Free Tournaments Are Good Practice

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Hello everyone,
Freeroll tournaments are a good way to practice without risking money.
They help improve patience and tournament strategy.
Do you still play freerolls or only real money games?
 
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Houbi37 said:
Hello everyone,
Freeroll tournaments are a good way to practice without risking money.
They help improve patience and tournament strategy.
Do you still play freerolls or only real money games?
Click to expand...
This is not just for starters, there are freerolls of 10,000 and more, these are full-fledged tournaments.
 
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Yes, sure they are good way to practice and I play them all the time. But in many freerolls the playing is very loose and aggressive, somewhat different from playing with real money. But it depends a lot on the tournament, there is quite normal playing as well.
 
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As a practice, I think what you already mentioned is useful: patience. You can also analyze your interpretation of the players and some other things. But I don't think you can practice everything you need in a freeroll.
Personally, I will continue to play freeroll anyway.
 
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I’d say the main purpose of freerolls is to practice and understand how poker works. As you improve, of course you also want to do well in the tournaments, which can sometimes be difficult because of unpredictable or inexperienced players.

But you have to adapt to them and try to take as much advantage as possible. I still play freerolls myself, but I also mix in low-stakes tournaments. In the end, you should always take advantage of an opportunity to win money without risking a single dollar.
 
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Free tournaments are good when you start to learn poker and don't want to risk any of your own money when you don't even know which poker hand is best. However, once you know to play poker, they become a bit annoying. You have idiots shoving all in against AA or AK and occasionally they win. It's part of the poker variance but I find that very tilting. So I play either very restricted freeroll, like the freerolls offered by CC or low buy in tournaments. If I want to play bigger buy in tournaments, I'll play live ones.
 
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I think freerolls are very useful for practice, especially in the beginning. You can learn patience, tournament structure, and how to adapt to different types of players. However, the play in many freerolls is much looser and more chaotic than in real money tournaments, so not every situation translates perfectly.

I still play freerolls from time to time, mostly for bankroll building and practice. If there is a chance to win money without risking anything, it’s definitely worth taking it.
 
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When it comes to enhancing your poker skills, free online poker tournaments are greatly undervalued. Freerolls are often disregarded by players since there is no buy in, which is precisely why they are so worthwhile. Without risking any cash, you gain genuine competition experience, which includes large fields, shifting blind levels and a variety of player styles. This indicates that you may concentrate only on learning rather than worrying about your money. Freerolls are particularly effective for developing patience and discipline. Since many players are overly aggressive early on, you soon learn that tight, intelligent play typically pays off. You learn how to manage your stack, deal with blind pressure and prepare for the competition's later phases. Its also a fantastic method to experiment with new strategies in a real world environment without taking any financial risks. Honestly, despite the fact that they are free, the competition can still be rather intriguing once you are further into the competition. A pleasant addition is that some freerolls provide tickets or very big cash rewards epecially the big monthly ones.
 
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Yes of course they teach you a lot, but if you keep playing only free rolls you’ll never raise your level.
 
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tabaskichhh said:
This is not just for starters, there are freerolls of 10,000 and more, these are full-fledged tournaments.
Click to expand...
You’re absolutely right.

Some freerolls today aren’t “just for beginners” at all. With 10,000+ players, they’re basically full-scale MTTs — long structure, big fields, real competition. The only difference is the buy-in.

In fact, large freerolls can be tougher in some ways:

  • Massive variance
  • Wide ranges early on
  • Long grind to reach the money
You still need proper bankroll mindset, patience, and solid tournament strategy. The skills required are the same as in paid MTTs.

A big field is a big field — free or not.
 
tuitui said:
Yes, sure they are good way to practice and I play them all the time. But in many freerolls the playing is very loose and aggressive, somewhat different from playing with real money. But it depends a lot on the tournament, there is quite normal playing as well.
Click to expand...
That’s very true.
Freerolls are great for practice — especially for volume, patience, and late-stage tournament experience. But you’re right, the dynamics can be very different.
In many freerolls:
  • Ranges are much wider
  • Players take bigger risks
  • Early levels can feel like all-in roulette
Since there’s no direct financial risk, some players just gamble. That changes optimal strategy — tighter early, value-heavy, and less fancy bluffing usually works better.
But as you said, it really depends on the event. Higher-value freerolls or ticket-based ones often play much more “normal,” especially near the money and final table.
The key is adapting. Don’t play a freeroll like a $55 MTT — adjust to the field. That flexibility is what makes a strong tournament player.
 
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pep12343 said:
As a practice, I think what you already mentioned is useful: patience. You can also analyze your interpretation of the players and some other things. But I don't think you can practice everything you need in a freeroll.
Personally, I will continue to play freeroll anyway.
Click to expand...
That’s a very balanced view.

Freerolls are great for certain things — patience, stack management, adapting to wild ranges, observing player tendencies, and practicing late-stage ICM spots when you get deep. There’s real value there.

