How to Beat Free Poker Tournaments

The online poker world is full of stories of players who have supposedly built astronomical bankrolls simply from playing free poker tournaments, but are any of them actually true? Many of these players will be exaggerating the truth to some degree but it certainly is possible to build a bankroll from free online poker tournaments.

The problem most players face when they enter the various free poker tournaments on Ladbrokes Poker is the sheer number of fellow entrants and the fact that they approach them in completely the incorrect fashion. They fail to realise that the average player who enters a free poker tournament does not care, or even know, about concepts such as pot odds, implied odds, three-betting or re-stealing. Instead, they enter these free poker tournaments as a way to pass the time, to socialise with other poker players and, if they win any money at the end of it, it’s a bonus.

How to approach a typical free poker tournament

As mentioned, the average player taking part in free poker tournaments is not bothered about what their opponents hold, so trying elaborate moves on them during a free poker tournament is a complete waste of time. Instead of trying to bluff them off pots, players should instead employ what is known as an “ABC” approach to their free poker tournament, which essentially means no bluffing and keeping matters simple. If they have a legitimate hand in free poker tournaments, they should bet it to the maximum and, if they are drawing to a flush or straight, they should try to do so as cheaply as possibly. They should save their fancy play for someone who understands what they are trying to achieve in a different free poker tournament.

Reaching the money in free roll poker tournaments

For the first hour or so of a free roll poker tournament, the vast majority of players will not be taking matters seriously and, as a result, the play will generally be very loose indeed. However, once the free roll poker tournament approaches the pay-out places, the style of play will almost certainly shift to the opposite end of the spectrum as these weak players prepare to fold their way to the money places. This is the stage of free roll poker tournaments where a good player will pick up vital chips that will allow them to reach the final table. They should be aware though that once the first pay-out place is reached, known as the bubble bursting, play in most free roll poker tournaments will suddenly become wild again, especially in free roll poker tournaments that have a shallow pay-out structure towards the bottom.