Transition Tournaments To Cash Games

[Doug 0]

Well I would basically like to know the difference in strategy/play for tournaments to cash games. I used to play a lot of 10 man SnG's but I now play on tropical poker and the only games available are cash games as nobody plays tourneys. I have been beginning to learn the differences in play between Sng/cash games and here is what I have discovered already.You must learn to fold top pair top kicker more than tournamentsBlind stealing does not matter as muchPeople play a lot looser in cash games (including myself as I am relatively tight)I have been sucessful so far but I keep hearing these things on T.V about how the games are so different. If anybody can add a point to my list or just point me in the right direction that would be much appreciated.Thanks =)Quick Edit : If anyone would recommend a NLHE cash game book that would be great also.

[Snamuh 0]

Well I would basically like to know the difference in strategy/play for tournaments to cash games. I used to play a lot of 10 man SnG's but I now play on tropical poker and the only games available are cash games as nobody plays tourneys. I have been beginning to learn the differences in play between Sng/cash games and here is what I have discovered already.You must learn to fold top pair top kicker more than tournamentsBlind stealing does not matter as muchPeople play a lot looser in cash games (including myself as I am relatively tight)I have been sucessful so far but I keep hearing these things on T.V about how the games are so different. If anybody can add a point to my list or just point me in the right direction that would be much appreciated.Thanks =)Quick Edit : If anyone would recommend a NLHE cash game book that would be great also.

Cash games you always get to pick your spots. You are not forced to play hands because of escalating blinds, etc. That said, you should constantly thinking about maximizing profit (including minimizing losses) and entering +EV situations. Position, as always, is huge. Small pocket pairs and suited connectors can be extremely profitable if the stacks are deep in cash games because of implied odds. Just make sure not to get stacked with TPTK!As for books, Small Stakes Hold'em is excellent, as is the Theory of Poker. A lot of cash game concepts are presented that are important to understand for maximizing profit.

[fitzinabox 0]

ah i didnt see this topic when i just created mine. give me some advice on that hand i posted up

[David_Nicoson 1]

Well I would basically like to know the difference in strategy/play for tournaments to cash games. I used to play a lot of 10 man SnG's but I now play on tropical poker and the only games available are cash games as nobody plays tourneys. I have been beginning to learn the differences in play between Sng/cash games and here is what I have discovered already.You must learn to fold top pair top kicker more than tournamentsBlind stealing does not matter as muchPeople play a lot looser in cash games (including myself as I am relatively tight)

It's differently loose. In a short stack situation, a hand like AJ is pretty strong but it's definitely trouble in a deep stack situation. On the other hand, suited connectors and small pairs are more valuable due to the increased implied odds.

I have been sucessful so far but I keep hearing these things on T.V about how the games are so different. If anybody can add a point to my list or just point me in the right direction that would be much appreciated.Thanks =)

Cash games have the elements of table selection and choosing your schedule.There's no "waiting for a better spot". Anything that is chip +EV is a path you should take, given sufficient bankroll.

Quick Edit : If anyone would recommend a NLHE cash game book that would be great also.

Pot-limit and No-limit Poker by Ciaffone & Reuben.

[No_Neck 0]

it really isn't that much different if you play M properly.. I mean cash games the M is just really large for the most part.EDIT: also the NL holdem book from 2+2 is great.

[mikeysong 0]

I highly recommend Sklanksy's NL Theory and Hold'em Book the biggest difference is that there is no pressure to go all in preflop as the blinds never rise. Which means, rocks tend to stay rocks, and lags can go as crazy as they want, where you can play as tight as you want vs. them :PAlso it's important to realize that its people's stack size that determine the value of your cards. For example, 8s10c has a much higher value vs someone with a $200 stack at .50/1 than a $50 stack.

[litlebullet 0]

very true. And if you buy in as a short stack, I've noticed AK becomes muchos more valuable as well.

[jmkiser 0]

The best advice that I could ever give is to tell you that a cash game and a tournament are two completely different games you need to work on.In tournaments, tournament strategy is most important. You must pay attention to blind structures, speed of blind structures, your stack relative to blind structures, the rest of the stacks at the tables, etc. Yes, you need to play solid poker strategy, but different moves can be made at different times due to the fact that only one person can win. For a tournament, know every little nuance about EVERY type of tournament in every different stage of a tournament. The closest tournament that I can equate to a cash game is a deep stack one with 90 - 120 minute blinds that don't rise very high too fast. You must know strategies on how to play those differently then an internet MTT where the blinds might raise every 10 minutes and it skips a lot of blind levels that would be normally played in large live deepstackament . Know when you need chips, know when you can sit back and tighten up a bit, know what each person at your table is trying to accomplish (many chips fast, sitting tight until a certain time in the tournament, etc) and also know when each person at your table is changing their own strategy.In cash games, it's all about finding the best situations. Position, position, position... the best situations almost always involve position. Being on the button with 5 limpers and holding 89s is a good situation. Being in a late position with AKs and everyone folds to you is a good situation. Cash games strategy is a great reason to pick up poker books and read them. There are TONS and TONS of books that will give you great cash game situational advice... certain hands in certain positions against certain types of players. Pot odds and implied odds are much more important, too, since a cash game is technically never ending. If you can consistently get your money into the pot with the best pot odds when you are drawing, you will find yourself a winner. If you know the right amount to bet in a situation to kill someone else's drawing hand, you will find yourself a winner. After you learn solid poker, learn how to read everyone else's cash game strategy. Are they playing loose with a large variety of hands? Are they playing tight with an easily readable and small amount of hands? Also learn to pick up when certain actions smell really fishy for that certain type of player's strategy. It's all about finding the correct, profitable, money-making decisions.Now if I could only follow my own advice 100% of the time ;)My best advice would be to study up on everything Harrington and Negreanu would say for tournaments and everything Sklansky says for cash games. If you can recognize that they are two different beasts that require different mindsets, you can find yourself getting improving very quickly.

[offset 0]

You must learn to fold top pair top kicker more than tournamentsBlind stealing does not matter as muchPeople play a lot looser in cash games (including myself as I am relatively tight)

Sounds like you already have a really good understanding of it. Those three things, especially 1 and 3, can get you far.