Tighteness only pays off in Freerolls

[rsparente]

Tight play works great in freerolls — you’ll crush most fields. But to move up, start getting more aggressive. Don’t go wild, just take more winning spots.You can win big staying tight, but your bankroll and growth will stall. Getting aggressive feels rough at first, but it’s easier than waiting forever for perfect hands. Near the bubble, tighten back up, secure the cash, then attack again — real money lives near the final table.

You'll eventually see NITs always cashing, but they go a long way to the tournament playing cents or freeroll satellites.

 

[rhoudini]

Freerolls kind of teach bad habits if you’re not careful. Playing ultra-tight works there, but it doesn’t scale well. Once antes kick in and blinds matter, waiting for monsters is basically bleeding chips. I like your point about tightening near the bubble though. That’s one spot where nits actually have an edge. But after that, it’s time to flip the switch if you want real payouts.

 

[antonis32123]

I have tried everything in freerolls, crazy playgame , very aggressive, very passive , tight , I tried everything but it didn't help me . I think the 3 bets in specific spots and the calls with right odds even with 3 or 4 players will help me in freerolls . Or also in other tournaments . Rng favours specific patterns and decisions in every situation , in this I want yo become better .

 

[Kpaprince]

I agree with this a lot, especially the part about freerolls vs moving up. Tight play is great early on because so many players are making big mistakes, but if you stay tight forever, you’re basically letting blinds and aggressive players control the table.

What helped me was realizing that aggression doesn’t mean spewing chips. It’s more about stealing in good spots, applying pressure to medium stacks, and not waiting only for premium hands. Freerolls reward patience, but paid tournaments reward controlled aggression.

Near the bubble, tightening up again makes sense, but once you’re in the money, you really have to shift gears. Like you said, the real money is at the final table, and you won’t get there just by folding.

 

[sibkaz]

It all depends on what kind of contingent you're playing with...

 

[successlaw]

Yes for sure, but if are hype freerolls the best way is to not fold

 

[stil370]

one time i decided to play a tournament nearly from beginning to end playing ace-queen or better only.
Only played 8 hands but finished in the money. i learned something from it.

 

[choprav]

I free,i think it's about balance to an extent, but on a aggression is best

 

[EvoSlike]

I agree with what you said. Tight aggressive is good way to play. Depending of the early, middle, bubble, ITM, Final Table stage of the tournament we need to find balance between Tight and Aggressive.

Just one little thing to think about.
When everybody tightens on the bubble, it's the perfect time to play aggressive.

 

[Shooter74]

Cardschat's freerolls look like paid games...people are giving their all....

 

[ironduke11]

the algorythm for freerolls is completely different i am convinced....

 

[Happy Bobi]

Tight play works great in Freerolls — you’ll crush most fields. But to move up, start getting more aggressive. Don’t go wild, just take more winning spots.You can win big staying tight, but your bankroll and growth will stall. Getting aggressive feels rough at first, but it’s easier than waiting forever for perfect hands. Near the bubble, tighten back up, secure the cash, then attack again — real money lives near the final table.

You'll eventually see NITs always cashing, but they go a long way to the tournament playing cents or freeroll satellites.

I think it's the combination of aggression and tight play that gives the best results. With experience comes an understanding of when to play aggressively and when it's better to avoid risk. Risk is an integral part of the game, and I think that in 99% of cases, the winners are those players who are willing to take risks.

 

[Leandro6803]

Yes and no, let's go. In a freeroll you play against weaker players, without range awareness and positional power, so you must select your hands very carefully since you will be playing the flop with many players. In a more expensive tournament, like a $50 buy-in, the players will have a better understanding of range and positional factors and will use that to apply pressure, especially when there is money involved, so you will have a tighter and more conservative approach.

 

[rsparente]

I agree with what you said. Tight aggressive is good way to play. Depending of the early, middle, bubble, ITM, Final Table stage of the tournament we need to find balance between Tight and Aggressive.

Just one little thing to think about.
When everybody tightens on the bubble, it's the perfect time to play aggressive.

I've been there, done that. Aggression in the bubble may add chips, but don't over commit to the hands. I used to over commit, get fancy, do THE HERO CALL to knock out some players, and it didn't end well most of the times. Now I've adjusted.

 

[rsparente]

Cardschat's freerolls look like paid games...people are giving their all....

The thing is, they are too fast in terms of blind level changes, you are obliged to play your best or you will bubble waiting for the "right" spot.

 

[rsparente]

the algorythm for freerolls is completely different i am convinced....

It seems they favour dumbs, but probably main question is: too many multi way hands played. Odds don't like multiple spotters.

 

[rsparente]

Yes and no, let's go. In a freeroll you play against weaker players, without range awareness and positional power, so you must select your hands very carefully since you will be playing the flop with many players. In a more expensive tournament, like a $50 buy-in, the players will have a better understanding of range and positional factors and will use that to apply pressure, especially when there is money involved, so you will have a tighter and more conservative approach.

I would love to agree with you, but playing at at any stake bigger than 5 is wasting money. We love to think it would pay off, but in the end you are the one being exploited.

With all due respect and humbleness, I've been there, last 12 months I earned your lifetime return at both sites 888 and pokerstars. Exploitative play yields best results at $5+ tournaments, below that, tighten up and be more conservative, avoid multi way pots and cash most of the times.

The more unpredictable you are the largest pots you play, but here is a downside (as I had on yesterday's cards that freeroll), being that much unpredictable may make your opponents do calls they won't otherwise. (In my case I lost to a loose player, as I was pretending to be afraid of the flop, by betting big)

 

[sibkaz]

Cardschat's freerolls look like paid games...people are giving their all....

An interesting game, interesting players, interesting learning )

 

[kunkgreen]

I agree in part... It's necessary to know how to moderate aggression in critical moments, but I also don't believe it's an action exclusive to frerolls, and besides, not all frerolls are of the same level or with the same field size.

Aggression is almost always rewarded, but above all, choosing the best spots is key. Attacking medium stacks.

Like everything in poker, these are very situational choices, and good players adapt to this all the time.

I've seen hundreds of final tables, even in high roller tournaments, where players were tight without failing to be aggressive at the most appropriate times. Obviously, the game becomes more aggressive as we advance in buy-ins, but it's still just a matter of situational timing.

What does the table and the tournament structure demand of us at that moment?

 

[nelomec]

Tight play works great in Freerolls — you’ll crush most fields. But to move up, start getting more aggressive. Don’t go wild, just take more winning spots.You can win big staying tight, but your bankroll and growth will stall. Getting aggressive feels rough at first, but it’s easier than waiting forever for perfect hands. Near the bubble, tighten back up, secure the cash, then attack again — real money lives near the final table.

You'll eventually see NITs always cashing, but they go a long way to the tournament playing cents or freeroll satellites.

Playing conservatively is good, but you win little and in the long run it can do more harm than good. There are situations where you really need to be conservative, and perhaps that's the best strategy for that tournament or that table. I vary my game a lot, and I find that it works well for me.

 

[TheniT]

I think it depends on the tournament format; in more turbo tournaments we can't expect very strong hands to play, we have to adapt to all types of tournaments.

 

[schtiuky]

Freeroll's it seems to me do not need strategy only luck , maybe for our site freerolls it works but not every time.