But you’re right — you can’t practice everything in freerolls.
You don’t fully experience:

  • Real money pressure
  • Fear of busting your buy-in
  • The psychological weight of bigger decisions
That emotional component is very different when your own bankroll is on the line.

Still, continuing to play freerolls makes sense — especially if they fit your bankroll situation and give you volume and experience. As long as you understand their limitations and adjust your expectations, they’re a useful tool.

Practice is practice — just know what kind of practice it is.
 
Orvol1 said:
I have to agree with you, playing in free tournaments can be an excellent way to hone your skills, test new strategies, and gain experience in a low-stakes environment without burning a hole in your wallet. I've found that these events help me iron out my decision-making process, especially when it comes to making aggressive moves with short stacks, and I've noticed a significant improvement in my overall performance against live opponents since transitioning from free play to online cash games. Do you have a preferred site or platform for participating in these free tournaments?
Click to expand...
Totally — there are a bunch of good platforms where you can play freerolls regularly and even win real money without risking your own bankroll 👍

Here are some popular choices:

🏆 Big Sites With Lots of Freerolls

  • PokerStars – lots of daily freerolls and weekly events where you can win real money and tickets to bigger tournaments.
  • Natural8 – daily freerolls (including hourly ones) and weekly events with real prize money — great volume to build skills.
  • ACR Poker – runs multiple freerolls every day with prize pools, good for volume learning.
📍 Other Strong Options

  • Winamax – daily freerolls and special events like welcome/night freerolls with cash prizes if you get a ticket.
  • Betclic Poker – daily and weekly freerolls if you have a small deposit, some with bigger prize pools.
  • Casino.org Scheduler & Directory Sites – lists lots of freerolls across several rooms so you can find freerolls daily.
There are also some community freerolls and password-protected freerolls on smaller rooms like Red Star or others listed in freeroll directories.

Many players mix and match these platforms depending on their schedule and tournament style. The key is checking the lobby daily so you don’t miss the freerolls with the best fields or prize pools. Would you like recommendations specifically for big weekend freerolls?
 
Jyco said:
I’d say the main purpose of freerolls is to practice and understand how poker works. As you improve, of course you also want to do well in the tournaments, which can sometimes be difficult because of unpredictable or inexperienced players.

But you have to adapt to them and try to take as much advantage as possible. I still play freerolls myself, but I also mix in low-stakes tournaments. In the end, you should always take advantage of an opportunity to win money without risking a single dollar.
Click to expand...
I like that mindset a lot.
Freerolls are perfect for learning fundamentals — patience, position, stack awareness, short-stack aggression, and adapting to chaos. They teach you how to survive wild early levels and still stay disciplined.
You’re also right that unpredictable players can make things tricky. But that’s actually part of the edge. When opponents play too loose or too aggressive, the adjustment is simple: tighten up, value bet more, and let them make the big mistakes.
Mixing freerolls with low-stakes tournaments is a smart progression.
Freerolls = practice and low pressure.
Low stakes = more realistic dynamics and stronger decision-making under real money conditions.
And yes — anytime you can win money without risking a dollar, that’s +EV in life 😄
Keep building step by step. That’s how solid bankrolls are made.
 
GrannySmit77 said:
Free tournaments are good when you start to learn poker and don't want to risk any of your own money when you don't even know which poker hand is best. However, once you know to play poker, they become a bit annoying. You have idiots shoving all in against AA or AK and occasionally they win. It's part of the poker variance but I find that very tilting. So I play either very restricted freeroll, like the freerolls offered by CC or low buy in tournaments. If I want to play bigger buy in tournaments, I'll play live ones.
Click to expand...
That’s a very honest take — and a lot of experienced players feel the same.
Freerolls are great at the beginning. They teach the basics without financial risk. But once you understand ranges, equity, and tournament structure, constant random shoves can feel frustrating. Seeing someone jam 72o into AA and spike can definitely test your patience.
But like you said — that’s variance. In freerolls, variance just shows up more often because ranges are insanely wide. The key shift is mental: instead of seeing it as “idiots winning,” try to see it as “long-term value.” If they keep shoving garbage into premium hands, you’re printing over time.
Your approach makes sense:
  • Restricted freerolls (like CC ones) = more controlled fields
  • Low buy-ins = more realistic dynamics
  • Bigger buy-ins live = deeper experience and stronger structure
That’s actually a very balanced poker ecosystem.
At the end of the day, the goal is to play games that are both +EV and mentally comfortable for you. If a format tilts you too much, it’s not worth it — even if it’s technically profitable.
Good players don’t just select hands. They select environments.
 
Kasztor007 said:
I think freerolls are very useful for practice, especially in the beginning. You can learn patience, tournament structure, and how to adapt to different types of players. However, the play in many freerolls is much looser and more chaotic than in real money tournaments, so not every situation translates perfectly.

I still play freerolls from time to time, mostly for bankroll building and practice. If there is a chance to win money without risking anything, it’s definitely worth taking it.
Click to expand...
I agree with you 100%.

