ACR three-hourly freerolls - any point?

Y

YogSothoth

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Total posts
43
Chips
0
ACR have $50 guaranteed free-rolls every three hours, resulting in about a thousand players each time basically playing bingo. Although I think the sentiment is genuinely #Good4Poker , would more players approach the game more seriously if the freeroll ran once a day for a higher guarantee? Running once a day for even the same $50 would make for a better game, I think, because players would know when they go all-in preflop with junk, they can't just play again in a few hours for free.

My biggest issue is although it may be good from the standpoint of stronger players being able to exploit these weaker players and build bankrolls, I think a more genuine #Good4Poker sentiment might be to run games where weaker players are forced to practice better habits and become stronger players.

Take the CardsChat freerolls. You get one weekly if you're subscribed to a single site, which means you wait another week until you can play for free again - which means not only is there the guarantee, but if you're a starting player there's also great practice to be had because the value of the freeroll is higher.

Thoughts?

My first post on CardsChat - so please play nice! :)
 
C

CSLysander

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Total posts
303
Chips
0
People will go all in no matter what. Freerolls will always be treated like garbage, no matter how they are limited. The one every 3 hours allows people to practice their style and have a better chance at getting money at some point.
 
Alizona

Alizona

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Total posts
820
Awards
1
Chips
0
I started with nothing at all on ACR. I refuse to deposit onto poker sites these days, for numerous reasons which aren't really important to this discussion.

But I love to play poker, so I decided I would play the ACR freerolls and try to build up a bankroll from there.

Fast forward about 2 to 3 years, and here I am today at the highest point yet, my bankroll stands at almost $950. This is FAR more enjoyable of a challenge than if I had deposited my own money and tried to win with that.

I will never withdraw these funds, I will never consider it income and I refuse to pay income tax to the IRS thieves, they can go screw for all I care. Even if I run it up to one million I won't withdraw it, I'll just play at the highest levels and be thrilled to have done so in my life.

There's a lot more to life than stupid money, I'm poor and VERY happy. And I intend to always keep it this way.

In brief... play freerolls!! And make up your own "Zero To Hero Challenge", it is a blast especially if you can have some success.

P.S. Welcome to CardsChat!! I joined here because you cannot ever play enough freerolls, and I want to build a roll on other sites too like BetOnline. The more freerolls the better. Play them all, the only way to have success via freerolls is to put in a MASSIVE amount of hours... as you wrote, they are notorious for their "crazy loose play", or, to use a more technical phrase for it... freerolls have a very high level of statistical variance... but that certainly does NOT mean they aren't beatable. They are definitely beatable, you simply need to have massive patience and be willing to play poker for many hours every day. I am retired, all I have is free time, so this is not a problem for myself, personally.
 
Last edited:
Y

YogSothoth

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Total posts
43
Chips
0
I started with nothing at all on ACR. I refuse to deposit onto poker sites these days, for numerous reasons which aren't really important to this discussion.

But I love to play poker, so I decided I would play the ACR freerolls and try to build up a bankroll from there.

Fast forward about 2 to 3 years, and here I am today at the highest point yet, my bankroll stands at almost $950. This is FAR more enjoyable of a challenge than if I had deposited my own money and tried to win with that.

I will never withdraw these funds, I will never consider it income and I refuse to pay income tax to the IRS thieves, they can go screw for all I care. Even if I run it up to one million I won't withdraw it, I'll just play at the highest levels and be thrilled to have done so in my life.

There's a lot more to life than stupid money, I'm poor and VERY happy. And I intend to always keep it this way.

In brief... play freerolls!! And make up your own "Zero To Hero Challenge", it is a blast especially if you can have some success.

P.S. Welcome to CardsChat!! I joined here because you cannot ever play enough freerolls, and I want to build a roll on other sites too like BetOnline. The more freerolls the better. Play them all, the only way to have success via freerolls is to put in a MASSIVE amount of hours... as you wrote, they are notorious for their "crazy loose play", or, to use a more technical phrase for it... freerolls have a very high level of statistical variance... but that certainly does NOT mean they aren't beatable. They are definitely beatable, you simply need to have massive patience and be willing to play poker for many hours every day. I am retired, all I have is free time, so this is not a problem for myself, personally.

Great to hear you've had such a positive experience with poker. Sounds like the freerolls have really suited what you want out of the game. Thanks for the reply, and thanks for the warm welcome to CC!
 
