Benefits of 'Play Money' games for beginners

Well just coverted $2000 into $20,000 in just over 3 hours.

So what I hear you cry....its bullshit poker...and you would be right but it has helped me enormously.

With 70% of the players playing loose-aggressive I realised over the first hour that playing tight aggressive was totally safe but not as profitable as playing tight-passive. You could call pretty much call any hand to see the flop.No need to worry about position too much. You can even call plenty of small raises so just jumped in with marginal hands as 5-6 players were always seeing the flop and probably 2-3 limping to the river so definitely getting value in trying to hit flush/straight for example. That or massive bets pre flop/flop, ....stayed well clear of those with my 72, 64 etc.

With AJ or more would then play aggressively.

Here is an example of one of the hands that I played successfully.

What I am understanding from this is the idea of opponents range. I raised big on the flop and UTG+1 went all in.

So flop is J32....so I am guessing UTG+1 (loose agg fish) range is AA-22 Ax Jx (and quite possibly 3x and 2x). Hands that are better than me here AA,KK,QQ,JJ J3 J2 32.

Now I am not sure of the maths here cos you have to take the possible flush into consideration I guess (could someone help me with this) but thats well in my favour 6 to 60ish.....I am sort of getting this.....so I call and win the hand.

As you can see he had J4s so thats the general kind of player you get on the 5/10 tables. Once I get up to 80,000 then I will try the 100/200 play tables. Hopefully there will be more players playing proper poker.

So I benefited by understanding the need to adapt to your opponents style of play and getting an idea how quickly calculating opponents possible range can help in decision making such as callinng big raises etc.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $10.00 BB (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB ($1000)
BB ($18925)
Hero (UTG) ($13175)
UTG+1 ($1970)
MP1 ($9717)
MP2 ($11777)
MP3 ($1610)
CO ($4711)
Button ($2000)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, J
MP1 calls $10, MP2 calls $10, MP3 calls $10, CO calls $10, Button (poster) checks, SB calls $10, BB calls $10, Hero bets $270, UTG+1 calls $260, MP1 calls $260, MP2 calls $260, MP3 calls $260, CO calls $260, 1 fold, SB calls $260, BB calls $260

Flop: ($2175) J, 3, 2 (8 players)
Hero bets $970, UTG+1 raises to $1700 (All-In), 6 folds, Hero calls $730

Turn: ($5575) Q (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($5575) 6 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $5575 | Rake: $0

Results:
Hero had A, J (one pair, Jacks).
UTG+1 had J, 4 (one pair, Jacks).
Outcome: $5575 returned to Hero

Any feedback will be taken on board...now time for bed as my girlfriend is going into hospital to have our 3rd child tomorrow morning and I need to be.....ready to be a father again....

What does 20,000 play chips convert to in USD, and it took u 3 hours to only get 20,000???

"With 70% of the players playing loose-aggressive I realised over the first hour that playing tight aggressive was totally safe but not as profitable as playing tight-passive. You could call pretty much call any hand to see the flop.No need to worry about position too much. You can even call plenty of small raises so just jumped in with marginal hands as 5-6 players were always seeing the flop and probably 2-3 limping to the river so definitely getting value in trying to hit flush/straight for example. That or massive bets pre flop/flop, ....stayed well clear of those with my 72, 64 etc."

This paragraph alone is reason enough to stay away from play $ tables. Playing tight passive at 5nl will get you nowhere.....
Learn to play right at 2nl and

{Locked}

I have to lock this because it's play money.

Congrats on the new kiddo, hope everything goes well.