making a transition from sngs to ring games

peach68

peach68

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Total posts
220
Chips
0
Hi,
I've been growing tired of the variance of micro sngs online and am considering making a transition over to playing in ring/cash games.

I've played alot of tournament play and do best in mtts but I don't always have the time to make a 3 to 5hr. committment to playing poker online and the sngs just aren't cutting it for me lately. I believe I'd like to start playing some ring games but also know that I will have to break some old habits from playing in sngs when I do so.

I know a few of the basics but am seeking out any info. to help get me started. Any hints, thoughts, suggestions, tips, info., etc.,... appreciated.
Thanks and GL on the tables!!
(PS, I've heard this forum is great and am trying to get better aquainted with it).
 
Jayson745

Jayson745

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Total posts
74
Chips
0
I think the biggest difference is needing bigger hands to get paid off. In tourneys people only have so long to get chips before the blinds go up. In ring games they can wait all day, so they play stonger hands. You just need to be a little more patient in ring games IMO.
 
EvilGenius

EvilGenius

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Total posts
54
Chips
0
Struggling to see how there is whole lot of variance at micro SnG's, but whatever.

Patience and timing are the most important aspects to ring games. Knowing your opponents is a lot more important in ring games IMO, and getting reads benefits you more.
 
J

jyow

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 11, 2008
Total posts
127
Chips
0
you'll see more people chasing draws in ring games than tournaments because they don't have to be mindful of being short stacked due to the blinds. this is especially true at the lower limits. so you have to make sure you're never giving them odds to draw and then take it like a man when they do hit that straight on the river anyway.
 
L

lukester22

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Total posts
29
Chips
0
If your switching to low limit sngs to low limit cash games there is still going to be variance probably more in a cash game. Especially at the lower limits where there is a lot of crazy play.

If your gonna switch though don't overvalue top pair or any decent hand. You do not want to play those hands as fast as you will end up losing a lot of money. You have to be more patient and take stack sizes into consideration. You will also have to make big laydowns occasionally.
 
P

Pokertron3000

Available for parties
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Total posts
3,137
Chips
0
Struggling to see how there is whole lot of variance at micro SnG's, but whatever.

Patience and timing are the most important aspects to ring games. Knowing your opponents is a lot more important in ring games IMO, and getting reads benefits you more.

There is a whole lot of variance in all types of game, espically the MTT's. What you have to remember is sit and gos come in many forms, I myself play 18 seats where top four pay but some people play 27 45 or more seats. A quick example last week after playing 10 sit and gos I looked at my leaderboard points and has just under 300 with 10 left to play I went on a horrible run and didnt score any points next 10 games which is unusual for me but there where many factors in this.

As for ring games I cannot help you there but from reading around the forum table selection is a big factor and if you are serious about becoming a long term ring player Pokertracker will help.

Good luck with your ring games.
 
jdeliverer

jdeliverer

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Total posts
1,386
Chips
0
If your switching to low limit sngs to low limit cash games there is still going to be variance probably more in a cash game. Especially at the lower limits where there is a lot of crazy play.

If your gonna switch though don't overvalue top pair or any decent hand. You do not want to play those hands as fast as you will end up losing a lot of money. You have to be more patient and take stack sizes into consideration. You will also have to make big laydowns occasionally.

Why would there be more variance in cash games? The blinds increase in SnG's, forcing you to play short stacked with mediocre hands. At some point, you'll have to go all in to win. With cash games, you can sit around all day. If you are playing it right, cahs games have much lower variance than SnG's.
 
dvd-GT

dvd-GT

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Total posts
55
Chips
0
Variance comes down to br. managment, if you play at the correct level it will not be a problem.
People generally say there is more variance in cash games because you can reload as often as you wish and therefore can lose all you have, while playing tourny's or SNG you can only lose your original buy-in.
 
ActAsIf

ActAsIf

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Total posts
56
Chips
0
Hi,
I've played alot of tournament play and do best in mtts but I don't always have the time to make a 3 to 5hr. committment to playing poker online and the sngs just aren't cutting it for me lately. I believe I'd like to start playing some ring games but also know that I will have to break some old habits from playing in sngs when I do so.

If you are short on patience and like to see a lot of hands per hour (MTT like a fiend), then be prepared for lots of variance in your cash game results. Slow-playing and generally stronger hands shown down are more frequent.

Pushing with middle pairs from middle position is a good way to go broke.
Playing with suited connectors that can make the nuts [e.g. Ax(s) ]are a good way to felt/tilt an aggressive player with a hand.
A little creative gamble goes a long way to winning huge cash pots if a big pair is trying to charge you the maximum because he thinks you're on a draw (when in fact you already flopped 2 pair or better).
Toss your marginal hands; they will do you no favors. It's better to have two live middle cards than some junk in the play zone (9 ~ A) that can be dominated.
 
Goodwooter

Goodwooter

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 29, 2008
Total posts
185
Chips
0
ring games are great for building your br probably the best seeing you can make more in a half hour than you would barely busting the bubble in a 4 hour MTT....play hands in position and remember at short handed tables the top pair wins alot of small pots...so you can pick up some pot here and there...you will generally hit one or two monsters on hour...(set,straight,flush) and its important to cash in big when you do hit those.

gl on the felts
 
Top 10 Games
Top