Y

YogSothoth

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Total posts
43
Chips
0
People will go all in no matter what. Freerolls will always be treated like garbage, no matter how they are limited. The one every 3 hours allows people to practice their style and have a better chance at getting money at some point.


Thanks for the reply!

You will always get that certain type of player going all-in with junk on freerolls - absolutely! - but surely by increasing the wait time between these events (thus incentivising recreational players to value and enjoy single games for longer) you decrease the frequency of this kind of player. You'll get maniacs everywhere, but for the same reason buy-in tournaments have fewer maniacs than freerolls, surely a freeroll limited to once per day/week would incentivise fewer maniacs than three-hourlys do?

Just to say again, regardless of what's theoretically best, I absolutely agree any freeroll is a fundamentally good thing. I guess I'm wrong to imply there's no point at all - but is having them so frequently the best way?
 
C

CSLysander

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Total posts
303
Chips
0
They will not. They will fill to the top and people will be going all in even more. People will sit out the entire game because they know the maniacs may give them a chance at getting in the money. This will not change, believe me.
 
Alizona

Alizona

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Total posts
820
Awards
1
Chips
0
The reason sites don't run one freeroll per day with a large prize pool is because their intent is NOT to make a few people rich, but rather, the intent of a site running freerolls is to give a LOT of players a small amount of money, so hopefully they can become what I call "rake machines" for the site.

I am one such "rake machine" on ACR. Most sites do not understand this concept. BetOnline never runs any freerolls at all (I'm not talking about CardsChat freerolls, I'm talking about freerolls run by the site itself using their own money). BetOnline doesn't get get it. ACR runs many freerolls every day. ACR gets it!! If ACR didn't run freerolls, I wouldn't be playing on their site all the time and earning them rake each time I do. It's a brilliant strategy for them, one that I wish other sites would figure out and implement.
 
Ice Wolf

Ice Wolf

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Aug 9, 2008
Total posts
1,008
Awards
1
Chips
0
I think the Omaha tournaments in these are a little more profitable because they take a little bit more understanding. Now you also get the idiots who just raise on every single hand no matter what, that constantly win hands but to me these take a little more understanding than the just shove with any two bingo play that is constant at the Holdem tournaments. I guess you just have a bunch of bingo play in both but with the larger chip stack in the Holdem tourneys if you don't get multiple bingo players at the same table its a little easier to weather. Solid play just hasn't worked for me in the Holdem tourneys like they have in the Omaha ones.
 
Y

YogSothoth

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Total posts
43
Chips
0
The reason sites don't run one freeroll per day with a large prize pool is because their intent is NOT to make a few people rich, but rather, the intent of a site running freerolls is to give a LOT of players a small amount of money, so hopefully they can become what I call "rake machines" for the site.

I am one such "rake machine" on ACR. Most sites do not understand this concept. BetOnline never runs any freerolls at all (I'm not talking about CardsChat freerolls, I'm talking about freerolls run by the site itself using their own money). BetOnline doesn't get get it. ACR runs many freerolls every day. ACR gets it!! If ACR didn't run freerolls, I wouldn't be playing on their site all the time and earning them rake each time I do. It's a brilliant strategy for them, one that I wish other sites would figure out and implement.


Really interesting take. ACR were running even more than they are now, the system being "as soon as 400 people are registered, we'll start another." Now, they're three-hourly - maybe a compromise (a small one, considering they were about two-hourly anyways) with the issues I brought up in mind? Or would you prefer they go back to the original schedule?

Cheers for the reply
 
Y

YogSothoth

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Total posts
43
Chips
0
I think the Omaha tournaments in these are a little more profitable because they take a little bit more understanding. Now you also get the idiots who just raise on every single hand no matter what, that constantly win hands but to me these take a little more understanding than the just shove with any two bingo play that is constant at the Holdem tournaments. I guess you just have a bunch of bingo play in both but with the larger chip stack in the Holdem tourneys if you don't get multiple bingo players at the same table its a little easier to weather. Solid play just hasn't worked for me in the Holdem tourneys like they have in the Omaha ones.


This has been my experience also. I'm marginally happier tangling with a few maniacs and then more conservatively defending my stack when playing PLO8.
 
