This strategy is one I use to great effect (profit!) in both cash and free online poker freerolls with up to 1000 players involved. I will keep it short, since there are too many long and boring free texas holdem strategies that keep coming with the same info in another context.

The first hour

In freerolls you will find the whole spectrum of the poker world, the good, the bad, the annoying donks who go all in all the time.

The last to are the ones you will have to look out for, even if you have good cards. Never take a risk in the beginning of even a free texas holdem tournament, because the players that don’t know the game or so will go all in with A 6 (not even suited) and it would be very sad if you have an As Ks and will be beaten by a A 6!

Just call when it’s low if you have AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK (suited) KQ (suited) Note: Do not go all in with these cards at the pre-flop (bad beats are incredibly frustrating)

And extremely important; DO NOT BLUFF at this stage.

Following the first hour

This is the time that almost all of the bad players are gone, apart from the lucky ones!

Here you can play more aggressive and attempt to steal the blinds (very important since the blinds increase and ante has to be paid so what you can get by playing cards is too less to keep playing)

You may also introduce some new cards to you playable hands like:

• AK
• KJ
• QQ
• AQ
• AA (all in when in late position and not so many people in the pot)
• KQ
• QJ
• KK (same as AA)
• 10 10

When you are in the pot with a few players and they just check or make low bets/calls you can try to bluff.

Ensure that your stack is not less then the average stack, if it does go back to the “first hour strategy” and tighten up! (it is not a shame to pull back and change strategy a couple of times to create some confusion!)

Congratulations If everything went well you are now in the money, but you can’t tell me that you want to quit now and earn some crappy cents, that’s just waste of your time since the most freerolls will extend to 4-5 hours. So concentrate!

This is the part where the “n00bs” are all gone and you play with some poker freaks so be aware!

You’ll be able to recognize the good players not at the number of chips they have but at their check, bet, call, raise and fold actions!

They are going to try to get to see the flop with as less chips as possible and fold most of the time (most common way to spot the good ones).

If you want to be in the top 3 (other places won’t pay that well) you have to be careful, but take some risks to! The hands you can play are the same as in the second part of the freeroll from the 77,88 and up.

When in late position try to steal the blinds, but not too often or else you will be recognized as a bluffer!

So see you at the tables, good luck! When beginning I suggest starting with true free poker freeroll events and working up from there as you improve.