Play Money VS Cash
For those members that play online quite a lot, do you find the quality of play for real cash much different than online play for play money? I have been testing out a couple of sites to decide which one I want to play for real cash on but I find the calls on the play money tables to be quite extreme (and mostly unrealitic). For example, raises of 5-10 BB usually get called by three plus players which would never happen in a live tournament. This might be an obvious question, but I thought I would see what other members thought. Cheers.
PokerJAH
PokerJAH
Comments
Though, if you play limit 50/100 online, it's almost identical to $2/5 at Brantford.
Mark
and play with a bunch of friends (who really want to play and learn too) for bragging rights or a few
other side bets.
The other that might get close is the SNG's on sites like Stars or UB. I found that after 2 to 5 people have
busted out of SNG's the play gets a little bit better - there's got to be some play money
players out there who are trying to learn the game and give it a good shot. Also, the last few tables of any
freeroll I've played with 1000+ players the poker isn't that bad - the players who have played a freeroll for
2 1/2 hours are trying to win something, so they are trying their best at that point too.
However, there are a few sites that would have been nice to use play before real.
It allows a chance to get use to the different graphics, use of notes, stats etc...before putting down any money.
As for limits - I have played various limits and have not got high enough to notice a difference. The main thing is to be sure that your BR can handle a couple bad sessions at the limit you are playing.
For example if you only have $100 in your account it would be foolish to play 2-4 or 5-5 NL.
I moved from Play to Real about a year ago, and they are totally different games. When there's nothing to lose, people don't care. They THINK they are great players, but put them on a real money table AT ANY LIMIT and they soon find out how different the game is.
Play tables are good for learning the basics on, along with reading a few books and what not, but I wouldn't want someone to think that because they sucked out somebody of 50,000 play dollars on a 72o suckout that that makes them a good player. My advise would be to learn the basics quickly, then go to real money tables and learn how to play the game.
PokerJAH
Not playing is a legitimate strategy (a poor one but is still legal) and if players are sitting out and coming in second it really answers your original question as to whether or not the quality of play differs in play money vs real money.
If you sit out hoping to cash in real money the players only have to blind you down to get rid of you (and they will). In play situations they don't bother, because poker for play money is a stupid, useless game (unless you want to try a new game or are testing the software for a new site).
I can't think of any reason why a play money player would sit out hoping to cash other then they have nothing at stake and to prove they can.
http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~games/poker/
No other poker AI I have ever tried has come anywhere close to these two in poker skill. In fact, Poki is pretty much leaving even Wilson's in the dust these days, although Wilson's still has enough going for it to recommend it. I mean, how can you not love that Sidwinder Sid?
Even playing for real money micro-stakes (like $0.02-$0.04 limit holdem) is a huge jump in poker "realism" compared to play money games.
I would not recommend playing for play money at the online poker sites for any reason other than learning the betting mechanics of a site you've never played on before. When there is no incentive to win, it's not poker.
ScottyZ
ScottyZ
that is a pretty cool program; worth checking out. Thanks for the feedback.
Jim