In general, the games get tougher as you move up to higher stakes. The free games are no fun because the players don't seem to care about the results.

One poker author said, "poker is not a card game played with money, it is a money game played with cards." Money is the whole bidding system. When the bidding system has no value, the game becomes pointless.

There are place where you can play for .01/.02 (one penny, two pennies) and while the competition is bad, you don't get the silliness of the free games.

Chris Ferguson actually started with a total bankroll of $1, playing .01/.02 and moving up as he won, never wagering more than 10% of his total bankroll. He has never been busted, and he is worth many millions today.

Jim

Jim