Is it worth pushing at the start of a Freeroll?

[pavel1111111]

i usually don't push , i form a style of game that doesn't need to do that so you should consider to opt for a game form that does not include pushing

 

[ACESOVEREZZZ]

Pushing

well number 1 it is a freeroll so it will cost you nothing to push. As long as you have a good hand play it. I know in freerolls there is a lot of people playing and pushing with "rags" so if you have a strong hand it could start you off with a nice stack Just my thought/

GL All

 

[theANMATOR]

The first few hands of a poker freeroll seem to be dominated by pushing - sometimes with people with really duff hands. If you have a decent hand (preferably at least Ace-high) is it worth joining in with the pushing or not?

On the one hand it feels like its not 'proper poker' but on the other hand it feels like if you lose you only lose a few seconds in the tournament and if you win you move on with a decent starting stack.

Is that dodgy or acceptable behaviour in your eyes?

My personal opinion - the players who play like that are fools, have low poker IQ, and are post flop handicapped, so they compensate by jamming preflop to overcome their lack of knowledge and stunted ability to make any decisions post flop.

Also - someone once said - if the table is loose - play tight, and visa versa, and I think that is a great way to battle pretty much all villains.

Don't call/shove with marginal hands just because other fools at your table are doing it and getting lucky. Most likely 9/10 of those fools are busting out pretty quickly.

Those "special bless their heart players" are playing bingo - not poker. Why sign up to a poker game if your not going to play poker?

 

[ga25x]

Never, unless u have premium hand and you have a lot of action before u act. But it won't work always
Example:
Dealt KK on BB. Some1 limps, raised, called, called.
i know 3 bet will get at least 3 calls and i'm done
So i jam, get called by AQ. And we know that KK are Ace magnets...
Actually this BS happens even on the first hand in 55$, 109$ tournaments. Some maniac could call ur jam with QJs or 22.
So in bigger buy in MTT nowadays i never push even AA, for the first few hrs of play.

 

[mariale_1990]

The truth does not sound so crazy to play with A-high, it is a freeroll and as we already know, some players tend to bet with anything no matter what, I think you should take any opportunity that comes your way and play it as best you see fit, if in the end not You achieve nothing is fine, you only waste time playing and not money, sometimes you have to find a way to adapt to that type of tournaments

 

[mara2259]

The first few hands of a poker freeroll seem to be dominated by pushing - sometimes with people with really duff hands. If you have a decent hand (preferably at least Ace-high) is it worth joining in with the pushing or not?

On the one hand it feels like its not 'proper poker' but on the other hand it feels like if you lose you only lose a few seconds in the tournament and if you win you move on with a decent starting stack.

Is that dodgy or acceptable behaviour in your eyes?

Usually, players who practice pushing tactics at the start of a tournament are called fish. Like a manka, they are unlikely to stop after they win a couple of pots with junk hands and very soon find themselves on the dropout list, thereby confirming the saying: how come and go! :stupid:

 

[firerain]

The freeroll MTT has a decent guarantee (over $100+) and pay structure closer to normal buy-in MTT than I would play a normal game and avoid multiple all-in unless top of range hands (77+, AJs+, AQo+) . However, it is a small guarantee or shallow pay structure (5% or less cash) then it is fine to go with a drawing hand with multiple player in the hand.

 

[mervin88]

yes, because people tend to call super light, they will call you as light as AJ any pairs

 

[Phoenix Wright]

Not a good idea. Even if you double, or triple up, you can't win a poker tournament in the early stages...but you can certainly lose it. Realize that doubling our chips at the beginning does NOT double our equity. One doesn't need to study ICM to realize that risking your tournament life often for a few chips is not worth much. Sure, you'll win many small pots when people correctly fold, but the math is against this type of player for surviving any decent amount of time as the tournament continues.

Don't forget how the blinds and antes increase further into the tournament, so they aren't really picking up a ton at the beginning; too much risk for too little gain.

 

[garibe]

In micros, this will happen as well. Not only in Freerolls.

Key words here are: Early stages mtt.

What to do? Shove it and get a stack or get out and bust looking like a maniac...

Having around 50BB is plenty to play a good game. You just need a good RFI strategy if the post-flop seems difficult to play.

During the early stages, you need Flat and 3-Bet ranges as well in order to avoid tricky situations.

There are little interest to steal. Blinds are irrelevant when thinking about open ranges to steal blinds.

The best you are post-flop, the looser your opening ranges are.

Draws, top pairs, etc usually put recreative players in bad positions with check raises and all ins in hopes it gets there. Construct a solid pre flop open range and stay away from marginal hands play, this will make your tournament life much longer.

Of course, there are moments where you will have to face it. But never do that with stacks around 40-50 BB. Not necessary in my opinion.

Be solid early game, construct your image on the table, understand your opponents strategy and tendencies.

So, I think that for freerolls it is understandable. This happens often and we sometimes do fold with better hands. But the tournament life is more important and knowing how to approach each stage, makes your life much easier.

 

[Lucky_Shark]

I would play a call with TT+ AQo+ AJs+. And everything else would be played by a fold.

 

[SillentHunterZ]

Depends on the freeroll, if its daily i dont even join, if it's weekely well it depends, when the blinds are small and in position i would call if the hand decent.

 

[TeUnit]

I prefer to only get it in early in freerolls with AK+ and that is if I have seen the players who are left to act call with hands like AQ, AJ, 44.

 

[AizenFalck]

Interesting theme. I think that when you go all in at the beginning of a freeroll tournament it is a good opportunity to get ahead of the tournament if you have a decent hand, nobody assures that you will win by hand but at least it is a good chance. And yes, I have also seen how, including me, you throw yourself with a super bad hand against 3 or 4 more opponents and win, yesterday for example in a freeroll I launched with a 24 offsuited and even beat a pair of aces with 2 on the flop and 4 on the river, amazing, lol. Regards.

 

[emfya]

I like this strategy usually. probably not correct though

 

[Tolyanchemp]

It doesn't matter what tournament I play. I am obliged to stick to my optimal correct game and not be led to provocation.