Let's Talk About Free Rolls

[ozrock]

I play mostly in free rolls. I do it because I live in a very rural area with a long drive to a poker room, and it at least keeps my mind fresh for playing. Also, I find it a difficult process to try to deposit money, and because I don't trust some sites.

What is your opinion on playing in these for a lack of a better term, S**t shows? Your opinion on why some people go all in with any two cards; or cards that are complete rags. For example 8-2 off. And the amount of times someone wins with garbage such as these cards.

Do you have any other opinions about free rolls as well.

 

[fundiver199]

freerolls are a classic example of WYPIWYG (What You Pay Is What You Get). Why exactly is it difficult to deposit? As far as I know, ACR and Betonline accept payment with credit cards?

 

[alien666dj]

I think the freeroll is a great opportunity to understand the game and different styles of opponents' play. As in all other types of poker, there are players for whom this is only entertainment. Whether they play for money or not. In freerolls there is an opportunity to hone your actions and strategy. You should not pay attention to those players who came just to have fun. You must stick to your own game plan and no more.

 

[nelomec]

freerolls are good, they help you to meet different types of players, and give you opportunities to win money or tickets to high value tournaments, it's really hard to apply good strategies as most players will push you all in with bad cards and take the pot, but as you get used to the freerolls, you'll know the exact moment to apply certain strategies to take down weak opponents

 

[slothi]

I play freerolls too. And I adapt to it in the way, that I play a bit more like a LAG, but I don’t play/push any2 to bingo-up my stack. I try to survive the first 30 Minutes….because after this time the most bingoplayers are out or stop playing the any2-pushes.

 

[Alizona]

If you have a long-term viewpoint (which is the correct viewpoint to have, in my opinion), then you should never worry about losing to "rags" or losing to some stupid random hand in a freeroll.

There's always another freeroll tomorrow! If you cannot realize and understand that we should ALWAYS want to be playing against "random" or "junk" hands, then you probably don't really understand this game very well.

Yes, we will sometimes lose with AA to 72o... but if you understand the math of poker you know that AA is only an 80% favorite over such a random hand, and that the random hand will win 20% of the time... but so what? Don't you want to be in such a good position as winning the hand 4 out of 5 times? Unfortunately, that is the best we can do in this game (at least in Texas Holdem anyway)... so we just have to learn to deal with it.

The best way to deal with it is to adopt a long term view. One day out of every five days you play a freeroll, you will lose a hand like this... but the other four days, you won't, and if you continue to play good hands against weaker ones, you will eventually win enough of them in a row to make a deep run and make a nice cash for yourself.

The problem is, everybody wants to win TODAY, right NOW... and sadly that is not a good way to approach this game. That is a short-term viewpoint and those who think this way are probably not in it for the right reasons, and won't last long enough to understand the point I am making here. Poker is all about the long-term, which is where our skill advantage eventually reveals itself. The short-term is all about the "luck factor" and we cannot control that on any given day...

Freerolls are awesome precisely because most players are not playing good enough cards, and this gives those of us who DO play a bit tighter a distinct advantage in them... but only over the long run!! Hope this helps, best wishes.

P.S. I also do not deposit to online poker sites, but since I love the game, I decided to make a very fun challenge for myself, which is precisely why I joined CardsChat... my challenge is to win a few bucks in the freerolls here, over time, and then use those couple of dollars to try and win even more in the regular tournaments... so far my challenge has been quite a success, I turned a dollar or two into a four-figure bankroll on one site, and I'm at low three-digit bankroll on another smaller site. This challenge has cost me nothing, and while I probably won't ever see the money (because if we don't deposit, the sites make it quite difficult to withdraw the money and I'd rather just not get involved in the hassle of bitcoin wallets and all that crap), but I really don't play this game to get rich, even tho that would be nice if I did. I play this game for the challenge and for the fun of it. So I offer this as a suggestion to you - but realize, it won't happen right away, it takes time and much patience to conquer such a challenge... but this is precisely why I love poker so much, because nothing good ever comes easy! Good luck.

