Most online poker players don’t start off with a dedicated poker bankroll and ultimately this should be the goal. To build a specific bankroll that is only used for poker games! The answer to this may lie in building a bankroll from playing freeroll tournaments. This is what Chris Moneymaker did and it worked for him to the tune of $2.5 million!
If you are new to playing online poker and you are unsure of what a freeroll tournament is, it is a zero risk game because there is no entry fee. It also pays winners in real money or real money value, which may be an entry ticket into a tournament with a cash prize or something similar.
These poker tournaments most typically offer fixed prize pots to the value of a couple of hundred dollars and are one of the best ways of building a bankroll from nothing, and at no risk. They are also one of the best ways of improving your game so the benefits are twofold. The poker room which hosts the tourney sponsors the prizes and freerolls are an excellent promotional tool.
Games may be Texas Holdem, Omaha or any of the other poker games popularly played, even a variation of games, and all poker sites host freeroll tournaments. They are extremely popular so remember you may be playing against thousands of other hopefuls and this can be tricky.
Many players try their luck, seeing just how far they can ride. Be prepared to accept losses as players push in with any random hand – they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Luck plays a big role and focusing on winning might led to disappointment. Play well and get lucky is the key, but improve your chances of winning by entering as many of these tournaments as you can make time for. You want to try and finish “in the money!”
Enter more freerolls by being a member at more than one poker room, you only have to register in order to play, and remember in the beginning a bit of a feeding frenzy happens. Hold back and don’t be tempted to push all your chips into the middle hoping to double up on any old hand. The start of the tournament always sees a fast decrease in the amount of the players still “in”.
It is natural that some players will have large stacks of chips, but sit fast and make sure you wait for the good hands, your turn to double up will come. If you bust out of the freeroll early, it’s no big deal, just get into the next one you can, and keep trying.
It is also possible to take the blinds of the players sitting out, these will be up for grabs in raises pre-flop – because these players signed up for the freeroll, but didn’t pitch up to play. Raise and take these free blinds because there is no actual opponent playing.
Remember that as the tournament continues, players will show more skill and be seeking money positions. Play more tactically as the tournament progresses and the play will transition from dumb luck to tactical skill.