Best Poker Site

[PapaZmurf]

This has probably been asked already but....

What is the best poker site to learn while you play at, free. I have been playing at PokerStars but it seems since it is all play money it is hard to learn anything cause they all seem to just go all in,who cares not real money attitude.

Can anyone suggest a good site where I can learn without risking any money.

[Monty3038]

Papa,

I began playing with play money on Full TIlt... while it is true many just go all in to drive you out, just ignore them, play in a normal fashion and they will soon be out of your way... play SNG's and see what happens... the all in crowd usually busts out in the first betting level, then you get people who really want to play.

[martindcx1e]

no one is going to play with a serious attitude at play money games on any site. if you can afford it your best bet is probably to just deposit $25-$50 and start playing the .01/.02 nl games on stars buying in for $2. while they still play really badly, they play a whole lot better than the play money games.

[deacon_bluez]

I'm not sure I agree with trying sng's at this level (rake and variance too high). I would go with martin's plan with a goal of making the free bonus cash.

Two mistakes I made when I was at the stage you are:

1. I started too high: .05/.10. I ended up losing about one third of my $50 deposit the first time I played. You see your roll drop really fast like that and you play scared, and that's no fun. I ended up depositing three times before I made the bonus.

2. I played way too loose. I would recommend playing quite tight, knowing that each time you see a flop, you have a decent chance to win. Then when the donks try those all ins, you can call and make money.

Read all the stickies in this forum and you will be well ahead of the vast majority that is clueless. Good luck!

[TonyB73]

I'm no expert, but I would go with Martin's plan too.

In fact, that's exactly what I am doing. I deposited $50 on PokerStars a few weeks ago to play 2NL. After about 3,000 hands my BR reached $100 and I stepped it up to 5NL. I've now played about 1,500 hands of 5NL and am up to $106.

Not that its all roses just at the moment. You may notice that my winrate at 5NL is much, much lower than at 2NL and I'm up and down like a yo-yo. I know its a very small sample so variance could be very high, and I suppose it could also be just part of the learning curve when you step up a level (although isn't there supposed to be little difference between 2NL and 5NL?). Or it could be a massive leak.

My particular problem seems to be getting into a big hole (typically 0.5 - 2.5 buy ins) in the first 50 hands or so of a session, and then having to spend the rest of the time grinding my way back to breakeven. Its happened my last 5-6 sessions in a row. When I look back at my early-session losing hands I think luck has a lot to do with it - its a small sample size so variance could be high - but maybe I am just getting too loose or aggressive before I have stats or reads on villains.

Example last night - dealt KK in CO on second orbit, couple of limpers, I raise 6xBB and am re-raised by a guy who I had no meaningful stats on yet but who had gone all-in pre-flop with A2o a couple of hands earlier (and won!). I'm in position and call, everyone else folds and its heads-up. Flop is a raggy rainbow (is that a term??), he checks, I push all-in, he calls and shows AA and I lose two buy-ins ($10) in one hand. Bad play or bad luck?

Sorry to hijack the thread, but any suggestions as to how to fix my early session woes? What PT stats would you suggest I look at to help me diagnose the problem?

[daven]

no one is going to play with a serious attitude at play money games on any site. if you can afford it your best bet is probably to just deposit $25-$50 and start playing the .01/.02 nl games on stars buying in for $2. while they still play really badly, they play a whole lot better than the play money games.

[vagrantjunki3]