Don't Place Your Bets in Play Money Poker

The huge popularity of poker can be attributed to the advent of the Internet where thousands of people all over the world play online poker from the comfort of their homes. One of the most popular is play money poker, which as the name implies, is a game where play money is wagered instead of genuine currency. Because no risk is involved, this card game is more popular for the free entertainment it offers than real money poker. Aside from the free entertainment it provides, play money poker teaches the player the basic rules of the game and helps him get used to the poker software.

While the absence of risk is what makes play money poker popular, it is also the reason why you will not learn much great strategies in playing the game. Sure, winning in play money poker would build up your confidence, but it does not mean that you would also be a winner in real money games. The risk in real money games is what forces players to analyze and strategize their games, to be more cunning and try to read tells, make bluffs and be careful with every move. In real money games, there exists a reward and penalty system that could either mean losing real money or winning the pot.

The mindset of people in play money poker is that they are engaged in precisely that - a play where no one really losses anything but time. In play money poker, people play almost any hand that is dealt to them and hardly ever fold because at the back of their minds, they know that they don't lose any real money anyway. Winning in this kind of playing environment is very easy and could give them a false sense of security and confidence that they are improving in their game and that they are ready to play high stakes real money games.

The only benefits that can be gained from play money poker are knowledge about poker rules and some entertainment. Do not hope to obtain or hone your skills in play money poker because in reality, you may even learn bad playing habits resulting in the deterioration of whatever skills that you have. In you are interested in honing your skills at no cost, perhaps you could try playing freeroll tournaments where the chances of winning the pot provides the players the incentive to play as if they are in a real money game.