Play Money

[malsy1022]

i know some of you don't like or understand play money on pokerstars, but I was wondering how many of you actually play for play money, and if you have any tips for me. It seems like a fun way to try to build a very small bankroll and have fun

[redbank09]

i had to play with that for a long time so im not gonna bash you about the question. all i can say if u play a big tourny dont call big raises till later in the tourny cause u will get beat by bullshit all the time. so with that in mind if u really want to win wait to make strong moves till later in the tourny when its mostly people who care about it left and the donkeys are gone. same thing with the really small buy ins too,

[Tony Cheval]

Really it comes down again to something that has been said repeatedly in here: You need a BETTER hand to call a big raise than to make one. Don't risk your chips until you're confident you're the favorite, and you'll be all right.

[HEwong]

just play your cards tight. dont bother trying to bluff haaf the time it wont work

[redbank09]

i second wong on that one, unless u are at a final table it is useless to bluff.

[2Tone]

I’ve posted about this before, but I actually believe that play money can harm your real game. As loose/weak as the low-limit Party tables are, they make any given play money table look like a rock garden/TAG fest. Beating play tables can lead to false sense of confidence, reinforce bad habits, and the like. Becoming a good poker player is in part about making the right decisions in the right circumstances, and it is hard to learn that if there is nothing on the line.

That said, they can be good for getting used to a new site’s interface, understanding a new game (I flirt w/ Omaha sometimes, but am not yet ready to put any cash on the line), or as an alternative to donkeying off your role when you are drunk/on tilt/ etc.