Poker 101: Are Free Poker Apps a Good Way to Get Better at Poker?
Free poker apps offer a lot of benefits for new poker players but there are also some downsides. The apps are a great way to learn the basics of poker but offer limited strategic depth for players who want to improve their game.
The basics of No-Limit Holdâem are exceptionally simple and most people can pick them up in a matter of minutes. In fact, you can just head over to How to Play No-Limit Holdâem and get a crash course in poker education.
The thing youâll notice quickly is that itâs a necessity to learn the basic poker hand rankings. The rankings are a fundamental part of all poker games including Seven-Card Stud and Pot-Limit Omaha.
If you can memorize the poker hand rankings, then youâll be on your way to becoming a competent poker player.
Whatâs the best way to learn the rankings? Well, you could just memorize them. Or you could pick up one of those cheat sheets to bring with you to a poker game (thatâs always a bit of a tell).
Many people learn best by doing, however, so theyâll want to sit down at a low-stakes or free poker game. You know whatâs free? Poker apps.
Free Poker Apps Are Excellent for Poker Basics
If you want to quickly figure out what beats what and how the gameplay actually works in Holdâem, then free poker apps are a fantastic way of getting up to speed quickly because there are no stakes.
While itâs true that you âloseâ play money chips, most apps let you reload every day and itâs not exactly hard to accumulate chips. The apps also give you a large number of starting chips so if you exhaust those, you could just move on to a different app.
The advantage of free poker apps is that you can get accustomed to all the poker basics such as checking, betting, calling, raising and folding. Youâll also learn the forced bets (the blinds) and when itâs your turn to act.
Good free poker apps will also let you replay your last hand so you can understand why you lost and which hand wins.
Free poker apps also have an advantage of being incredibly easy to start playing. Have a Facebook account? You can literally be playing poker within seconds.
There are some limitations for free poker apps, however.
When Itâs Time to Move on From Poker Apps
Hereâs the ironic thing about âfreeâ poker apps.
Itâs actually possible to spend money on free poker apps (buying chips, avatars, different tables, etc.) but itâs actually impossible to make money.
Once you get familiar with how poker works, you should probably just bite the bullet and put $20 or $50 on a real online poker site.
Youâll find legitimate competition but thereâs also a chance that youâll make a few scores.
A great deal of people get worried about risking money playing poker but you can actually play for extremely low stakes on online poker sites. Weâre talking about a $1 buy-in at the lowest for cash games and there are tournaments that cost even less.
You Wonât Get Better Playing Free Poker Apps
The reality of free poker apps is that itâs difficult to improve your game by playing them.
The level of skill is quite low in free poker apps, for the most part, and people tend to play a bit differently than they would in real-money poker. You can pick up some bad habits by playing a huge number of hands on free poker apps.
For instance, because no one cares about the stakes, youâll often see players shoving all-in every hand. Itâs easy to wait for a good hand and snap them off with a call. Youâre generally not going to see that in real poker games.
Thereâs just so much more nuance and strategy to real-money poker sites that itâs worth moving to real poker as soon as you can. It will give you a chance to become a much better poker player.
Real-Money Sites Also Offer Free Poker
If youâve been playing free poker apps for a while but youâre not quite ready to move to real-money poker, thereâs one excellent option thatâs basically halfway between both of them.
Most real-money poker sites also offer a free money section of their software. That means you can download PokerStars or partypoker and not have to worry about depositing a dime.
Thereâs a few advantages these sites have over completely standalone free poker apps. First off, the level of skill is generally a bit higher so it will be better for your game. Second of all, you can get used to the software just in case you ever want to try real-money poker.
Finally, you can actually play freerolls (tournaments where the buy-in is $0) and potentially win real money. Thatâs win-win, right?
Are Free Poker Apps Legal?
Free poker apps are 100 percent legal in most countries because thereâs no money at stake.
There are a few countries with strict anti-gambling laws, such as China, that wonât even allow apps that simulate gambling. In general, you can play free poker apps any place that youâre allowed to play a video game.
In some countries, legislators have begun to crack down on lootbox-based video games but the reward in poker is generally not randomized so free poker apps have escaped those restrictions unscathed.
What Are the Most Popular Apps?
There are plenty of options in the free poker app market but the most popular one is likely Zynga Poker, which was made famous on Facebook. Zynga remains one of the market leaders but itâs available as a standalone app on desktop, iOS and Android.
The WSOP App, which was developed by EA Games, is also very popular and benefits from World Series branding. The software has a slightly more professional slant to it and helps prepare players for real-money poker.
Jackpot Poker, designed by PokerStars, is a fun free poker app that incorporates three-player Spin & Go style sit & go tournaments. Itâs an exciting way to play poker but somewhat limiting.
Thereâs also Appeak Poker, which is the most bare-bones of free poker apps, but offers a surprisingly good play experience with very little clutter.
Finally, if youâre looking for something more cartoony and video game-esque, thereâs the popular Governor of Poker series, which incorporates a variety of gambling games.
In summary, hereâs a list of the top five most popular free poker apps:
1. Zynga Poker2. WSOP Poker3. Jackpot Poker4. Appeak Poker5. Governor of Poker
MORE POKER 101 ARTICLES
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FAQ
Can Canadians play on WPT Global?
Canadians can play poker online with WPT Global for people living in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Check back for the best Canada poker rooms and Canadian poker tournament listings.Jan 24, 2024
Does World poker use real money?
We’d Love Your Feedback! WSOP is intended for those 21 and older for amusement purposes only and does not offer ‘real money’ gambling, or an opportunity to win real money or real prizes based on game play. Playing or success in this game does not imply future success at ‘real money’ gambling.
Can you play real money on PokerStars?
All of cash games are available on the site’s mobile app, so you can play real money poker cash games at PokerStars on the move if you have a WiFi or mobile internet connection.
Do poker apps use real money?
Real Money Poker Apps Join the same thrilling cash games and tournaments that have made WSOP.com the most popular real money online poker room in the US.
Is it legal to play poker online for real money?
Can You Play Online Poker in the US? Yes. The majority of players living in the United States won’t have any issues playing poker legally in the US. Currently, eight statesâNevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Connecticut, Michigan, and Rhode Islandâhave legalized and regulated online poker.
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