Why play for pennies??

bdawg31 · #1 12-06-04, 01:45 PM

I don't mean this to be rude - but can someone please tell me the appeal for playing for pennies online? I read in threads about $.20 winning sessions - i just don't get it. Why not just play for play money? Is there a difference in the games when playing for play money and playing $.01/$.02? Oh, and I have to know, at what point do you 'cash out'?

junYUN · #2 12-06-04, 01:51 PM

play money is definatly different, but not by much. a lot of people play the penny tables to see a lot of hands for cheap, while at the same time potentially winning a couple bucks in the process. consider this -- if your bankroll is $10 where else will you play? $1/$2 tables could knock your bankroll out in one hand.

Penguinfan · #3 12-06-04, 01:54 PM

The only thing I can think of is people who are down to under 5 bucks in their account use it to build back up to a buy-in for a SNG before re-depositing. Heck if you can get back to 5 bucks and win a SNG then you have money to play with at least and save the reload for another time. Remember the majority of on-line players are not pros and just play for fun, winning in always more fun, but if it saves them the reload, why not. Otherwise, no I don't get it.

Talking Poker · #4 12-06-04, 02:08 PM

But if you are playing for fun, why not just use Play Money?

I've never understood this microlimit stuff either. It can't be about making money... you could make more by posting here 4 or 5 times per hour!

SirFWALGMan · #5 12-06-04, 02:28 PM

I think it has to do with people's perceptions. I think most people at those levels probably think that there are good players. Same thing with people who play 1/2 or 2/4.. the skill level keeps growing and you get a little more each level you go up. I think as you go up levels you gain alot of perspective as to how the prior levels really were.

junYUN · #6 12-06-04, 02:30 PM

it's really about building a small bankroll. if i have 4.50 in my acct i usually play at the .05/.10 tables to bring me up to 5.50 for an SNG to bring my bankroll back to par.

drewjax · #7 12-06-04, 03:05 PM

I have played a bit at the micro levels, and I think anything is better than play money. People literally cap almost everthing with rags, it is really frustrating. At least at the micro levels, there is some sort of normalcy, although I know not much. Also, when you get a few bucks in a site but didnt deposit (i.e. free $10 bonus, freeroll win etc.), you can slowly build a bankroll, very slowly of course. but its better than nothing. I was able to build up my bonus on prima, as many people did, to be able to play some real poker.

Gutzz · #8 12-06-04, 03:23 PM

When I first started playing cash ring, I'd play at the micro penny NL tables on PS. You see a friend of mine gave me a few bucks and I just thought I'd build from there.

I don't like the idea of spending hundreds and hundreds of my hard earned dollars on poker

.

It really didn't take that long to tripple what he gave me, then i tried the higher limit (at the time it was .1/.25... they didn't have .05/.1 NL tables back then), and got CRUSHED. Emotionally I wasn't prepared at all. So I moved back down and rebuilt.

Anyway, penny tables offer good experience on fundamentals, since all you really have to do is play tight aggro and it should be very profitable. Well, maybe not profitable... but you can build up consistently and then move up to the better limits shortly after

.

Cheers,

Gutzz

Talking Poker · #9 12-06-04, 04:40 PM

Why not just reload and be able to play at a level that's worth your time?

Penguinfan · #10 12-06-04, 05:16 PM

We don't all have an unllimited cash supply like you do money bags

thrash1294 · #11 12-07-04, 05:46 PM

for play money or freeroll id call a big bet with margin cards.
but when even pennies at stake i treat them like dollars.
difference money and nadda

hime · #12 12-08-04, 02:52 PM

Basically, I'm poor. I also feel like I'm not very good, although I can tell I'm doing well when I play freerolls and I'm getting better. That being said, I'm poor. So when I do play, I will start at the lowest limits and progress from there.

As for playing sloppy because it's cheap... did I mention being poor?

hime · #13 12-08-04, 02:54 PM

Hell, I play crazy tight in amateur league poker games and tourneys online. It's just how I play.

I do experiment sometimes, but I'm taking my basic game these days and refining it.

Windbreaker · #14 12-08-04, 03:04 PM

Some people want to get their feet wet and learn how to play. Others may just want to adjust to the site before they move on to a high limits.

I disagree with play money almost the same as micro-limits. If you play on most play money sites, you'll notice most players going to the river with nothing or very bad draws. If you play NL micro-limits, even though a dollar isn't really that much, they won't call it down.

I think it's a good way to just get started and learn without losing too much money.