We bring to your attention a review article about what a freeroll poker tournament is. We will find out what are its main features and differences, what are the positive and negative points. We will also discuss the stages of Freeroll tournaments and certain types of players who prefer this particular format of the event. We think that it is clear to many without explanation that if any name or definition in English contains the word “Free”, then this is something free, and so Freeroll confirms this statement, but let’s go in order. What are freeroll tournaments Let’s start with the main thing – the interpretation of the definition. Freeroll – in English, Freeroll means a specific tournament in which you do not need to pay an entrance fee to participate, that is, it does not provide buy-ins. At the same time, the winner receives prize money in these competitions in real money.Collage: My Lucky StoryOften it is these “free” tournaments that novice players use for active practice. This is not a bad option at all to increase the level of the game with real opponents and without risky investments, and with the probability of replenishing your budget. Let’s return to the question of winning with real money – in most cases, the prize money for freerolls is provided by the organizers of these tournaments and the amounts are not very large, but again, taking into account the fact that participants do not pay entry fees, if you win, you will remain in net benefit. Pros and cons of freerolls Now let’s talk a little about the pros and cons of freerolls and start with the dark parts. It is precisely the fact that these tournaments are held in a “free” format that makes them attractive to a non-professional contingent, so to speak – this applies not only to the experience of the game, but also to their following any tactics and strategies. Not afraid to lose the invested money (as in other tournaments), many participants behave thoughtlessly or frivolously, so you can’t count on a subtle game. And of course, the style of play and the behavior of the participants differ significantly from serious tournaments with significant buy-ins. So, you should take into account the fact that if you participate in freerolls too often, you can get used to and lose a sense of prudent caution, then it will not be easy for you to join the professional format of large tournaments, where, by the way, the prize money is very serious. A frivolous, or as in this case, “freeroll” variant of playing poker can cause you financial losses. But there are still bright sides in such tournaments, especially for beginners who really want to learn all the intricacies of poker not just in theory, but in practice, as a direct participant in the event. In free tournaments, you can learn the basics and basic rules without any financial risks, freeing your head from thoughts about losing. The second big plus for beginners is the ability to observe the behavior of their real opponents in certain situations and at the same time draw the right conclusions from their own and other people’s actions or even mistakes. And this is very important, especially in the early stages of tournament practice. The next plus of freerolls, arising from the minuses, as we said earlier, in such tournaments, players often behave too boldly, so to speak, making quick and sometimes even eccentric game decisions, but at the same time it can teach the player to part even with good ones easier and easier. cards for the sake of a positive result, that is, to achieve a positive situation for a long distance. We draw simple conclusions, if a beginner is serious enough to learn how to play poker and wants to hone his skills, then he will surely be able to get all the useful and bright moments from the freeroll, while maintaining prudence to participate in paid tournaments with large prizes. Who plays Freerolls There is a certain, unspoken classification of the main participants in tournaments of this type. They are divided into three separate categories, namely: beginners, the so-called favorites and aggressive players, who are called in poker – maniacs. Below we will separately talk about each category of players in more detail. So – beginners – these are participants who have very little experience playing poker or “sit down at the table” for the first time. Their distinguishing feature, so to speak, is regular or periodically erroneous decision-making during the game. Beginners play not very confidently and not aggressively. Many of them treat freerolls seriously and carefully as a useful practice and a new stage of their education. Now the favorites are players, most often with a good level of play and extensive experience in participating in tournaments. They enter free tournaments in order to win real money without investing anything at the start. Such participants conduct a competent clear game, reaching prize-winning places. It is absolutely normal for favorites to take part in not one but two or three freerolls per day. These participants increase their bankroll and at the same time are optimal opponents for beginners, providing them with good, quality practice. But the so-called maniacs – or aggressively playing participants, regardless of what happens at the table, is a headache for all other players. Maniacs are real fans of bluffing in all its manifestations and constant raises, and in cases with free tournaments, their hands are completely untied, since if they lose, they will not lose anything. This category includes either those players who do not respect the rules of poker and the game itself at all, or inexperienced and at the same time aggressive participants with a small poker knowledge base. It has already been said above that the availability of freerolls attracts a fairly diverse contingent, so when choosing a table, you should be prepared to meet with representatives of any of these categories of participants. But keep calm – the tournament is free, you don’t risk money – you gain experience for big wins. Stages or stages of the Freeroll There are three main stages or stages in freeroll tournaments: the first is the first hour of the event, after which quite inexperienced “dummies” and so-called maniacs are often eliminated; the second stage is the longest or longest – these are further events until the final and the most useful part as a practice – the player can learn to follow both bets and stacks and begin to form his own style of play; the third part is the final and prize draw, at this stage the most experienced or talented participants with a good level of play remain.