SecksyGambler

SecksyGambler

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Total posts
135
Chips
0
Quite frankly it's these $50 free roll tournaments that lead me to join Cardschat. Just a few months ago they'd only fill with maybe 900 people and it was substantially easier to make a nice 20 or 30 cent profit every day. While the quality of the players hasn't differed much, the quantity sure has. tournaments now can reach upwards of 1400 people. and splitting $50 between 1400 surely isn't a good way to be spending your time.
I hate to be that guy on the thread but, the freerollers that Cardschat provides provide $100 split between just a few hundred people. Once I fond out just how much better I could be spending my time, I haven't returned to ACR's $50 freerollers I just don't think that they're worth my time anymore, I don't learn anything from people jamming 72off and there's practically no prize pool anymore.
 
niphon56

niphon56

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
May 23, 2015
Total posts
2,574
Awards
2
Chips
1
That's take time tournament, most of players not serious to play.

One should win lots chips in early stage, otherwise very hard ITM.
 
CheezeWiz

CheezeWiz

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Total posts
1,411
Awards
13
Chips
93
Is There Any Point To ACR Running 3 Hrly $50 Freerolls?

From a business standpoint?:

Since I do not understand all the economics associated with operating a poker site, I am just going to assume that they have an business reason for doing it.

From a Player's standpoint?:

It strikes me as a no-harm / no-foul type of situation.If you enjoy playing the game, have the time available, and are not counting on your winnings to put a roof over your head and food on the table, Have Fun and Enjoy! You Might Even Win a Little Money (which can add up over time)!

If you can not afford the the time that will be required to win the offered Prizes, then it is a definite pass, and the game is not for you... No Big Deal! Spend your time more wisely.

Just my two cents...

Best of Luck at The Tables All!

CheezeWiz
 
tazer

tazer

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Total posts
246
Chips
0
I definitely miss the on demand freerolls ACR would hold. As soon as late registration would end another would start registering. I think it ended up being about 1 an hour or so and there may have been a max tournament number. I felt like it was a great way to help the site grow and it basically costs them nothing. If you top it out at 12 a day you're getting enough rake from the high rollers to stab a few $50 freerolls to keep the micros alive. It is a lot harder to build anything off the 3 hour ones though unfortunately.
 
Alizona

Alizona

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Total posts
820
Awards
1
Chips
0
Really interesting take. ACR were running even more than they are now, the system being "as soon as 400 people are registered, we'll start another." Now, they're three-hourly - maybe a compromise (a small one, considering they were about two-hourly anyways) with the issues I brought up in mind? Or would you prefer they go back to the original schedule?

Cheers for the reply


ACR has always modified their freeroll schedule, but they do it on their own terms, for their own reasons.

For example... there have been times when ACR stops ALL freerolls. I cannot recall a specific example, but generally they seem to do it during a series like MOSS, and I'm guessing the reason they do it is because they want all players to be filling up the regular tournament seats because of the larger guaranteed prize pools on them. They don't want the freerolls siphoning off players.

This is all from my own observations of ACR over time, I have no inside information or contacts there.
 
tazer

tazer

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Total posts
246
Chips
0
ACR has always modified their freeroll schedule, but they do it on their own terms, for their own reasons.

For example... there have been times when ACR stops ALL freerolls. I cannot recall a specific example, but generally they seem to do it during a series like MOSS, and I'm guessing the reason they do it is because they want all players to be filling up the regular tournament seats because of the larger guaranteed prize pools on them. They don't want the freerolls siphoning off players.

This is all from my own observations of ACR over time, I have no inside information or contacts there.


I think they may clutter the servers and they want the bigger tournaments to not have any issues with running. I think the on demand ones stopped with BTC kinda crashed. I feel like the site has a good amount of holdings in crypto so that had to have caused them to take a good hit.
 
K

korbal29

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Mar 10, 2012
Total posts
864
Awards
2
Chips
7
Let me ask you a question ? Will you sincerely sit there for 3-4 hours playing your A game when 1st price is $9 ?
I do play those 50$ ACR freerolls once a while. You dont wanna be at my table:)

I am firing with any 2 cards I like ,all in small pairs , small suited connectors , etc...
 
