Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

I am based in the U.S. I wondered if someone could please suggest a good poker website where I could practice my holdem play without necessarily playing for money, if such a site still exists. I had enjoyed playing at mansionpoker.net, but that site was closed to US residents today.

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

I think partypoker.com is still open for US no limit texas holdem players

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

Pokerstars. Have fun!

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

If you know the basic rules, playing poker for play money is like target practice with blanks.

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

I believe all the sites are still open for free play, just with a .net address not the .com address. IMHO you will not gain much usable experience because of the lack of reality in situations on the play money tables. Even the $1 tables on Stars represent a more realistic poker experience. When I first started my online bankroll I was able to build from $50 to just over $200 in a couple of months playing $1.10 SNG(18 person) exclusively. Then moved to $3.40 and 3.25(6man) and now am on the 12's and the 16's. Play money tables really just piss you off and in my experience can hurt more than help when you start playing for real $$$. They bear no resemblance to the play even at the smallest buy ins on the money tables.

My .02

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

Pokerstars. Hands down.

"Come test your skills against me at the 50k SNG's"

[img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] .......no, seriously.

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

Thanks, Tom!

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

if you end up playing stars, i play under 'XO, MOM' and 'Dayvid_Brent'

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

Thanks veru much for the insights. You are right about the worthlessness of playing for funchips - the play is so completely random since it doesn't cost anything.

Two followup questions please. (1) If I am in the U.S., how can I play online for $$ given the U.S. anti-gambling restrictions? (2) Would this be obvious from the company's website? Thanks!

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

i started my roll selling playchips. 1 mil play chips for 10 bucks. i peaked at 1600, but im down to around 360 due to a bad downswing. ive went down and im rebuilding now.

and if i recall, stars allows US deposits

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

A few friends of mine from back home in NC started talking [censored] about who the best tournament player was. We decided to put $100 a piece and the winner would be the first to reach a million play money chips in SNG "cashes". Needless to say, everyone welched, moved away, or just plain stopped giving a fuuck. Except me of course, to this day i'm still "King of the Play Money SNG". Who wants to touch me? "I said who wants to fuuckin touch me?"

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks veru much for the insights. You are right about the worthlessness of playing for funchips - the play is so completely random since it doesn't cost anything.

Two followup questions please. (1) If I am in the U.S., how can I play online for $$ given the U.S. anti-gambling restrictions? (2) Would this be obvious from the company's website? Thanks!

[/ QUOTE ]

Pokerstars website has some stuff on this.

Its not illegal to play online poker. Tell all your friends.

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

[ QUOTE ]
A few friends of mine from back home in NC started talking [censored] about who the best tournament player was. We decided to put $100 a piece and the winner would be the first to reach a million play money chips in SNG "cashes". Needless to say, everyone welched, moved away, or just plain stopped giving a fuuck. Except me of course, to this day i'm still "King of the Play Money SNG". Who wants to touch me? "I said who wants to fuuckin touch me?"

[/ QUOTE ]lol, you remind me of a friend of mine, esp with the last few lines.

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

[ QUOTE ]
I think partypoker.com is still open for US no limit texas holdem players

[/ QUOTE ]

level3?

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

Play money on stars can become very addictive.

Re: Playing Holdem Online - with or without $$
 

Official thread in the Zoo

Western Union Moneygram
giftcards.com

The Internet Forum (the Zoo) has had a zillion threads about this.

Good luck.