Play money poker, just say NO!

TajaUk · #1 11-01-04, 03:29 PM

A few of my friends are interested in learning how to play poker.

They know the basic rules and stuff but they have not played many games, hands or actual bet. They also seem rather reluctant to deposit money into a site.

My experiance of poker sites with fun money tables has been very negative. The people who frequent them seem to play everyhand and just refuse to lay anything down however crap it may be. For me, playing this type of poker does no one any favours in preparing them for real money games and teaches you bad habits.

Saying that, what are the alternatives? get a good bonus from someone with free deposit and hit the low level tourny's or tables? or stick with the fun money free for all tables? thoughts pls.

GeoffM · #2 11-01-04, 03:32 PM

When I started out as a young teen, I use to play just $5 buy-in ring games with about 5 guys. If someone lost $10-$15, nothing too big. As we grew up we started to cash in with more and more money. Gaining experience when less money is involved was my transition into poker, so to speak.

I would suggest your friends get a decent ring game going among them and have a low buy-in, say $20, not enough to break the bank, but enough that they will all want to win some cash and pay more attention to the game. With experience comes skill, IMO

ChipFish · #3 11-01-04, 03:37 PM

I would actually suggest that they play single-table S&G tables...
$10+1 or $5+.50, stay away from the $5+1.
This will give them some much needed experience and teach them patience.
Ring-games can bust a beginner-player quickly if they run into cold cards or just tilt away their cash.

Edit to add: I am talking on-line of course.
Playing ring-games with your buddies is always a good start to learning this game. (Just don't get too cocky when you beat that game and move on to another.... you may just find your game wasn't very strong afterall.

Penguinfan · #4 11-01-04, 04:05 PM

Avoid freerolls and play money games at all costs, they will not help anyone when they just see time after time people playing any 2 suited cards and rivering a flush, bad idea.

robert2504 · #5 11-01-04, 05:31 PM

Very different when you get pocket Ts with play money and pocket Ts with real money. In play money, there is no way that you will get me to fold them. But with real money, raise the BB 5X and I will fold like an accordian.

ChipFish · #6 11-01-04, 05:32 PM

Good to know

GeoffM · #7 11-01-04, 05:33 PM

And what was that screen name Mr. Accordian?

robert2504 · #8 11-01-04, 05:34 PM

Now you just have to guess when I have them.

Jackass_man · #9 11-01-04, 05:39 PM

It comes down to sure people play retarded in play $. But if you can't win at that how do you expect to win micro limits and higher. I would say play micro over play money though. Alot of people have this fear of putting money in
online, but i get bored if there is nothing to win so it's better to learn with something at stake. Clear as MUD?

robert2504 · #10 11-01-04, 05:39 PM

I use 5 of them and they are different for every site.
I think it is a bad idea to just have one.
Although if you want to play me where I have robert2504 as the screen name, I must warn you. I play the .01/.02 microlimit with this one.

. I do play $2/$4 on other sites but under another screen name. I use the microlimits to vent after bad beats. So I start tossing a lot of pennies

.
That helps me.
So no, it will not help you because I will be playing very different and even if you beat me, you will not be getting rich.

TajaUk · #11 11-01-04, 05:46 PM

Thanks for the help.

I just had a bash at play money tables and my god, everyone played everyhand. The problem was it was limit, and virtually all the table went to the river in some small hope to win the pot. 95% of the time the best starting hand got bust, however aggressive you played it..lol ohh the joy.

robert2504 · #12 11-01-04, 05:50 PM

I think that playtables are good because eventually some of these people will become the fish. Playtables are just like fish egg nests waiting to hatch.

robert2504 · #13 11-01-04, 05:50 PM

I still remember my hatch day

$100.00 in one month.

Defendant · #14 11-01-04, 08:00 PM

Jackass has a point...people play badly at play money tables, but isnt that what you want? Sure theyll lay some bad beats on you, but dont we preach to everyone who complains that we want them to make those bad calls because it will make you money in the long run?
I dont see anything wrong with playmoney tables to start out with, if you go in with the right mindset: tight aggressive play.

Wait, isnt that how you want to play any game?

Defendant

junYUN · #15 11-01-04, 08:29 PM

play money is ridiculous. everyone just pushes all their chips in with a decent hand, and calls all their chips in with a semi decent hand. i don't think i've seen many people not play every hand. BAH!

bothecorgi · #16 11-01-04, 08:36 PM

I have found that play money tables bear little if any resemblance to real money tables. The only use I have found for play tables is to get a feel for the game interface. Otherwise, winning or losing at play money tables is worthless.

eddo31 · #17 11-02-04, 12:14 AM

the only real purpose of play money is to get a feel for the game play and interface. otherwise, it is essentially nothing like poker. without any risk, he game play cannot be anything close to what it is when money is actually on th eline.

GeoffM · #18 11-02-04, 08:59 AM

If your buddies are worried about depositing, they can try and build a bank roll using one of the casinos online. I made $100 playing on Cirrus Casino, and they didn't give me any hassle having it put to my Neteller account. They will have to provide a VISA number I think to Neteller though. But to cash off that casino site all I did was send a copy of my ID.

Nothing like identity theft

.

johnbaker · #19 11-03-04, 06:21 PM

if you want your friend to get better, they need to play against better people. practicing in money games is worthless.... they will never meet people who play like that for real money. play money games makes you WORSE at poker, so tell them to do what someone posted earlier and go play cheap SNG's

hackers238 · #20 11-04-04, 05:54 PM

I think play money really depends on the game. For example, in UB play money ring games are probably the worst anywhere. I literally have not come across worse ring games. But PP sit&go play money games aren't bad, for a little change. I think the deal when choosing play money games is to never play ring games, because hey whats the point? Instead play tournaments and get practice there.

I also got slaughtered at first a little while ago when I made the transition from sit&gos (which originated with me and my buddies) to ring games. In 10 handed buy-in tournaments its important to be balsy, whereas in ring games its EXACTLY the opposite. This is what took me so long to figure out.

hackers238 · #21 11-04-04, 05:56 PM

And I disagree that play in play money Sit&gos make you a worse player. In fact they can make a money player a better player, by forcing him to adapt to his circumstances. Regardless of people calling to the river with nothing every hand, a better player should be able to adapt to play against this style and win.

If a better player can't win against a worse player, then poker is flawed.