Converting back to Cash Games

OK, so heres the story..

I have been playing poker for about 10 years now, on and off.. The last 8 months ive been playing everyday.. Both live and online..

I used to only play cash games, at which I made quite a nice little side earning on the side..

In about May this year, I started playing in live tourneys (ive played in close to 300 since May) And sit n gos online, Ive won quite a few, (got donked a fair bit as well lol) but overall my tourney game has improved.. But I dont seem to have as many "pay days" as I did when I was playing cash..

Just recently I decided to dabble in a few cash games, and... well... I got smashed..

Pocket pairs, Ax suited, suited connectors all seemed useless.. I think I was overplaying them.. I forgot how im supposed to play them for cash games lol..

Basically I want to resort back to cash games only (maybe play one tourney a week at a home game we have) but for the most part be a cash game player again.. Both live and online

How do I go about this, as Ive picked up so many habits from Tournament play?


Aus

The biggest difference I notice is the simple fact that you do not have to worry about tournament life while in a cash game, and because you can reload (if you are practicing smart BRM, this changes the game significantly. IE...you should be pushing your small edges. Chase that flush if the pot odds are their, call the all in pre flop with the small pocket pair against 1 opponent, etc. Cash games are much more lucrative for this reason, the edge is enhanced and skill seems to shine through a little more.

Yh i have always had this issue agree with sonch chase draws more and gamble with pockets a bit more

Don't call all-in with pocket pairs lol.
I agree that cash is about pushing small edges, you don't worry about busting out and can play alot differently. You are also deep-stacked (compared to tourneys) which adds a whole other element where implied odds can be used.

Try reading these from the Learning Poker section:

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/special-1k-post-so-you-want-128262/
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/special-2k-post-so-you-want-145419/

There great reads to remind you of what you want to be doing in cash games.
Also just hang around reading articles in there and the strategy forum.
Post hands that you have played and aren't sure about in the hand analysis section to get feedback from players who know how to play.

This should all get you back on track. Good luck .

OP, how many hands per month do you play? And what stakes do you play? What format? (FR, 6max, HU)

If you single table or play mostly live, your sample sizes over 10 years may be too small to make any kind of conclusion whether you are a long term winner or not.

I found cash games less stressful then Tournaments and SNG's... Plus you can relax in a cash and wait and no really worry about chip count etc...

Shipping with top pr is a tourney move, not ring... when blinds get high in MTT many people are in push and pray mode, so turn and river play, and implied odds, dont come into it... maybe you have forgotten that... good later street play is essential to exploit small edges in ring, or maneuver implied odds.

Try Harrington on Cash Games Vol. 2, along with threads above... GL, I am a lousy ring player ... (well so far, still in micro samples for that)

My best advice to you is that cash games have evolved tremendously over the past 7 years and even more so over the past 2 - 3. Position is your most important factor in cash games, followed by betting, reads and then your cards - believe it or not, lol.

Try to play 5 card poker and not 2 card poker - why? Because (depending on level, of course) your opponent is most likely doing that. Now what do I mean by that?? Well, exactly what it says - play 5 card poker - and rely less on your pre-flop cards - I usually only get excited by AA or KK pre-flop in cash games (and more times than not, they make me somewhat nervous in cash games because I'm married to them and they do not seem to hold up nearly as well as they do in tournament play.)

Play your flopped cards and what you think your opponent has & vice versa - there is a lot more psychology involved in cash games, picking you're spots to bluff, tells, reads, betting patterns etc....well, I could go on forever but I think you get the picture. Best of luck to you!

BelgoSuisse said:

OP, how many hands per month do you play? And what stakes do you play? What format? (FR, 6max, HU)

If you single table or play mostly live, your sample sizes over 10 years may be too small to make any kind of conclusion whether you are a long term winner or not.

Click to expand...

It's scary because it's true.

Makwa said:

Try Harrington on Cash Games Vol. 2, along with threads above... GL, I am a lousy ring player ... (well so far, still in micro samples for that)

Click to expand...

Id rather try Profesional NL Holdem,NLTP and the Litle *Colour* series.
Think they will give u a much better base for your ring game then Harrington(asuming your not playing mid-high stakes live cash games).

Also read this thread https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/ring-game-hand-analysis-required-reading-144488/
It just might be the greatest ever.

BelgoSuisse said:

OP, how many hands per month do you play? And what stakes do you play? What format? (FR, 6max, HU)

If you single table or play mostly live, your sample sizes over 10 years may be too small to make any kind of conclusion whether you are a long term winner or not.

Click to expand...

This made me laugh.

"Your sample size across 10 years may be too small"

too good

No Aces 4 U said:

This made me laugh.

"Your sample size across 10 years may be too small"

too good

Click to expand...

Not really.
Lets say OP played once a week for 10years, a avg of 4hour at a time, geting deal roughly 30hands/hour(pretty high H/H for live).
That would mean he would play 62.400hands during that time, not a tiny sample but still rather small by most standard especialy when u factor in the time period witch means the games have changed drasticly.
I mean even if he played 3xweek,4hours each time,geting dealt 30H/H he still wouldnt have played 200k hands and 200k hands is just a month or 2 of play for alot of people online....