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Cash Vs. Tourney Question...


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Are the fundamentals of tournaments the same in cash games?If not. What are the differences? The reason I ask, is... If I'm a tournament poker player, and I decide to dive into cash games, and pick up a few books devoted to cash games... Do I need to understand different fundamentals, or will I pick up the theory behind cash games immediately?Thanks for your time.

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You should be able to pick up the basics easily - after all, it is still the same game. That said, there are some very relevant differences and you do need to appreciate how your approach to cash games should differ from tournaments.

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The major difference between cash and tournament games (I'm assuming you're talking about NL) has to do with the stack sizes. Because of this, the superior player in a cash game will have a larger edge over his opponent in a cash game than he would in a tournament.

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Buy a book about each. They are different but wayyyyyyy to much to go over in one thread. Sounds like the Harrington books would be right up your alley.

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big difference is stack sizes, deep stack play, set mining, and amount of cbets. In tourny play most play happens with one or both pretty short stacked so you need to realize that people don't have a ton of pressure to win hands so play back should be in general a little more legit. Look for positive equity instead of just winning some big hands. In general if you were a winning tourny player it should just be learning the feel of cash games and patience but there is a notable difference. I guess it depends on if you go long ball or small ball. I would not recommend long ball play at all in cash games things can go very crazy. PS: Harrington on Cash Games Volume 2 is decent but if you know tournys you could get by without it

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One key difference is how you use EV...for instance +EV plays in cash games relate dirrectly to $$$, while in tournies EV relates more to putting yourself in better position to win $$$...so to speak. For instance, cash game AK vs QQ, if both players turned their cards face up, lets says for this example the player having to make the call was getting 1.5 to 1, he would call EVERY time in a cash game. In this same situation in a tourney, the player that would face the action, may NOT put his chips in an obvious +EV situation for a couple of reasons: its costs you your tourney life to flip, or only a portion of your stack, how many bets you have, would winning this pot essentially guarantee you a FT? One example I use to teach players that are trying to transition is this: AK (you)vs. QQ...QQ has shoved over the top of you and you sitting 100 BB's deep, and getting 1.5 to 1, but it will cost you all your chips to call on day one WSOP ME....you would generally fold this in a tournament, but call EVERY time in a cash game.... while it is a +EV situation for you in a tournament, you may only be in this EXACT situation once a year in a tourney, and since its day one it doesnt relate to immediate $$$, while throughout the course of the year in a cash game, you'll see this situation, hundreds, maybe thousands of times, and each time relates directly to $$$Its a pretty rough, example but i think you get the idea...the others posted some very good books that will help you also.

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Buy a book about each. They are different but wayyyyyyy to much to go over in one thread. Sounds like the Harrington books would be right up your alley.
Well I have HoH (Tournaments). Are his cash game books just as good? I heard a lot of mixed reviews about his cash game books. I really liked his HoH books. What are your thoughts on his cash game books?
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Don't overplay one pair. Pretty simple, but is one of the huge basic differences.
To expand on this, the deeper the stacks are, the bigger your hand needs to be to get stacks in. If the effective stacks are ~50bbs, getting stacks in with tptk is usually highly profitable. But if stacks sizes are 200bbs+, then getting stacks in with the same hand is usually -ev.
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