Are free rolls a different game entirely?

Question

I've been playing a lot of free rolls lately on FT because I'm trying to mimic Chris Ferguson and build up a decent bankroll from nothing. I play my normal game for the normal stakes (single table s'n'g's) to make my poker income, but the bankroll from nothing has me intrigued. The problem is that I can't seem to make it to the money. I know only 1% get paid, but I've cashed out of hundreds of tournaments, you'd think I'd make it that far at least once. The thing I've noticed is that people will play ANY two cards. I flopped top set last night, my opponent went all in on the turn, and I had the second nuts. You'd need 46 to beat me with a straight, no flush draw, and of course what does my opponent turn up? 46, and he called a pre-flop raise with it! I'm not crying, sooner or later I'll make it happen. But does anyone else notice that free rolls are almost a different game? They seem to be all about luck. Your thoughts?

Answer 1

Freerolls are in fact a whole different universe. First there is the Play Money problem. No matter how well you play or how conscious you are of your chips, people will play freerolls like they're playing with monopoly money.
10% OR LESS of most freeroll players are playing seriously at all. The rest are throwing money in with nothing like a Bingo game. People will play any two cards because they just don't take it seriously. Plus such a large percentage of rollers are newbies or just plain bad players that they don't know any better.
Play tight, premium hand poker regardless of how big the stacks of the maniacs are getting. Push VERY hard with premium hands and avoid too many connectors or drawing hands, as the maniacs are flying in with squat. Another good idea is to sit out the first half hour or so of any freeroll so that the truly awful players and the go-all-in-every-hand clowns have a chance to get burned out without you risking much. You won't be down to serious, half-decent players for at least 90 minutes into a freeroll.