Is playing for play money pointless?

corblimey

I've been playing online for the last few weeks, but only on the play money tables. I've tried online for reals before and lost my entire br (admittedly not much, I can't afford to play with the big boys), so never again really. I only play in b+m now.

I signed up for a play account with 888 (they were having some sort of freeroll for Sunday World "readers" about 3 months ago so I had it downloaded anyway) and have built up my pretend br to over 80k. I only enter the "big" "money" stts (5k is the biggest they offer at the moment) for the simple reason that I think the people who play on it are not people who've just signed up (you get 1k for free and can reload once it's gone, so beginnners can't get on), and it gives me the chance to try out some moves I wouldn't like spending my own money on.

But is it all pointless? Am I learning nothing? I understand that people obviously don't play with 5k real money the way they play with 5k pretend money - nobody is taking it seriously. Would I be aswell off playing WPT on the PS2 (I think not, as no computer can imitate a muppet sitting in seat 5)

As I said, it gives me a chance to try new things - I'm a very tight player offline, so I like to loosen up online - and try to put players on hands (the weakest part of my game).

Sorry for the length of this post, but I'd be interested in people's opinions about play money online.

ArmaniJeanss

Absolutely pointless playing pretend money to be honest.

Would you not have another go with a small amount of real money - there are plenty of sites with 2c/4c tables and 50c STT/MTTs.

El Stuntman

deposit 20 or 30 euro and play the micro limits instead - play money is only useful if you want to learn the dynamics of a new game

Marq

If you want to learn how to play for real money and win, then playing for play money is almost entirely pointless.

If you just want to play poker for the enjoyment of it, then obviously play money has its purpose.

The Sheriff 101

Well u can find alot of sites with micro stakes 5/10
But i wonder if the standard is a bit better in the play money? ive never played play money but my understanding is once u build up a bankroll u can move up to games newbies cant play???

well if u cant afford it you are having fun playing play money its not costing u anything so why change unless u want to improve your game.

my advice for what it is worth would be to put 50 into an account and play $1 sit and go's and 5/10$ cent cash games and u said u play looser online tighten up

The Sheriff 101

Ah i was beaten too it

corblimey

I can't be bothered with the micro-limits any more. The variance and muppetry just winds me up something chronic and it ruined my live play (I kept folding marginal hands because I was sure the other guy had outdrawn me on the river). If I ever play for real online again, it will be at the higher levels.

I'm playing online for 3 reasons that I can ascertain 1. it's free 2. it's enjoyable and 3. i can laugh off the silly beats and nonsense calls. Add to that the fact that I can try new things and see how they work out and I think I'm getting a fair deal, but I think I might be picking up bad habits because the play money game is completely different to the live game and never the twain shall meet.

Marq

Lodge 2 grand and take a shot at 10/20 NL.

corblimey

Sure. Can I get a loan?

Marq

You'd have to ask someone with 2 grand.

Ste05

corblimey wrote:

I'm playing online for 3 reasons that I can ascertain 1. it's free 2. it's enjoyable and 3. i can laugh off the silly beats and nonsense calls. Add to that the fact that I can try new things and see how they work out and I think I'm getting a fair deal, but I think I might be picking up bad habits because the play money game is completely different to the live game and never the twain shall meet.

Reason 1 and 2 are the only reason to play with Play money. Any moves you try out on these tables are basically pointless as the players you will be playing against will not be in the same frame of mind as those you may play against in a Live "Real Money" Game.

Have you thought about Bonus Whoring to try and increase your BR. If you can just bite the bullet one more time and deposit $100 - $200 and then just start at Point 8 on Bonuswhores.com - Bonus Whoring 101 (Bonus Whoring for small bank rolls)

If you can whore it up to $1,000 then you can comfortably play .50/1 and really begin to improve your game.

Send me a PM if you want any specific advice regarding this...

valor

yes, play money is a complete waste of time for another other than learning the complete basics

califano

Just wondering has anyone ever managed to 'run all over' the play money tables!?.

kincsem

I sometimes play the freerolls on PokerStars (10,000 players). In the early stages hundreds are eliminated every minute. At the later stages you will get some real play.

Advantages ......
1. you learn not to gamble early. In real tournaments they pay the final places, and you must learn to survive.
2. if you are bored / tired but want to play some poker then play for free. It stops you losing cash. Not a good reason, but practical.

Disadvantages .....
1. if you play the play-money "cash game" tables (Full-Tilt) you can reload if you lose your stack. I tried this but it is a sloppy way to play and breeds bad habits. I much prefer to play tournaments where there is a result.

eggie

you should try the lower end STT's. Play tight and you'll win. Wont lose much thats for sure. Can try out new moves when you win one or 2 and can afford to be flash.

Atlas_IRL

Ste is bonus whoring a good bank roll earner or does it take too long?

OP play money sucks, ppl will calll you down with anything

phantom_lord

Bar for getting to know a new game, it's pretty pointless, you'll never improve playing for play money.

Ste05

Atlas_IRL wrote:

Ste is bonus whoring a good bank roll earner or does it take too long?

It takes alot of discipline, just to basically grind out the hands to fulfill the requirements, nothing fancy should be tried really, but it can be good for BR building.

It also can take some time, as some of the requirements are hard enough to fulfill these days. But it can be worth it.

Also, because you'll usually have to play at levels under bankrolled (i.e. not having the required 10x Max Buy-In - to begin with anyway, i.e. deposit $200 and you'll usually have to play at least .25/.50 to rake in the hands) it can be frustrating if you drop a Buy-In early in the whoring. It can also be very boring just grinding out hands, but well worth it if you have the necessary discipline. It'll probably also double as a good patience builder for when you have a proper BR and hit a dry spell of cards.

gerry87

corblimey wrote:

I can't be bothered with the micro-limits any more. The variance and muppetry just winds me up something chronic and it ruined my live play (I kept folding marginal hands because I was sure the other guy had outdrawn me on the river). If I ever play for real online again, it will be at the higher levels.

Have you ever tried low stakes limit? If you tried reading sklansky's Small stakes holdem it shows how games like that are pretty beatable.

corblimey

I've tried limit before, but found it even worse than the micro-limits, with people calling to the river with A high and hitting their pair on the river. "Hey, it's only 20c to call, why not?"

Bonus whoring sounds good, but I'm not sure I have the discipline required, and I suspect that the grinding that Ste alludes to would suck all the fun out of the game for me.

I'm not in this game for the money (thank god ) so I'm not sure what to do now. I don't think there's any point in continuing with the play money, and I don't get to play offline as much as I'd like. I might just take some of my next pay cheque and try the higher levels one more time.

Killaqueen!!!

I've only been playing poker for about a year now and have only played online for play money haha I've played a couple of times at home as well but it's usually online because no one ever wants to play! haha

But yeah, it is pretty pointless because I know people play completely different when playing for actual money.

RoundTower

If you enjoy playing for play money it's not pointless. No more than playing any computer game.