How to Play Freerolls, Part Four
This was published 31-08-2010This article is a follow up on the articles How to Play Freerolls, Parts One, Two, and Three which you will also find in this poker strategy section.
Once you’ve gotten past the early stages of the freeroll, most of the players who remain are players who use a standard strategy, but some “red herrings” can remain in the game if they’ve had a few lucky hands. As a result, you can start to loosen up your play a little.
Whereas early on in the tournament, you have to assume that everyone will stay for the flop regardless of their hand, by the time you’re several rounds in, those players who called every raise on a pocket 3,8 to see the flop have already been eliminated. At this point, your play should be slightly more aggressive. Since many players are still recovering from the extremely loose play of the novices and are playing very very tightly at this point, they will fold to any raise they don’t feel they can meet. Again, though, don’t get into a betting contest if your hand can’t support it. Some of your opponents will use the same strategies that you do.
Like in every poker game, modest raises are a good way to go. If you hold an excellent hand and you double the pot, your opponents will instantly fold, leaving you with a small win. Raise the amount of the big blind or double that and you’ll get some opponents who will stick around just out of curiosity. Do the same thing for each of the four rounds of betting and you’ll build a solid pot to win. On the other hand, if you have an opponent who raises to your raise, calculate carefully. If you think it’s really likely that you have the winning hand, then take them down, especially if you can force them all in. You’ll drive all of the other players out of that round, but it won’t much matter if you take the player’s entire bankroll in one hand.
Remember that the key to winning the final table is coming in with as many chips as possible.
