tournaments vs cash games

T-MaQ · Jun 21, 2007

What does everyone prefer? i like tournaments. I just seem to fair better in them and stay a lot longer. Cash games, i just can't seem to catch anything. i think i have to be more patient or something. what do you guys think? i know they are two different games. how should i approach cash games?

Egon Towst · Jun 21, 2007

T-MaQ said:
how should i approach cash games?

There is no one answer to that, MaQ. It depends on the game and on the other players.

For example, I commonly play 6-max ring games, and I play them a good deal more loose than I would an MTT (early stages of, at any rate), because that is generally how 6-max is best played. Not always, though. If the other players at the table are mostly loose, I`ll sit back and wait for a big hand to trap them.

Like a lot of things in poker, it depends. If you are playing Full Table, then tight is probably the best style. But, again, you might very well loosen up and start stealing if the other players are tight.

Here is a thought:

If you can manage both Ring Games and MTTs to a reasonable standard, play a Ring Game until you win the buyin for the next MTT that appeals to you, then enter the MTT with your "free" buyin.

It`s the way I built my bankroll at each of the sites where I play. It effectively protects you against the variance of MTTs.

quazar66 · Jun 21, 2007

I prefer cash games myself but I also do great at tournaments. Do you play cash games live or online? If you want to play a cash game its best to play shorthanded if your like to play and don't have alot of patience. Full games are better suited if you have patience in a cash game. Make sure you buy in for the right amount and dont short buy. In limit the key in cash games is to play tight. Dont draw to hands that are not the nuts or close to it. It also helps to isolate people as much as you can that way you dont lose your odds. The reverse for draws. Play tight and remember one mistake will take you a while to make up what you lost. Play your odds and stick to them even if you lose. In the long run you will win.
I dont play to much no limit but the mistake I see alot of players make is that they dont treat their chips like they are in a tournament. Alot of people make loose calls all in knowing they can just buy in again. You said you do well in tournaments but not well in cash. This might be the problem.

vanquish · Jun 21, 2007

Both are equally appealing for me, though I can say I'm a much better cash game player now than I was back when I played mostly tournaments/SNGs.

ace2daface · Jun 21, 2007

Cash games at the moment but i like both. cash games are easier to enter and leave should some life issue arise. You have to have a time slot available to play S&Gs/tourneys.

brutus · Jun 21, 2007

i tried playing more cash games for awhile because of being able to leave if something comes up or the kids started working nerves too much and played sngs later in the day when i knew i wouldnt get interrupted but the cash tables just dont seem to like me so im sticking to sngs and trying mtts more often for now

T-MaQ · Jun 21, 2007

quazar66 said:
I prefer cash games myself but I also do great at tournaments. Do you play cash games live or online? If you want to play a cash game its best to play shorthanded if your like to play and don't have alot of patience. Full games are better suited if you have patience in a cash game. Make sure you buy in for the right amount and dont short buy. In limit the key in cash games is to play tight. Dont draw to hands that are not the nuts or close to it. It also helps to isolate people as much as you can that way you dont lose your odds. The reverse for draws. Play tight and remember one mistake will take you a while to make up what you lost. Play your odds and stick to them even if you lose. In the long run you will win.
I dont play to much no limit but the mistake I see alot of players make is that they dont treat their chips like they are in a tournament. Alot of people make loose calls all in knowing they can just buy in again. You said you do well in tournaments but not well in cash. This might be the problem.

Thanks man. You hit it right on the head. When i get in a tournament, i have a plan that i am going to play tight until i get a hand that i am comfortable playing. When i get in cash games, i rely more on luck i guess and play atc knowing that i can buy in again. i try to play tight in some cash games, but the temptation is there. i just have to learn to be more disciplined in cash games. in tournaments i have no problem being patient and waiting for a good hand. i need to incorporate that into cash games. when i first started playing (i play both live and online, i prefer live) i played limit and played real tight. then when my friends were playing no limit and making 5x there buy in, i feel i have to get there so i start playing desperate trying to catch a hand. i just have to learn to be patient.

Thanks

graveworm · Jun 22, 2007

i prefer tournaments. i don't have an explanation but it seems i always get better cards and luck

quazar66 · Jun 24, 2007

Sure thing T-MaQ! So you like live limit hold em. That is the best place to start learning patience. I feel that any poker player should learn how to make 2x-5x their buy in 4 out of 5 sessions in limit poker before they move to no limit. Call me crazy but after learning the skills needed for that anyone should at least have a substantial increase in their bankroll after each month in no-limit cash games.

T-MaQ · Jun 25, 2007

I think i am going to try and stay with limit for a while. i'll try the smaller tables at the casino. $2/$4 is where i started. when i play, i do notice a lot of people don't play their hands. usually, its 2 or 3 people in the hand. i think i should with that to better my game

Nitram_80 · Jun 25, 2007

I prefer cash games because you can get up at anytime and dont need so many hours to play . I like tournaments also except for the long hours , its frustrating when you spent a few hours of your day and it all ends in 1 hand , either by a bad beat or bad play .

