I'm a freeroll loser!

Doc Farrell

I've played 12 freerolls now without winning a ticket. I know I'll never ever win another.

If it wasn't for the few grand I've made recently playing in the games that the tickets are for I'd give up entirely.

All kidding aside, I don't think I'm doing well in the freerolls because I'm not taking them seriously enough. And thats a terrible excuse. It's my time I'm wasting. And one I don't want to hear myself using it again.

There's also another point. When there's no money to win there's less pressure on people and it makes it more difficult to get a read on what they hold and what they're going all-in on.

Tournament pressure is the key to reading hands. It magnifies everything, all sounds, body language, the time taken to bet and the way you bet. And everyone is ruled by it. Although the more you want the money the stronger that final table gravity hits you.

I'm looking forward to the end of month games in the Fitz. I enjoy that tourney gravity. But I'll be playing some freerolls and sats as well. And if you catch me not taking them deadly seriously feel free to kick me in the butt.

Cheers, D.

Marq

I wouldn't agree that tournament pressure is the key to reading hands. If it were a big influence then tells would be redundant in cash games, which they most certainly are not. Tournament pressure certainly does influence what hands you might put somebody on at different stages but for many of the plaers in the freerolls I think that they take those tournaments just as seriously as more experienced players might take the 250 game.

I think that the freebies are great practive for playing against weak inexperienced players, though just like you many of us need to take them more seriously despite the lack of cash prizes.

Doc Farrell

Marq wrote:

I wouldn't agree that tournament pressure is the key to reading hands. If it were a big influence then tells would be redundant in cash games, which they most certainly are not. Tournament pressure certainly does influence what hands you might put somebody on at different stages but for many of the plaers in the freerolls I think that they take those tournaments just as seriously as more experienced players might take the 250 game.

I think that the freebies are great practive for playing against weak inexperienced players, though just like you many of us need to take them more seriously despite the lack of cash prizes.

Marq,

I think you'll agree that you're setting up a false argument here. There is a money pressure in cash games as well that magnifies tells. I'll ask you to read your second sentence and honestly ask yourself if you think that could be something that I would suggest.

My point, the reason I wrote the piece, was to talk about how pressure not only increases the tells we give out but also our reception on how we pick up on them.

I trust you'll agree with me that the root of both kind of pressures, tourney and cash game, comes down to the money we can lose. But tourneys level the playing field for players of both deep and shallow pocket because once you're out, you're out. That means nobody, from casino owner to satellite ticket winner is immune to it.

If I wasn't clear enough allow me to say again that there are of course tells in cash games and that they are easier to pick up as the chips build in the centre of the table. And this applies to tournaments as well. And it might be called, in that context, for the sake of argument, tournament pressure.

Of course if you wish to discuss the subject of reads and tells and how pressure of either money and/or experience applies to them, please do so.

cheers, d.

Doc Farrell

of course, i may just be trying to justify the the fact that i'm crap at poker....

Hectorjelly

mOney increases pressure

Hectorjelly

and women

DapperGent

There must be an equation governing such relationships.

Something like: As $ -> Infinity, Women -> Jennifer Love Hewitt.

podgeen

I went out about 15th last night in the merrrion.

Was BB with AJ suited. Blinds are 800/1500 and ive got about 10k in chips.

Someone raises to 3500, everyone else folds.

I call.

flop comes 10, Q, K.

I flopped the nut straight, but i check.

Yer man goes all-in with AK.

I call.

Turn is Q.

River is K.

I'm going home.

I don't think I could have played this hand any better.....
My stack was too small to make him lay down AK.
Maybe I'm wrong?

BrendanB

My stack was too small to make him lay down AK.

You mean preflop? I have yet to see a freeroll where someone has laid down AK. Even, quite amusingly, on the ticket bubble to two allins. He didn't deserve a ticket.

