You can try playing poker for free on more than one platform. Let's name the most popular ones. It should be noted that free poker is not necessarily only possible on gaming platforms. Some poker platforms that have real money gaming features can offer free play. So, when presenting a list of platforms where free online poker is available, we will introduce you to both well-known and lesser-known portals and programs.
The best online poker rooms:
Free online poker – the most popular portals to play
Zynga Poker
Yes, Zynga Poker is still “alive” and you can still join this portal to revive memories and embark on a journey down nostalgia lane if you played before. The platform itself hasn't changed much and still has a fairly large player flow. Most of them come through Facebook, but it is no longer the largest poker portal in the world as it was back in 2011. Now it holds about 5% of the market, so it is an important but no longer significant name.
It is still a platform offering many bonuses, additional games, and extras. Almost every time you log in, you will receive bonuses that you can take and use to play at as many tables as possible, as often as possible.
It's hard to talk much about the strength of the players. A lot of different game enthusiasts gather here. They are all very different, but overall – the level of players is not too high. It's a good place to start learning to play because you won't be risking real money.
PokerStars
PokerStars is currently the largest online poker platform in the world. It has the largest number of players, the most competitive and widest range of tournaments, and the biggest prizes. Most PokerStars players play for real money. However, there are two different ways to play for free on PokerStars.
The first way is – free play chips. Each newly registered player receives up to 35,000 such chips. These chips can be used to play PokerStars for free. Since they can run out – you shouldn't worry because you can get up to 15,000 new chips for free every 4 hours. And if the shortage is very serious, you can buy those chips for real money for a small amount. As a reference point, 1 million chips cost 4.99 USD. So, with free chips, you can play online poker for free on PokerStars.
Another way to play for free on PokerStars is to use their discount codes and get a bonus that gives a certain amount of free play. With the codes, you can get a 100% bonus on your first deposit (you can play for free for the equivalent amount) or get 30 USD of free play, i.e., you can make free bets and participate in tournaments for 30 dollars. Perhaps it would be best to practice with chips and then use the bonus?
888 Poker
This poker platform is one of the largest in the world, with an audience of several million players. To play poker for free, you can join Free Online 888 Poker and play in training mode or participate in free tournaments.
Moreover, there are several bonuses that will open up the possibility to play for real money as if for free. It is possible to get up to a 100 percent bonus on deposits up to 888 USD or get an 88 USD bonus for free, without any deposit.
Free poker – is it worth playing?
Many might wonder – is it even worth playing such poker, which is not maximally exciting (admit it, playing for real money is much more intense than for chips) and where the level of players is quite unpredictable?
The short answer would be – more yes than no, but it also depends on the situation. If a player is very experienced and has very good skills, it is unlikely that he or she will take the game seriously if it's not for money, not among friends. This is because such situations, where real excitement is not felt, hardly motivate players. Playing with friends can be emotional, but with strangers, especially virtually – it will be really hard for a professional and experienced player to find motivation.
However, beginners and amateurs should definitely not avoid this type of poker. If they are just starting to learn to play, they should put in as many hours as possible with as little risk as possible. Learning things like outs calculation, combination strength, limping, pot odds and other things, it is useful to try everything not where the betting amount is 100€, but where a miss costs nothing.
Pot odds calculation and some practical tips
For everyone who is not yet a professional and does not consider themselves to be at that level, it may be useful to try free poker more or less often. There you will be able to try new tactics and methods, their effectiveness, and find gaps in your game.
The best online poker rooms:
Free poker – when to switch to playing for money?
Before starting to play poker for money, you should understand three things:
- This is no longer the same free poker that you play for fun, here excitement and the desire to win at any cost dominate;
- The level of players – varies greatly, as the strongest poker enthusiasts and professionals gather to play for real money;
- Having fun and planning for real earnings or poker as a profession are two different things.
Let's examine each point to come to an answer on when to start playing poker not for free, but for money.
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First point – get used to the complexity
There will be nothing wrong if you put an acceptable and small amount of money (e.g., 5€ or 10€) into your player's wallet and try to increase it in live poker games where the bets are, for example, 0.05-0.1€. At the “cheapest” poker tables, you should be able to gain a lot of experience and see how the level of players differs at free and paid tables. If you are playing for the first time, there is probably a 99% chance that you will end the day with a loss. Of course, exceptions are possible, but they are very rare.
“Shooting” with tougher players would definitely be beneficial for everyone. First of all, you should have at least 30-50 USD of initial capital to be at least a little competitive in 1USD tournaments. As we mentioned, bonuses from PokerStars or 888Poker can help you gain experience.
