scott fischman on play money online

[orville 0]

From ESPN's poker chat this past SeptemberDavid (Washington DC): Do you think it is useful to play online with play money, or does that keep the style of play from being realistic? Scott Fischman: I think that play money is useful for learning hand values, but thats it. Learning how the actual game works and learning how often 2 pair is good, for example, to kind of get a feel for how good your hands are. You cant really get a competitive feel and competition is important. Discuss: Is it at all useful to play online with play money.Orville

[fryer98 30]

Discuss:  Is it at all useful to play online with play money.

Gotta learn the basics somehow.

[MikePatrick 0]

2 words:Fuck no.End of thread.

[MikePatrick 0]

Maybe I should elaborate, if you're just learning for the very first time, sure, to get a feel for it.After that, see above post.

[alf13 0]

Play Money is useful if you can find a play money HU table....Playing online in a play money HU sng is pretty good for practice in a HU situation in a sng or MTT....Not useful for anything else.....

[princeof56k 0]

Is it at all useful to play online with play money.

If you are completely new to the game and dont even know the most basic of rules, then yes its useful. Once you get past basic rules of the game, its pretty much useless.

[No_Neck 0]

what sites have play heads up sit and gos?

[Kendren 1]

It can be good for tilt control, too. Other than that, not much.

[alf13 0]

what sites have play heads up sit and gos?

Poker Mountain and UB.com although UB I think got rid of them....

[Guest XXEddie]

what sites have play heads up sit and gos?

Pacific doesits pretty hilarious how they pay itlike 1000 buy in1470 for first and 720 for 2nd, or something like that

[Swift_Psycho 1]

It's better than putting up real money when you're still learning the basics.

[SuperJon 175]

Anytime you're new to a site, no matter how good you are, you should play the play money tables. To get a feel for how the set up is, and to change your options to the way you like. That way when you get into a real money game, you'll be prepared.You can't be succesful unless you follow the three Ps of poker:1. preparation2. patience3 ummm. . . poker

[WhiteCaesar 0]

Anytime you're new to a site, no matter how good you are, you should play the play money tables.  To get a feel for how the set up is, and to change your options to the way you like.  That way when you get into a real money game, you'll be prepared.

[zimmer4141 0]

I'll repeat a quote I heard on here a few months ago. "Play money is like having sex with a blow up doll. When you do it right, it feels good, but in the long run, it just doesn't count."

[Forrest Crunk 0]

when i first started, i tried the play money tables and found that they gave me a poor representation of how the game is actually played profitably - it gave me a false sense of being good, which caused me to get ate up when i made my first deposit. i found it much more useful to deposit a little money and try out the micros, where i learned quite a bit towards helping me to be a winning player... there's no substitute for real money being on the line, even if it is only pennies.

[Guest XXEddie]

if youre gonna play play money, do the lowest limits, usually those are filled with people acually trying to learn and playthe 10000000000NL tables are usually filled with donks

[avsfan 0]

Great for simulating the affects of implicit collusiion. I spent 9mos playing free play one time. I felt it was worth it.I actully miss the players I would play in free play with. I had a lot of fun.

[GrinderMJ 0]

when i first started, i tried the play money tables and found that they gave me a poor representation of how the game is actually played profitably - it gave me a false sense of being good, which caused me to get ate up when i made my first deposit. i found it much more useful to deposit a little money and try out the micros, where i learned quite a bit towards helping me to be a winning player... there's no substitute for real money being on the line, even if it is only pennies.

scary similar to my start with online poker.

[clingfree 0]

I still play the play money tournies on Pokerstars occassionally. I feel it helps me be patient when I am playing for real. Plus, I made a lot of friends when I just did play money and I like to keep up with them.Other than that I don't find play money very useful.

[orville 0]

I still play the play money tournies on Pokerstars occassionally.  I feel it helps me be patient when I am playing for real.  Plus, I made a lot of friends when I just did play money and I like to keep up with them.Other than that I  don't find play money very useful.

I really agree with that. Play money really teaches you how to be patient, because you know if you start playing poorly someone will suck out on the river. I personally think micro limits and play money involve the same strategy. Play tight and let the other players hang themselves.Orville

[Elpedro 0]

Play money cash games are useless - they involve a lot of people overplaying hands and just trying to hit the elusive 1,000,000 chip mark. Tournaments are much better and you actually learn a fair amount - if you're a decent player you should expect to make top 3 everytime of a 9 person tournament. In a 45 man tournament you should cash every time as well (which on pokerstars I think it is like 7th). I find that it helps you to lay down marginal hands because the risk of being re-raised all in is much greater in play money thus helping you to make critical folds in marginal situations.So is it helpful? In tournaments Yes, cash games No (by the way, Pokerstars play money tournaments have the best structure for real play).I still play the play money ones when i feel like i'm getting impatient to help me to wait - not to bluff as often. It's useful with the right mindset for learning.