Tips to take cash game skills to next level?

[vax1op369]

I have made some great runs lately in tournaments. 1st/77 13th/905 3rd/405 and 4th/409 all online. Despite fantastic tournament results I still find myself not performing as well in cash. I play .25/50 to .50/1 cash online. I have noticed that online compared to live that players have a much higher range online. Marginal hands that I play live don’t seem to work that well online. Do you find this to be true? Could the answer to fixing my cash game problems be as simple as playing fewer hands? And tightening up my range?

 

[gon4iypes]

to be honest, I don't think you can classify it that simply....like "online" or "cash" because people are different and respond differently, so what works well today may not be good tomorrow because the people are different. Also not to always do the same thing with any given hand, but to mix it up to prevent them getting a good read on you. As the saying goes, "play the player not the cards". All the best

 

[Mikeisanace777]

at those stakes it's bingo often.

Use some charts and figure your AK-AA-QQ-J10s all of the above is really like a 15 to 9% favorite or a flip pre flop. Figure that against 5 opponents and it's just gambling there is no improving.

At higher stakes you have less people in the pot and the % points of your hand vs their hand pre flop can now be huge and if you flop big it flips to 92 to 8% them or drawing dead this is how you win cash games. You need to isolate 1 opponent or 2 and play accordingly at higher stakes. In low limit cash limp,limp every time or often. On most tables that are low stakes that you chose to play you need to see the flop and reverse the odds and wait for bad player to bluff or keep calling your set to chase a flush. Even then the variance is going to be higher with more players gambling it's still fun and exploitable,but there isn't anything to improve on with low stakes at that level. The only exception is when you see everyone calling anything pre and post flop, but checking afterwards always to no bets. This is highly profitable you can check off free cards to nut flush draws to hopefully weaker made flushes on the turn,or bet stron with top pair,2 pair a set and will still get called. You gotta be careful though if you have K-8 in the blinds and flop K-8-4-5-J it's still vunerable to so may draws and better 2 pairs.

 

[nml]

I have made some great runs lately in tournaments. 1st/77 13th/905 3rd/405 and 4th/409 all online. Despite fantastic tournament results I still find myself not performing as well in cash. I play .25/50 to .50/1 cash online. I have noticed that online compared to live that players have a much higher range online. Marginal hands that I play live don’t seem to work that well online. Do you find this to be true? Could the answer to fixing my cash game problems be as simple as playing fewer hands? And tightening up my range?

Tournaments and cash are different games. Not all poker skills naturally translate from one to another.

If you are doing that well in tournaments, it’s likely just a small learning curve to have success in cash (unless you are just running really hot). At lower stakes, players often get too committed to their hand and don’t fold easily, whereas low stakes tournament players are often hesitant to call a shove unless 1) they’ve got the nuts 2) they easily have you covered or 3) they are about to be eliminated far from the bubble. That was probably the biggest adjustment for me

 

[iosif18]

6

Hi there.For cash games its better to sit out after i huge pot.Having more chips may trouble you at playing more hands.

 

[Ian the Fish]

Tournaments and cash are different games.

Could not have been said better.

As for the thread, cash games are mostly played postflop, whereas tournaments (when gotten deep into) are mostly dependent on preflop play.

To improve your cash game skills, I'd suggest looking into:
1) Bankroll management - a definite key. As a beginner I'd recommend you having ~40BIs for a specific stake (this is heavily dependent on your expertise and comfort level though).
2) Table selection - look for fish. They are more bad players out there than you might think.
3) Note taking - you will return to the same players over and over again. Information is key.
4) Hand classification - always have a plan for a specific hand type.
5) Maximizing winrate in the blinds - the toughest position to play.

Enjoy the games. And remember - you can leave and come back any time you want to. If you have trouble leaving when up / down, place a rule on yourself of something like "I will leave when I am down 3 buy-ins." or "I will play for 2h straight and then leave regardless of my results."

Good luck!

 

[vax1op369]

Tournaments and cash are different games. Not all poker skills naturally translate from one to another.

If you are doing that well in tournaments, it’s likely just a small learning curve to have success in cash (unless you are just running really hot). At lower stakes, players often get too committed to their hand and don’t fold easily, whereas low stakes tournament players are often hesitant to call a shove unless 1) they’ve got the nuts 2) they easily have you covered or 3) they are about to be eliminated far from the bubble. That was probably the biggest adjustment for me

Great post, what is considered small stakes and high stakes online?

 

[vax1op369]

Could not have been said better.

As for the thread, cash games are mostly played postflop, whereas tournaments (when gotten deep into) are mostly dependent on preflop play.

To improve your cash game skills, I'd suggest looking into:
1) Bankroll management - a definite key. As a beginner I'd recommend you having ~40BIs for a specific stake (this is heavily dependent on your expertise and comfort level though).
2) Table selection - look for fish. They are more bad players out there than you might think.
3) Note taking - you will return to the same players over and over again. Information is key.
4) Hand classification - always have a plan for a specific hand type.
5) Maximizing winrate in the blinds - the toughest position to play.

Enjoy the games. And remember - you can leave and come back any time you want to. If you have trouble leaving when up / down, place a rule on yourself of something like "I will leave when I am down 3 buy-ins." or "I will play for 2h straight and then leave regardless of my results."

Good luck!

I have noticed that when I focus on just one table I dominate. Two tables will be solid still make money. 3 tables of 6 man still fine. 4 tables things go south. Your post has me thinking great stuff.

 

[vax1op369]

Hi there.For cash games its better to sit out after i huge pot.Having more chips may trouble you at playing more hands.

Good stuff, once read that once you win a stack you should leave.

 

[vax1op369]

Just won a $300 ticket! Great tips boys!

 

[Richardszabo]

Live cash tables play much weaker players than online. If you read any tutorial on the Internet, even in the smallest limits, that you do not play marginal hands. At the medium limit where you play, this is even more punished by your opponents. I think the cash tables, preflop and post-flop games are the most important.

 

[ThinkIllcallUwitha5]

Hi there.For cash games its better to sit out after i huge pot.Having more chips may trouble you at playing more hands.

I have noticed myself doing that. I don't quite feel like it's "my money" yet, so why not spend some doing some interesting things like seeing flops and seeing villains' hold cards?

I used to think it'd be easy to not get on happy tilt after a big pot, but I'm finding it is a skill that needs to be developed.