Etrauma... I personally played Play money for a little over a year and half when I first started to play. The 3 reasons I played play money for so long was ...
1) I started playing back in 2001 and internet poker did not take off and was not sure if i could trust it.
2) wanted to learn the game and not risk any losses
3) Built play money account over 2 million and was getting bored of it

The Best thing I learned during Play money was Patience in my opinion

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Kickboyswoop

Welcome Gazz & nice first result.

Reading your post the first comment that comes to mind: "You cannot win a MTT in the early stages but you can lose it." Understanding this makes it easier to not get involved in marginal hands once you have "done your job & gotten into the chipleaders". It is important to realize that when you become chipleader early in a tournament, it is a bit like finishing a school exam in 20 minutes when the time given is an hour. You have to wait now because you have don a good job. Since you have already built up your stack, your chips have more value because they are going to take you to the final table (or close to it). Spend the time figuring out which of the other chip leaders is the weakest player ... that observation will allow you (later in the tournament or in the final table) raise him because there is more fold equity. Avoid trap hands and marginal hands.

If you feel bored, that is ok ... ... that is the idea when you become one of the chipleaders. Switching gears, ok, that is almost a cliche, but you know have the luxury of watching the players and finding weaknesses in the other chip leaders.

I have a saying you might find useful in poker when you have to wait ...

"Be patient ... or become a patient."

After folding for a cycle or so, of course it is ok to raise with virtually any hand, but if you get played back at, it *does* mean you are facing the business end of a real hand and fold. Your chips are valuable. Never worry about the maniac that constantly reraises you (I love players like that! ) because sooner or later the maniac will reraise you when you are holding a premium hand, and you will confiscate his entire stack.

Hope this comment was helpful & good luck in your games!

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flintsword

"The lucky player is usually the player that knows how much to leave to chance."

Blog www.myspace.com/flintsword