Play money

[pljosko]

A man who buys something that is free (albeit in limited quantities every 4 hours, but quite enough to have fun) has strayed into poker, one who squanders funds unnecessarily cannot be a good player.
Let him read a good book, it will give him more pleasure.

 

[DS3]

You mean that all these people think that the game they are playing is poker ...

This is why I mentioned 'failure to grasp' in my comment.

The game they play is exactly the same game you play.

It is the stakes which are are different. I understand some have no desire to engage with play money chips but I have no idea why so many seem intimidated by the idea as if this somehow undercuts their integrity. The comparison has been made that amateurs engage in sports by the tens if not hundreds of millions. However no one is saying if you are not professional or if you do not wager money on the game you are not truly playing golf, or football or basketball.

I have no idea why so many poker players feel unsettled by those who play for the sake of playing, not for the gamble.

 

[Hanosch]

I kinda think play money would be enough to many players. If u could play it seriously. But those pots with 6 limpers after a raise just causes a lot of patience and frustration.
And maybe thats why people buy play money chips. They want to play on a level where people take the game seriously but arent willing to gamble with real money except for that one time payment

 

[Rahatis]

This is why I mentioned 'failure to grasp' in my comment.

The game they play is exactly the same game you play.

It is the stakes which are are different. I understand some have no desire to engage with play money chips but I have no idea why so many seem intimidated by the idea as if this somehow undercuts their integrity. The comparison has been made that amateurs engage in sports by the tens if not hundreds of millions. However no one is saying if you are not professional or if you do not wager money on the game you are not truly playing golf, or football or basketball.

I have no idea why so many poker players feel unsettled by those who play for the sake of playing, not for the gamble.

I didn't say only this. They are playing clearly for fun and gamble but with play money which are many times bought with real money. With these real money they could be playing in real money tables where they could win some real f money. That's what I don't get and am asking from the beginning why. I know it's fun playing that like-poker game but it's a different topic. We all have played it and we know it doesn't compare to the real stuff. Probably it comes down to how they value their time.
- It's not gambling if you are constantly winning.

 

[fletchdad]

There have been numerous discussions about play money games.

I think most people who play at play money games just like video games. Thats all it is. It is not a good learning tool, because people who are risking nothing cannot be (as just one of many examples) bluffed of a strong hand, because so many of them will never CARE what YOU have. So you cannot try certain plays in play money games. In order to understand how an opponent acts under financial pressure, (and therefore get better at reading opponent and so on) you have to PUT him under the pressure. Play money games show you how many freerolls are played but not how serious online players (a large majority you will face) play.

But, like solitaire or Donkey Kong or Pacman, lots of people like online time-waster games (me too..lol)

Lots of debate about if they help you, and IMHO they only help you understand the rules and basics of the game, and how to play online poker in a technical sense.

 

[vinnie]

I kinda think play money would be enough to many players. If u could play it seriously. But those pots with 6 limpers after a raise just causes a lot of patience and frustration.
And maybe thats why people buy play money chips. They want to play on a level where people take the game seriously but arent willing to gamble with real money except for that one time payment

This isn't unique to play money games. I've played $1/$2 live where a player UTG opens to $8 and 7 people see a flop. A lot of bad players didn't sit down to fold a lot of hands. They want to play. Actually, the fact that they don't want to fold is often the reason they are bad players. Play money players are almost universally bad players, but there are real money players who are equally as bad. Usually, they don't last long online playing real money. But, you will find them in live card rooms at the lower/lowest stakes.

 

[Mariadelaluz]

I play with play money when play in my friend´s tournaments.

 

[DS3]

I didn't say only this. They are playing clearly for fun and gamble but with play money which are many times bought with real money. With these real money they could be playing in real money tables where they could win some real f money. That's what I don't get and am asking from the beginning why. I know it's fun playing that like-poker game but it's a different topic. We all have played it and we know it doesn't compare to the real stuff. Probably it comes down to how they value their time.
- It's not gambling if you are constantly winning.

However, you keep stating this is not playing poker. It is playing poker and is no different than the one where money is wagered.

I also gave two reasons why people pay for play money - in one case to support a private site directly and in the case of pokerstars (less expensive) because it provides the infrastructure on which to play. There are no casinos where I live and the only path for me to learn was via play money.It would have been ridiculous for me to learn the game with real money online.

There are obviously other tiers of playing poker (all a Google click away). From the Amateur Poker League (owned by the WPT)...

Every APL event offers first and second place entry to US$500 Freeroll Poker Tournament. Players can play for over US$2000 every month and at the same time enjoy “Poker Night” food and drink specials at the participating APL venues. Wagering and Gambling is strictly prohibited at the APL.

Thousands play such events. In the past they have held a series of national championships with the winner being awarded a seat to a$10,000 WPT entry event.

Underlining the fact people take poker seriously on many different levels.

 

[Rahatis]

We can only hope that the money they spend on buying play money will be distributed by the platform to the poker economy and not just kept. I hope you do get that.

 

[DS3]

We can only hope that the money they spend on buying play money will be distributed by the platform to the poker economy and not just kept. I hope you do get that.

That is a good point.

With PokerStars I am sure it just goes to their bottom line, With the private sites, as noted, it goes to support the site for all members.

 

[deeznutzz]

I don't play those type of games but I would assume that people do it for the same reasons that people will spend money on a game like candy crush or angry birds. Basically they're paying because they find themselves entertained by the game and to them that feeling is worth spending a couple of bucks on

 

[Devspuch]

money - experience

When you lose money in poker, your money, no gifts of any kind room - you invest in experience, may be good experience, may be not good, it all depends on you, how you play. I think these are good words! :star: (motivation word)

 

[Vithush]

At one point (years ago) you could buy into play money freerolls that could win you real money. Not sure if that still exists (just got back into playing online a few weeks ago). I can't remember whether this was on PS or FullTilt but I know it existed previously.

 

[vinnie]

At one point (years ago) you could buy into play money freerolls that could win you real money. Not sure if that still exists (just got back into playing online a few weeks ago). I can't remember whether this was on PS or FullTilt but I know it existed previously.

Full Tilt! I remember those games. I would run up my play money balance and keep it relatively high to afford to get into those games. Once you had a couple million, winning the 500k to enter these wasn't hard.

I think people were talking about it here:
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/poker-rooms-10/play-money-real-money-163302/

 

[Redbull199030]

I think a lot of people play

 

[Raccoony]

I played with play money when I started playing poker and I really don't see the point of it now when there are many freerolls at various online poker rooms.

 

[Panda1010]

How many of you freeroll pros play with play money and buy stacks of them with real money and almost never play in real money games and why? Just wondering a while now.
Thank you either way!

Ewww play money?? NEVER!!!!!! It is such a waste of time. I would get nothing out of it and in my opinion it is worthless.:bandit: