While I enjoy playing poker, no thing that I have come to realize is that free tournaments won’t help your game. If your serious about poker, and have a good grasp of the game, you should attempt to stay away from these games. Now, I understand playing one here and there, but the every night game isn’t going to help you in the long run I believe.

Why?

Good question. When players are not playing for real money out of there pocket, then they will continuously fish. If you do catch a hand, your best option is to go all in. If you get beat with the best hand before the flop, then it’s not your kinda night.

This past weekend I played three nights in a row. The Wednesday night game went as normal, Thursday night game was with a bunch of new friends, at which I cleaned house, and Friday was a “somewhat” free tournament. The buy in went to Junior Achievement through AAA National Office. Most of the players came with their game faces, some watched way to much TV and brought headphones to look the part. (If your playing in a 2-3 hour tournament, DON’T BRING YOUR HEADPHONES OR CHIP PROTECTOR, these are tells that you stink) The blinds were scheduled to go up quickly and I won several pots within the first hour. I watched player after player “hollywood” and take their time, and others only played a couple hands, for which I attempted not to play against. I watched numerous players make continuation bets, but I like to throw out a little raise against these players to see where I am at. Most players will realize they are beat and fold. With the blinds at 400-800, second seat raised to 1200, and I picked up AK. I went all in with 4300 and was called with pocket 7’s. I lost the race and was busted out fairly quickly. I said that I wasn’t going to call but go over the top to show dominance, but the other player had the better hand. I said good luck and watched other players get called with Q6 and many other crap hands. I sat down at the wrong table, or else things would have been much different.

Anyways, because the tournament wasn’t for cash, most players were not scared to play like Jamie Gold. Any two cards are worth playing. I don’t go to that school, and attempt to play good hands, unless in the blinds, where I will defend and hope for the best.

If your learning the game, learn it correctly, but playing in free games will just make you frustrated because people will not fold. I will not play anything less than 4-8 dollars no limit at a casino. One-two allows everyone to call you, cuz what’s a buck to hit that 6% card? Nothing!

Good luck and hope you hit aces!

sc