T-MaQ · Jun 26, 2007

i played 2/4 limit last night at one of the casinos. i sat down with $55 and broke even. i played real tight. a lot of callers. i was up tp $90 dollars, but kept playing. it was fun. very social table. hopefully, next time, i can stay longer and win more

jolubman · Jun 27, 2007

I started out playing short handed ring games. From there I got introduced to MTT. I like MTTs much more. There's less of a down side risk. I do much better in tournaments than in ring games. I find it harder to win in ring games because there are always calling stations who out draw you.

vanquish · Jun 27, 2007

jolubman said:
there are always calling stations who out draw you.

Not true. They try to outdraw you but fail, and you win their money.

tonymaclennan · Jun 27, 2007

I usually play Ring Games, if I am off form, try a cheap tournament - the quality of my game for each varies.

But if I play Ring Games, I start out on the 1/2c game with $3 buy-in, and once I have doubled it (pretty easy) - I move to to the 10/15, I only start out on 1/2c because sometimes (if not in the right frame of mind) I play awful poker.

But one thing I really enjoy about Ring Games is clearing somebodies bank roll - if they are clearly going to call you down and you have the nuts, put them all-in and watch them leave :-D *evil laugh begins*

tonymaclennan · Jun 27, 2007

vanquish said:
Not true. They try to outdraw you but fail, and you win their money.

i agree with you here! Bet strong on the river and they will fold - assuming they missed their draw!

T-MaQ · Jul 4, 2007

i played tonight. $2/4 limit. it was horrible. sat down with $55 and lost all of it. I was getting some good cards and someone would come with a monster hand. i swear i would fold like 10 hands in a row and catch a good hand and someone would bust me. and to top it off, my last hand i had q 10 and the flop was j 10 9. turn k. river 5. its me and this one guy. i played my last 2 bucks. i turn my cards. i had a king high straight. he has a ace high straight (q a). it just wasn't my night. its crazy how your confidence goes from one extreme to another like that. the whole night. it just wasn't my night.

darkdevil243 · Jul 4, 2007

Hey

tournaments take too long and is not worth it if you don't win, cash games can get you money faster if you approach it properly

jaymfc · Jul 4, 2007

i always played the mtts and the sngs because i dont ever have much money to lose but want a chance to win way more , plus my money just went to fast in ring game. BUT lately ive been in ring games , at bodog they are almost all loose players($10 max,nl) they just raise and reraise every hand,mosty makin me fold cause i cant afford to draw. i have to just wait for thenuts on the flop but it happens, dont know the diff in play at ring or mtt , but i play 70% of the ring hands if i can limp in for 10c and just fold if i dont have a decent piece of flop. im doing ok now , which means i havent lost all my money yet ,lol,

easy_money · Jul 4, 2007

Hello everyone!

I prefer cash games. Its easier for me to analyze my game. In tournaments the game is more complex because of the different stages and stack sizes. You have to change gears a lot more than in cash games. In addition I think its easier to adjust your game to a few opponents (like in cash games) than to adjust it to players who come new to your table, tables are broken up, etc. etc.

Good luck everyone!

dj11 · Jul 4, 2007

I just had a personal revelation while reading this thread.

Before online poker, I would occasionally stop in and play maybe $50 worth of poker. I did this as much for the entertainment and social value as I did for the hope of winning much.

So my revelation has to do with how much entertainment was I getting then for that $50 vs how much entertainment I could get now for that $50, inflation not withstanding. Knowing that I was in entertainment mode allowed me to allow myself to lose that 50 bucks. The revelation is "Lose to WHO ??, and how do I become the WHO?".

And BTW, I also revelationized myself into understanding that from an entertainment POV, MTT's give the most bang for the buck.

Emperor IX · Jul 6, 2007

As far as playing poker goes, I prefer tournaments.

THe later levels of tournaments (even at the micro-iest micro levels) play more like real poker than low limit cash games online)

As far as making some money, there are proven strategies that work in the cash games, but I'm not rolled to play over .01/.02....and don't bother trying to play "poker" at that level. lol

Broke31 · Jul 8, 2007

i like tournament alot better i rarely play cash games

KickOutBettman · Jul 8, 2007

T-Maq,

I was like you before about cash games and tournament. I used to play only tournament but I've check my friend (who's a very good player) for a couple cash game and I saw that he was very patient also you need to understand how the others are playing. Now I still prefer to put my money into tournament but I really enjoy sitting down at a cash game and play for couple hours...

ciao

muddawgg · Jul 11, 2007

tournies take alot of time..a 45 sng at least 2 hours...I won afreeroll with 1000 people took over 5 hours,won 45.00 cash you can hit and run

tournaments vs cash games

T-MaQ

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