 

[AKQ]

If you have a long-term viewpoint (which is the correct viewpoint to have, in my opinion), then you should never worry about losing to "rags" or losing to some stupid random hand in a freeroll.

There's always another freeroll tomorrow! If you cannot realize and understand that we should ALWAYS want to be playing against "random" or "junk" hands, then you probably don't really understand this game very well.

Yes, we will sometimes lose with AA to 72o... but if you understand the math of poker you know that AA is only an 80% favorite over such a random hand, and that the random hand will win 20% of the time... but so what? Don't you want to be in such a good position as winning the hand 4 out of 5 times? Unfortunately, that is the best we can do in this game (at least in Texas Holdem anyway)... so we just have to learn to deal with it.

The best way to deal with it is to adopt a long term view. One day out of every five days you play a freeroll, you will lose a hand like this... but the other four days, you won't, and if you continue to play good hands against weaker ones, you will eventually win enough of them in a row to make a deep run and make a nice cash for yourself.

The problem is, everybody wants to win TODAY, right NOW... and sadly that is not a good way to approach this game. That is a short-term viewpoint and those who think this way are probably not in it for the right reasons, and won't last long enough to understand the point I am making here. Poker is all about the long-term, which is where our skill advantage eventually reveals itself. The short-term is all about the "luck factor" and we cannot control that on any given day...

Freerolls are awesome precisely because most players are not playing good enough cards, and this gives those of us who DO play a bit tighter a distinct advantage in them... but only over the long run!! Hope this helps, best wishes.

P.S. I also do not deposit to online poker sites, but since I love the game, I decided to make a very fun challenge for myself, which is precisely why I joined CardsChat... my challenge is to win a few bucks in the freerolls here, over time, and then use those couple of dollars to try and win even more in the regular tournaments... so far my challenge has been quite a success, I turned a dollar or two into a four-figure bankroll on one site, and I'm at low three-digit bankroll on another smaller site. This challenge has cost me nothing, and while I probably won't ever see the money (because if we don't deposit, the sites make it quite difficult to withdraw the money and I'd rather just not get involved in the hassle of bitcoin wallets and all that crap), but I really don't play this game to get rich, even tho that would be nice if I did. I play this game for the challenge and for the fun of it. So I offer this as a suggestion to you - but realize, it won't happen right away, it takes time and much patience to conquer such a challenge... but this is precisely why I love poker so much, because nothing good ever comes easy! Good luck.

I love a good rant

well said and I agree fully

 

[Alizona]

I love a good rant

well said and I agree fully

oh i can rant with the best of em I know that sounds egotistical and tooting my own horn, but I actually re-read my rants sometimes and I'm embarassed I wrote it. hahaha

my covid rants are a good example of that, while I have my own take on the past two years, I know few concur with my take, and I also realize that I'm never going to change anyone's mind on it... so I'm just wasting my time and my "hot air". haha

my other rants that I sometimes regret is when I get all hot and bothered about Black Friday... I mean it's been over a decade now and once again, it's never gonna change anything, the government did what they did, and that is that, they're never gonna recind it or change their stance... so why do I get all angry and blabber on about it so much?

Ah well, thanks for your compliment. :icon_sant I might be annoying sometimes with my "wall of text", but I'm never dishonest about how I feel, nor shy about saying it. haha

 

[franken222]

I don't know of any sites that won't take your money, unless the site considers that you are playing in a country where it's illegal to play.

As for freerolls, they are a great way to have fun, fund a small bankroll, and practice, practice, practtice.

As far as winning with rag cards, I've seen that at all levels, it's just that in freerolls, you have more inexperience players, who do not understand the structure of the game.

With freerolls, I've learned to wait until the "all-in fest" at the beginning of the tournament is over, before I look at getting too involved.

 

[Izzeee]

Yeah some people do tend to get it in with some pretty awful hands and get there. I can only assume this is because they do not have any money invested in the tourney. When I see players going all in with trash hands, I just wait for my spots. That player could double me up when I hit a made hand.