Post flop, you don't want him to lay AK.

ionapaul

Unfortunately, you don't have to be playing for nothing to act like a freeroll newbie

Played the €100 game last night, started out very positively, played well and built value in the pots where I knew I was ahead. Grew my 4,000 starting stack to 6,800 by the start of level 4. Then it happened. A total eclipse of the brain. One of the regulars, forget his name but very good player I think, made a min raise UTG+1. I had JJ and raised to 4xBB. One other caller, blinds fold and UTG+1 goes all-in. I *knew* he had me well beaten with bullets. I knew it, my head said fold but the poor player within said, 'go on, try your luck, you might flop a set'. Good night Irene. What a schoolboy error, I felt like a real tool walking away from that table.

jtsuited

I ended up fifth last night. Went to the final table with 3k. Blinds 1k/2k. What happened next I will never forget. Doubled up about five times to end up in position for a ticket. Then decided to go home but started getting monsters. Looked down at my chips and realized I was chip leader!
Unbelievable!!! Chip and a chair etc.
Then I was feeling so great and tired I went all in with AKs got called with cowboys. Good night though. Cannot believe that final table stuff. I was reading Championship Hold-em the other day and it was saying to always hold on to your one last chip. Never thought it would pay off like that!!!
Discipline, discipline, discipline. And a bit of luck!!
Who won in the end?

smurph

Doc Farrell wrote:

I've played 12 freerolls now without winning a ticket. I know I'll never ever win another.

If it wasn't for the few grand I've made recently playing in the games that the tickets are for I'd give up entirely.

All kidding aside, I don't think I'm doing well in the freerolls because I'm not taking them seriously enough. And thats a terrible excuse. It's my time I'm wasting. And one I don't want to hear myself using it again.

There's also another point. When there's no money to win there's less pressure on people and it makes it more difficult to get a read on what they hold and what they're going all-in on.

Tournament pressure is the key to reading hands. It magnifies everything, all sounds, body language, the time taken to bet and the way you bet. And everyone is ruled by it. Although the more you want the money the stronger that final table gravity hits you.

I'm looking forward to the end of month games in the Fitz. I enjoy that tourney gravity. But I'll be playing some freerolls and sats as well. And if you catch me not taking them deadly seriously feel free to kick me in the butt.

Cheers, D.

The Freerolls have thrown up an interesting ways of playing the Tournament. I have played 4 freerolls (and won 2 tickets) not that im boasting or anything!!!! I certainly played them differently initially. The first amount of chips you get are free so you nearly feel you either have to double up or go out in a blaze of glory with them. I only ever was willing to spend €50 in the Freeroll tournament. After that i got out and dealt. You could spot some players who were (A) very nervous and (B) you knew they were not going to re-buy so you could put them on a decision (raise the pot to put them all in). I feel if you are going into a freeroll you should have Minimun €30 euro (3Rebuys) so that you don't put as much pressure on yourself. This is only my opinion and my Bank Balance at the moment certainly screams at me that im no expert by any means. How many times have you heard those dreaded words in the Freeroll "Ah sure there my free chips, might as well gamble". I think they are a great idea, especially when you know that some of the winners of the tickets wouldn't have been playing in the end of month tournament otherwise. Long may they continue

BigDragon

ionapaul wrote:

................ I felt like a real tool walking away from that table.

I'm getting a T-Shirt with that on. My mantra.

BrendanB

Paul,
exactly the same thing in the Boards game on Sunday with your Aces. For those who weren't sad enough to spectate: 6 handed (100/200/25) UTG raises to 600, Paul makes it 1200. My AK is bad, I know it's bad, it's sailing towards the muck and what do you know, I'm all in. When UTG calls it's AA vs QQ vs AK, and the king on board isn't enough. Possibly the worst decision imaginable, cannot possibly be ahead, my only chance is you have it or queens. Bah.b

ionapaul

Well, I don't want to reveal *all* my secrets (:)) but that is what disappointed me the most about my play last night - my opponents played his bullets EXACTLY like I would have in his situation. I can't believe I listened to the 10% of me that wanted to gamble.

How about this slogan for a t-shirt:

-> The tool who couldn't drop Jack(s) <-

roryc

The freerolls are always a bit of a coin toss. Ive been playing most thursdays in the fitz and the odd saturday and I had never won a ticket up until last month when I somehow managed to win a ticket in every freeroll I entered. As I walked up to the fitz on the day of the 270 game i almost thought that I had a chance of winning it. I even had a go at the freeroll beforehand just to get a bit more 'practise' in. Things were going well too and I almost won another ticket, finishing on the bubble.... and thats when things started to go downhill. As soon as the main tourney started, I could immediately tell the difference between it and the freeroll. Its true that most people do take the freerolls seriously but i think this is only the case after the break when the freezeout starts. Up until then most people dont care about throwing in 10euro for more chips. Anyway I was basically outplayed in the main tourney and forced into mucking cards that I might have played in the freeroll. Next month I'm going to play it looser like a freeroll and see what happens. Oh yeh, I thought the free dinner was a great idea!