Then it is worth investing in a poker program. What is a poker program? It is something that you might not use in money games, but your opponents will… Poker programs are computer tools that help collect information, analyze poker games, and make the best decisions almost anywhere. If even after about 100-200 hours of trying you find it difficult to find your niche and at least balance at 0, you should either rethink your strategy, change the program you are using, or choose individual training. It is definitely not worth quitting poker. Maybe you are simply paired with strong opponents, or perhaps you have one weakness that is not difficult to eliminate, and once you do, everything will shine with new colors?
After several hundred hours of play, you should, in simple terms, have a grasp of what is happening and how to play.
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Second point – find a place where players match your level or are weaker
Suppose you have been playing poker for 4 months and are doing quite well. You decide to deposit around 2000€ into your account and play where the stakes are 20/40€. Most likely, the money will disappear very quickly. Why? Because 20-40 euros are quite high stakes, where people who play properly already make a living from poker. Not only professionals gather there, but also the strongest amateurs. Will you really be able to keep up with their level? Maybe not.
Therefore, you should increase the deposit amount very carefully. You can read Pokeriomokykla poker room reviews. There we describe which rooms you can find weaker players and exploit your advantages. You should not be ashamed of that. After all, you play to win, right?
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Third point – realistic expectations about earnings
Many mathematical calculations have been done on this topic. Looking at those players who try to play as optimally as possible (usually using poker programs) and maintaining a consistent win rate over the long term, it is possible to calculate earning probabilities. We will present earnings calculations at three levels:
- Usually – 1h/day
- A lot – 3h/day
- Work mode – 6h/day
To calculate potential earnings, you should constantly play at tables with the same stake size. On average, higher-level players can already play at 3-4 tables, generating 6 Big Blind/h wins. This is a fairly moderate and quite realistic scenario.
Playing 2€NL – up to 80€/month
- Usually – 14€/month
- A lot – 38-42€/month
- Work mode – <80€/month
Playing 10€NL – up to 400€/month
- Usually – 70€/month
- A lot – <200€/month
- Work mode – <400€/month
Playing 50€NL – up to 2,100€/month
- Usually – 360€/month
- A lot – 1,080€/month
- Work mode – <2,100€/month
Keep in mind that these scenario calculations are preliminary and can vary greatly from how you will fare. Moreover, although the numbers may look attractive, the risk is enormous, and it is never possible to predict the long term. Much also depends on how fatigue is managed, the % rakeback, and other important factors.
So you see, to earn a good salary solely from poker, you need not only a large budget but also to tolerate high risk.
The best online poker rooms:
How to improve faster by playing free poker?
Now, let's focus on how to train and what to pay the most attention to in order to improve your skills as a free poker player. Here, unlike playing for money, you do not need to pay so much attention to details right away. This does not apply if you plan to switch to playing for money in the long term. However, if you just want to enjoy the game now, which is free poker and simply have a good time, follow these tips:
- Do not bluff too much – even one unsuccessful bluff can cost you a lot of money. A properly executed bluff is probably one of the most complex maneuvers in the entire game, so amateur bluffs are very easy to read.
- Do not waste money, but also do not be too passive – being too open and adventurous, you risk. The best decisions and the optimal balance between aggressive and safe play are helped by computer programs, but you can also slightly increase your chances. It is generally advised not to bet larger amounts if you are still two cards short of a straight or flush or just because you suspect your opponent is bluffing. It is better to make a serious bet when you are sure that your hand combination is very strong.
- Know when to fold – you do not need to have great insights into probabilities, just know when you have a big chance and when you have a very small one. A combination like one pair can pose a very significant risk. To know when it is the right time to fold, you need to pay close attention to how other players behave. If a passive player suddenly starts raising bets – it is not worth waiting for something good. If you doubt the strength of your hand combination – it is better to fold. Especially when playing at lower stakes tables (or where there is no risk of real money), other players do not bluff as much, so one pair card combinations are often worth folding more than checking or calling.
- Do not play when you are not in the mood – psychology in poker may not account for 100% of the results, but it has a very serious impact. Hungry, sleep-deprived, or in a bad mood, you will be more distracted, which reduces your analytical insight. If you play only when you feel good – you will definitely achieve better results.
Summary
So, we reviewed what free online poker is. We shared a few platforms where you can play poker completely for free. To make free poker fun and show the best results, you should not forget to follow the tips we outlined in this article.Well, if you decide not only to take advantage of discounts or play with virtual tokens and move on to playing with real money, don't hesitate to use discounts and bonus offers!
