Freerolls versus Cash Entry Poker
Even with a basic or advanced knowledge of poker, playing in a freeroll is very different then a cash entry game. Since freerolls are predominantly multi-table tournaments, that will be the focus of this article. However, most of the advice can be used for single table or cash games as well.
Freeroll is just as it sounds – there isn’t anything, cash or otherwise, required to play. Most freerolls will offer a small cash prize pool. Unless it is a large promotional tournament, prize pools typically range from $2 to $50 and are split based on the amount of players (normally the top 10 percent receive prizes). Freeroll tournaments may be limited from 80 to 100 players in live casinos while online tournaments may be limited from 300 to 5000 players or beyond.
This article will assume that you have had a small amount of exposure to the game of poker (in particular, Texas Hold’em). Poker terms will be used that should be elementary to a beginning player before he steps up to the table. If there are items that do not appear clear, it is suggested that you consult a beginner’s guide on poker and return to this article when you are comfortable sitting down at a tournament table and knowing the process and lingo used.
Concepts to keep in mind while playing in a freeroll
The main point to keep in mind at any freeroll is that anyone can attend. It’s true that the total amount of players may be limited but the average skill level will be relatively low as new players are less likely to spend money to play and higher skill players prefer not to mix with lower skill players. Beginning players are more likely to desire to play for hours with little to gain but the experience. Highly skilled players can go to a cash tournament and make those hours pay off more.
The number one reason for higher skilled players to shy away from freerolls is that the predictability of players is very difficult. With highly skilled players, the starting hands they are willing to play or raise with will be premium hands. In a freeroll with lesser skilled players, any two cards could be in the hand of your opponent across the table. Having at least a small hint of what your opponent’s cards are can help decide whether to call or fold.
Concept #1: In freerolls, any two cards look good to a beginner and can be sitting in front of them.
The next concept in making a freeroll pay off is to play mostly premium hands. In my own experience, I tend to play poor starting hands when the blinds are very low. I will attempt to catch a monster hand that will net me a sizeable amount of chips. However, by playing poor starting hands, even if I catch a good flop or turn, there is still the possibility of a premium hand catching a winner on the river. Therefore, even though I will admit to playing poor hands early, I still stand by my recommendation to only play premium starting hands. And make sure you have patience. You may get six to eight poor hands in a row before getting cards that are right to play.
If you aren’t sure what premium hands are, we are talking about AA, AK, KK, etc. - hands that are going to be statistically ahead of your opponents’ most of the time before the flop. Playing premium hands does not just mean calling any bet. It means evaluating your hand, the current blinds, your position at the table, and your opponents. You will learn how to put all of these together as your skill level grows. If you are at a beginning level, then my suggestion is to raise at least 4 times the blind (e.g. the big blind is $50, your bet should be at least $200) regardless of the situation. As your skill level grows, you will learn when to make it an even higher bet.
The purpose of a raise before the flop is to attempt to move out as many of the players as you can. As mentioned before, there will still be players who are calling with their poor cards. But at least this means that you are going into the flop with an advantage.
Concept #2: Very rarely, if at all, should you limp in (e.g. just calling the big blind) prior to the flop. Your raise should be a minimum of four blinds.
Once you have reached the flop, the next concept you should understand is that freerolls will bring a lot of bluffs. When you see a good hand in front of you in a freeroll, you should assume that you are going to make some money from it. When players are bluffing, they are going to be walking right into your hands.
