play money

its hard to learn poker with play money becouse nobody is playing for real-if u know what i mean...everybody just going all in all the time wit the lowest hand possible

Well, that's the way I learned poker. Started 6 months ago at pokerstars on the play money tables. Got frustrated just like you. Did a whole lot of going all in also. But I did learn a lot of stuff, a lot that I have had to unlearn, but in any case, I WAS LEARNING. Managed to get my play money balance up to 185,000 something. after almost 2 months of that I moved on to freerolls, and now, 4 months after freeroll action, i have about $180 in real cash at poker rooms, all from freerolls.

So, play money is tough for you? Tough it out, learn something from it and pick your game up. Would I start with playmoney if first starting poker, hell yes.

[arjonius]

I think it's difficult to learn much more from big open freerolls than from play chip tournaments since they're both pretty bad. There's some benefit to simply seeing hands played, but realistically, what you can expect to learn from being in games with poor and mediocre players is how to play poor or mediocre poker.

What these tournaments do provide is opportunities to practice things you've learned elsewhere in abstract form, such as things you've read in forums and books.

Originally Posted by arjonius

what you can expect to learn from being in games with poor and mediocre players is how to play poor or mediocre poker.

Well, I agree and I have found that I am really having to retool, rebuild, get new parts, go back to the books, and redefine my game. But hey, if you aren't going to start with playmoney, how do you start? Not everyone is rich enough to buy all the books, hire a coach, pay for a poker school, or deposit gobs of cash at a poker site, just to play higher stakes with "players who play good to great poker"

[PrettyHoney]

I started on poker playing with playmoney, but after one month I find out the freerolls, which for me is the best way that you can start. So, you don't have to deposit any money and you can learn a lot about poker on forums and online articles.

i also think its the best way to start your real game. you win some and u lose a lot more but its free play money is a waste of time...never serious- u can say what u want to

i hardly ever got frustrated on play money tables,but i had a lot of laughs.
I get frustrated when i play live game for money and i get AA.flop shows 3 spades including the ace,turn another spade, river another spade happened to me yesterday.and i lost vs 3 spade kicker rofl-he was holding 7 3 off i think..i raised preflop and i just couldnt get rid of him after the flop...lost 10 bucks or so not much just something to bring u down....

Hey wetwilly, I know you said "play money is a waste of time...never serious- u can say what u want to", but I'm going to try.....

You say you lost $10 (real money) because you had AA, then the flop was all spades (which included another A), and lost to someone holding 7 3 o/s. That this loss was "not much just something to bring u down....".

Actually, I am speechless, and am sure you consider this a bunch of , But you, of all people, should go back to play money and start learning something about poker, instead of playing cash games where it looks like to me just about anyone can drive a through your game play. If you get enough free play practice in, you might start to notice that when the board flops 3 of the same suit, your pair or trips or 2 pair have this funny way of losing to flushes, irregardless if it is a donkey chasing a flop, or a pro with a stack "reading your cards", or a good to fair player with mid stack that has become "pot committed".

But on the other hand, many many people that make a living at poker are surely hoping that you don't learn the basics, and not worry about a TEN dollar loss here and there and there and there.

[JuniorMontana01]

Play money games are important for those who go broke fast. Nowadays many poker site has promotions to make players playing more serious.
One example:
p-stars play chip challenge

Absolute Poker:
10 Million Play Chip Hall of Fame
How can I qualify for the $50 Play Money Hall of Fame bonus award?

• Once you have accumulated 10 Million play chips you will receive an email notifying you that your total play chips have been reset to 20,000 and your player pending account will be credited $50.00.
• Your player nickname will be added to the Absolute Poker Play Chip Hall of Fame list.
• Non depositor players will only be eligible the $50.00 bonus upon completion of their first time deposit.
• Your player pending account will then be credited the $50 - "10 Million Play Chip Hall of Fame bonus."

* This award is subject to our standard terms & conditions for bonus money.
* Absolute Poker recognizes the following Absolute players for their outstanding achievement of winning over 10 Million play chips at our play money tables! The red diamonds represent each time a player has reached 10 Million play chips in their Absolute Poker player account."

[-annie-]

My first ever game of poker online was at party poker about l8 months or so ago, and I only played for play money, and did reasonable well, so I thought I would have a go on a different site that was not as big, in the very small buy in sit n go games, I found these to be very helpfull in teaching me a lot about how to be patient and not to call raise or go all in with modest hands, I have never read a book about poker, maybe I should, but seem to be doing ok by just trusting my instincts, the only problem I have is sometimes there are real bullies in the games I play but I then sit and just fold fold fold until I get what I feel is a good hand to challenge with, it seems to work out ok in the end, freerolls are fine except when there are thousands entered, I only play these if there is nothing else I feel like playing in, but all the games are good fun, and in the end you win some and you lose some thats poker.