 

[Plut41]

What exactly wrong with players going all in with trash hands? I mean that's exactly the type of players you want. Personally I go all in the very first hand until I double up or go out. If you look at freerolls in time perspective they're not exactly free - you invest your time. And for me personally is more preferable hitting my 12% and triple up once in a while rather than trying to play every tourney properly.

 

[manIk5]

I like playing freerolls cause u can earn something from nothing . So u dont have to deposit in order to play and win . Just have to be lucky & skillful

I also prefer to play vs people who push any 2 . When I actually have a hand , i'm gonna call him 100% of the time , and will not play scared . I play for long run in poker , so results of 1/10/100 tourneys really doesnt matter . I prefer to be favorite and am not ashamed to put my chips at risk when I believe I'm ahead . So all those 8-2off push players are welcome in my house

 

[antonis32123]

Yeah , I used to believe this for CC games , as lack of respect , but you know it's a free tourney , they don't pay anything , why should they be worried for going all in with trash ?? Also RNG bingo play unfortunately helps many times , justifying some of the craziest calls or reshoves we have witnessed .

If you do not adapt , you lose . In everything . So if 30% - 50% of a players' pool play like this , they leave you no choice , no option , you also have to play sometimes bingo or crazy , especially against those players who you have tagged as loose fish bingo players

Adapt or lose ... I see that in CC games nowadays , of course no comparison to other freerolls which are free for all and with smaller prizes , but still CC games used to be much easier , less crazy in the past .

 

[Cooking]

These type of bad plays that you mentioned happens a lot more often in freerolls, because no one is risking any money to play, so, the risk of getting called with any 2 cards is big. The good part is that when you have a good hand, you are going to double almost every time.

 

[ChickenArise]

I play mostly in free rolls. I do it because I live in a very rural area with a long drive to a poker room, and it at least keeps my mind fresh for playing. Also, I find it a difficult process to try to deposit money, and because I don't trust some sites.

What is your opinion on playing in these for a lack of a better term, S**t shows? Your opinion on why some people go all in with any two cards; or cards that are complete rags. For example 8-2 off. And the amount of times someone wins with garbage such as these cards.

Do you have any other opinions about free rolls as well.

There are fun aspects of free rolls but playing just free rolls and expecting to improve your game past the basics? It aint gonna happen.

Also the sooner you get over the bad beats and just accept it as part of the game, the better you can become.

 

[KRANKES]

freerolls are good, they help you to meet different types of players, and give you opportunities to win money or tickets to high value tournaments, it's really hard to apply good strategies as most players will push you all in with bad cards and take the pot, but as you get used to the freerolls, you'll know the exact moment to apply certain strategies to take down weak opponents

Couldn't haqve it said better! You gotta know where you play, when you play and against whom you play!

 

[blata8ruga]

Freerolls are definitely full of loose players. The thing is though they are still great practice if you play enough of them it will improve your game, regardless of the bingo players.

 

[nimburkx]

freerolls are best place to learn poker)

 

[moularaki]

Couldn't haqve it said better! You gotta know where you play, when you play and against whom you play!

I think you said it all mate
what else to say except gl at the tables

 

[Negan92222]

I think you have to call some tes when normally you wouldn't to do well in free rolls

 

[Newzooozooo]

Hi.
For me, freerolls are always a good opportunity to have fun, improve my skills and increase my bankroll. Especially the freerolls of our community. I don't care how my opponents play, the main thing is how I play. Believe me, if you are patient and disciplined and do not play with garbage, in the long run you can easily build a bankroll and over time your bankroll will only grow.
Good luck.

 

[SerValeMart]

for me, freerolls are entertainment and fun of the game that I love. Yes, freeroll is hardly a serious game, since players do not risk cash, but this is Poker. have fun and don't be disappointed.

 

[padman400]

Please do not expect to learn anything from freerolls, other than any two cards can beat any other two cards no matter what they are

 

[zwbb]

In freerolls, players play with any card because they have nothing to lose financially. go to cash games and enjoy the game!