Freerolls are excellent for building fundamentals — patience, understanding blind levels, stack preservation, and learning how to adjust to different player types. Especially in the early stages of a poker journey, they’re extremely valuable.

You’re also right that the dynamics don’t always translate perfectly. The loose and chaotic play means you can’t practice every concept the same way you would in real money MTTs. Bluffing frequency, fold equity, and ICM pressure are often very different.

But as you said — for bankroll building and extra experience, they absolutely make sense. Any opportunity to win money with zero financial risk is positive EV. The key is simply adjusting expectations and strategy to the field.

Use freerolls as a tool, not as a perfect simulation — and they remain very useful.
 
oroochimaru said:
When it comes to enhancing your poker skills, free online poker tournaments are greatly undervalued. Freerolls are often disregarded by players since there is no buy in, which is precisely why they are so worthwhile. Without risking any cash, you gain genuine competition experience, which includes large fields, shifting blind levels and a variety of player styles. This indicates that you may concentrate only on learning rather than worrying about your money. Freerolls are particularly effective for developing patience and discipline. Since many players are overly aggressive early on, you soon learn that tight, intelligent play typically pays off. You learn how to manage your stack, deal with blind pressure and prepare for the competition's later phases. Its also a fantastic method to experiment with new strategies in a real world environment without taking any financial risks. Honestly, despite the fact that they are free, the competition can still be rather intriguing once you are further into the competition. A pleasant addition is that some freerolls provide tickets or very big cash rewards epecially the big monthly ones.
Click to expand...
Very well said 👌

Freerolls really are underrated. Because there’s no buy-in, many players dismiss them — but that’s exactly what creates opportunity. You get real tournament structure, big fields, rising blinds, and diverse player types without risking a cent.

What you mentioned about patience and discipline is especially important. Early chaos forces you to stay tight and composed while others bust themselves. That’s a powerful lesson in long-term thinking. Stack management, blind pressure, late-stage adjustments — all of that is very real in freerolls.

And you’re absolutely right: once you get deep, the competition often becomes much more serious. Players tighten up, ICM pressure kicks in, and the tournament starts to feel very similar to a paid MTT.

Plus, freerolls that award tickets or large monthly prizes can actually be quite valuable. Free entry + real upside = strong opportunity.

The key is mindset. If you treat freerolls seriously, they can seriously improve your game.
 
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TulasMoreno said:
Yes of course they teach you a lot, but if you keep playing only free rolls you’ll never raise your level.
Click to expand...
That’s a very important point — and I agree.

Freerolls can teach fundamentals, patience, survival, and adaptation. But if you only play freerolls, your growth will eventually hit a ceiling.

Why?

Because:

  • The player pool is very different from real money games
  • The psychological pressure is lower
  • Advanced concepts like thin value betting, balanced ranges, and real ICM pressure don’t appear the same way
To truly improve, you need to gradually step into low-stakes real buy-ins. Even small amounts change everything — decisions become more meaningful, opponents play more seriously, and your discipline gets tested.

Freerolls are a great training ground.
Low stakes are the next level.
From there, improvement becomes real.

It’s about progression — not staying in one comfort zone.
 
moraeskvmi said:
freeroll always
Click to expand...
Haha 😄

Freeroll always — can’t argue with free value.

If you enjoy them, they fit your bankroll, and you stay disciplined, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with grinding freerolls consistently. Free entry + real prizes = positive opportunity every time.

The only thing that matters is mindset:

  • Take them seriously
  • Adapt to the wild play
  • Stay patient
  • Don’t tilt when variance hits
If you treat freerolls professionally, they can still be profitable and fun.

Free chips… real rewards. Why not? 😉
 
To be honest, I don’t usually play freerolls myself these days,the "opportunity cost" of spending five hours to win a $2 ticket usually doesn't align with my goals. However, I have a massive amount of respect for them as a starting point
 
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letpic said:
To be honest, I don’t usually play freerolls myself these days,the "opportunity cost" of spending five hours to win a $2 ticket usually doesn't align with my goals. However, I have a massive amount of respect for them as a starting point
Click to expand...
I completely agree with that! The opportunity cost of playing free rolls is genuine since they might take up a lot of your time while you are attempting to win a little prize. Not everyone is able to devote four to six hours to attempting to win a few dollars or a little ticket, particularly if they are playing games with larger stakes. Even so, I have always seen freerolls as a good place to begin. New players can learn the game, comprehend bankroll management and become familiar with online poker in a risk free manner without investing any money. They can be a good training ground for beginners and occasionally they can even serve as a springboard for creating a modest bankroll from scratch.
 
When I come to think of it, at the time I started playing poker, I kind of enjoyed the playing so much that I just enjoyed playing couple of hours and maybe getting some small award was just a nice extra. I did try to play for fun and practice with fake money games at GG, but the playing there was just insane nonsense.
 
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