D

DS3

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Sep 9, 2019
Total posts
7,440
Awards
1
GB
Chips
189
ACR have $50 guaranteed free-rolls every three hours, resulting in about a thousand players each time basically playing bingo. Although I think the sentiment is genuinely #Good4Poker , would more players approach the game more seriously if the freeroll ran once a day for a higher guarantee? Running once a day for even the same $50 would make for a better game, I think, because players would know when they go all-in preflop with junk, they can't just play again in a few hours for free...

Thoughts?

My first post on CardsChat - so please play nice! :)

Welcome YogSothoth.

Limiting the number of free rolls would not accomplish anything - people would play just as if not more aggressively.

Further ACR appeals to a global audience so setting the tourney at a specific time would alienate half the globe for whom it would not be convenient to play.

I joined ACR almost exactly a year ago and the free rolls at that time were 'on demand'. Every time one had finished if another 250 or so signed up (I believe) another would start with no delay. However, they were for $10. They attracted around 500-550 players and that was tough going.

So the 'Guaranteed Fifty Dollar' free rolls quintupled the prize money but the field mainly tops out at around 1, 200 to 1,500 players (trust me I keep records!) so they were greatly improved.

As for free roll participation, each to his own. I joined ACR simply because a few months before I had joined Cards Chat. I started out strictly with free rolls and then mid year decided to go the whole year on free rolls alone and am happy with the outcome. The thing about the ACR FRs is of you are engaged on the computer regardless they can play in the background and you only need to focus on key hands until coming down to the money.

Therefore I agree with most of what Alizona has said before. I built bankrolls on 5 sites from nothing...but I appreciate every red cent I make. Every single penny is recorded with the tourney , my placement, prize etc. It has little to do with the money- it is all to do with accomplishment - conjuring something out of nothing.
 
SecksyGambler

SecksyGambler

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Total posts
135
Chips
0
Quite frankly it's these $50 free roll tournaments that lead me to join Cardschat. Just a few months ago they'd only fill with maybe 900 people and it was substantially easier to make a nice 20 or 30 cent profit every day. While the quality of the players hasn't differed much, the quantity sure has. tournaments now can reach upwards of 1400 people. and splitting $50 between 1400 surely isn't a good way to be spending your time.
I hate to be that guy on the thread but, the freerollers that Cardschat provides provide $100 split between just a few hundred people. Once I fond out just how much better I could be spending my time, I haven't returned to ACR's $50 freerollers I just don't think that they're worth my time anymore, I don't learn anything from people jamming 72off and there's practically no prize pool anymore.

I retract my previous statement I just placed first in an ACR freeroller and it was 100% worth 5 hours of my life to win $7.
 
bablovod

bablovod

stupid parody of the game
Bronze Level
Joined
May 31, 2017
Total posts
3,369
Awards
13
RU
Chips
302
it makes sense to sit for almost 4 hours if you play for the result.
when these freerolls were on demand, I was the winner twice, sat at the final table several times, and was often in ITМ.
when they became less frequent, the number of players increased accordingly, and everything became more complicated.
I've leaked a very large number of these tournaments just in a dumb all-in.
but once 1 place was for me. it's very nice after sitting for a long time.
everyone starts there to play lucky not lucky.:p
as for the meaning, it's up to you.
good luck at the tables!:)
 
Shumkoolie

Shumkoolie

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Total posts
1,209
Awards
1
Chips
0
I started with nothing at all on ACR. I refuse to deposit onto poker sites these days, for numerous reasons which aren't really important to this discussion.

I will never withdraw these funds, I will never consider it income and I refuse to pay income tax to the IRS thieves, they can go screw for all I care. Even if I run it up to one million I won't withdraw it, I'll just play at the highest levels and be thrilled to have done so in my life.

Actually, I don't think you'd pay tax if you withdrew any of that money. For starters, you're not a professional gambler, so you should not be liable for any taxes off winnings.

I think the Omaha tournaments in these are a little more profitable because they take a little bit more understanding. Now you also get the idiots who just raise on every single hand no matter what, that constantly win hands but to me these take a little more understanding than the just shove with any two bingo play that is constant at the Holdem tournaments.


I rarely play those $50 donkaments, ESPECIALLY the Hold'em ones, as the variance is just simply too much. I agree with you about PLO, in that it takes some different understanding of the game that most people don't have, and infact, I really like when players play just about any 4 cards. After seeing them play a few hands, you can pick up a read on them on how they play certain hands and then exploit them.

