I don't believe that there is any one way to play cash games, or tournaments for that matter. To me the best strategy is to vary your strategy based on the table in general, the players at it, and their perception of you. If I'm at an aggressive table, then I'm going to be trapping and check raising a lot. If I'm at a passive table, then I'm going to step up my aggression to take advantage of it.
Not only am I going to change up my game according to the type of table I'm at, I'm also going change my game up periodically to "keep 'em guessing". My basic game is pretty straight forward. Raise strong
hands. Fold weak ones. Bet when you have it. Fold when you don't. After a few hands have gone to showdown and people see that I'm not raising light or
bluffing, I'm going to open my range up and start being more aggressive to take advantage of my tight image. While my range might change, let's say from one half hour to the next, the way that I play each individual hand is going to change from hand to hand, often depending on my opponent. Obviously, you don't try to
bluff a calling station. But if I know a player is in the habit of continuation betting, I might check raise him with nothing to keep him honest.
The point is that there is no one way to play cash games. What works one way today may not work tomorrow. Heck, what works for the first hour, might be ineffective the next, once your opponents pick up on how you play. The one thing that remains the same in my game is pre-flop aggression to limit the number of players in the pot. I don't mind seeing a cheap flop if I can, but from early position I'm trying to raise bingo players out. And from late position, I'm probably raising to put pressure on the blinds. But what I raise with, is not always what I will call a raise with. Also whether or not I call will often depend on how many players are already in the pot in front of me and how many are left to act behind me. I want to play hands against the fewest possible opponents. Beyond that, I try to vary every aspect of my game to take advantage of my opponent's styles and to keep them guessing about my own.