your standard 1000's upon 1000's field free rolls with like $3-$5 up top it's going to take soooooo long unless you get very lucky.
Like I'm guessing $0-$20 for example playing those freerolls more times than not is going to take a lot longer to grind than say just depositing $10 and going from $10-1000 which is very achievable even in a month with good volume.
Also, another point which just baffles the hell out of me is people just don't want to deposit even small amounts like $5-$10 not because they can't they just don't want to invest in poker....yet will spend many hours and hours on end grinding up pennies because we can't mass table free rolls and usually stuck playing one of two at most whilst likely using more electricity dollars in the process doing so than just depositing in the first place?
I mean, unless the free rolls was like cards chat free rolls where the prize pools can be good and the fields are limited then I'd always just deposit even as little as $10 as opposed to trying to grind out pennies for months on end just to get your foot in the door and stake yourself for the 50c games or whatever it may be.
Playing your standard 1000's upon 1000's field free rolls with like $3-$5 up top it's going to take soooooo long unless you get very lucky.
Like I'm guessing $0-$20 for example playing those freerolls more times than not is going to take a lot longer to grind than say just depositing $10 and going from $10-1000 which is very achievable even in a month with good volume.
Also, another point which just baffles the hell out of me is people just don't want to deposit even small amounts like $5-$10 not because they can't they just don't want to invest in poker....yet will spend many hours and hours on end grinding up pennies because we can't mass table free rolls and usually stuck playing one of two at most whilst likely using more electricity dollars in the process doing so than just depositing in the first place?
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G
GWU73
Visionary
Silver Level
I completely agree that free-rolling is not the best way to go. I spent a great many hours playing freerolls, and they did help me to get my feet wet playing the micros, but the volume I put in (often playing 6-8 freerolls across 4 sites at once) would be harder to do today. Impossible in the USA. I also found it to be more stressful because I worked soooo hard to win that money. Then when I did play for real money - all of it in one tourney or cash game - it was hard not to play scared.
Seriously, if you want to play, you would be better served selling some old stuff, even plasma (my brother in law gets $40 for plasma). You could make enough for a small deposit raking leaves, shoveling snow, mowing a yard, washing cars, or getting a real job for a day. Don't make a bigger deal than it is. You can do it.
Seriously, if you want to play, you would be better served selling some old stuff, even plasma (my brother in law gets $40 for plasma). You could make enough for a small deposit raking leaves, shoveling snow, mowing a yard, washing cars, or getting a real job for a day. Don't make a bigger deal than it is. You can do it.