I had a situation at a 5c/10c PLO cash game tonight on ACR, where the player to my immediate right was ALWAYS limping, then calling a raise, but I caught on to a timing tell where they would take a little longer on the odd occasion and either 3bet or flat. They had position on me, though it didn't matter.

Anyway, the flop was K2x two hearts. I flopped a flush draw and little else, but I decided to donk lead the pot as I'm PRETTY certain that they had Aces, and as long as they didn't have a flush draw, I could blow them off the hand. So, after making my bet, the opponent was tanking, and I decided to put in chat "You have Aces???" which I think may have helped them fold the hand. I'll never know of course, but I think that you can take advantage of players in PLO and get paid off. I almost always cash those PLO freerolls on ACR, though admittedly, I don't play them that frequently.

As for the question of whether it's worth playing that long for $9? My answer is yes, if you're interested in investing the time. I don't play those too often, so overall, I don't think they're that great to play, but on the odd occasion, I'll give it a go.
 
C

CSLysander

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Total posts
303
Chips
0
OK, here is a little thought on the ACR freerolls.

I primarily play their hold em 6 max, as I am pretty good at getting in the money with them. I have not won one, but that is not my goal. I am focused on my game in stages right now and getting ITM is where I am at. I can get money on the 8 max and full ring, but 6 seems to be good for me. So, I play it. I make money and am building my bankroll.

Does this mean I have to deal with maniacs? Sure. I have started noting who the maniacs are and those who are dangerous. Smart players can make money with them, which means they have to have a game plan. I am tight and aggressive. I play patient poker, which many of the people in the games do not like to do. I have also started being able to read poker hands online better because of the way people play.

Now, do I plan on playing freerolls all the time? No, as I am building up to play in bigger tournaments moneywise. I have done this once already and moneyed. It can be done from nothing on ACR, but you have to realize that people will get the right cards at the right time and it is not because the system is against you. I have won with a pair of 2s against AK and I have lost with AA against 22. I am certain I have played against bots, but did not care.

So, if you want to build a bankroll via freerolls, you can. Be patient and quit thinking the game is against you. It is a freeroll and people are going to play idiotic hands and win with them. At the same time, the more patient players can outlast pretty much all the maniacs on a consistent basis. So, going all in all the time just annoys people like me and we laugh when you get busted out because someone got fed up and played a much better hand to pick.
 
infonazar

infonazar

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Oct 10, 2017
Total posts
3,592
Awards
3
UA
Chips
168
Bingo players have always been, are and will be. I believe that such players simply do not realize that thanks to freerolls, they can improve their skills and build a bankroll without any risk. Therefore, obviously, players who understand this have a significant advantage.
 
MoCoSolo

MoCoSolo

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 19, 2020
Total posts
179
Chips
0
I retract my previous statement I just placed first in an ACR freeroller and it was 100% worth 5 hours of my life to win $7.


I was curious how long the entire tournament took. Can't tell if you're being sarcastic but congrats!
 
monkey23

monkey23

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 10, 2015
Total posts
507
Chips
0
I started with nothing at all on ACR. I refuse to deposit onto poker sites these days, for numerous reasons which aren't really important to this discussion.

Fast forward about 2 to 3 years, and here I am today at the highest point yet, my bankroll stands at almost $950. This is FAR more enjoyable of a challenge than if I had deposited my own money and tried to win with that.

I will never withdraw these funds, I will never consider it income and I refuse to pay income tax to the IRS thieves, they can go screw for all I care. Even if I run it up to one million I won't withdraw it, I'll just play at the highest levels and be thrilled to have done so in my life.

Grats indeed ...wtg...i am also a non-depositor, with a respectable roll...starting from scratch, i now play 75/150 nlhe on a bitcoin site..SwC.

Might i ask what stakes you play with your 950 roll..??

From what I understand, ACR also offers a bitcoin method withdrawal...paypal accepts bitcoin from bitcoin brokers. The tax people would never know...but of course i would never recommend that anyone cheat the taxman...nonono...

Via paypal you could buy yourself or your loved ones a real nice present or two on ebay.

If you need help with finding a trustworthy bitcoin broker based a long way from the usa ;) , i would be happy to help you via pm.

the whole process is totally anonymous...only an email address needed...i can't for the life of me think why the power-possessors / fed res etc etc don't like bitcoin.

gl and keep on building the roll
 
Freeroll Passwords
Top