One of the most common thoughts among poker enthusiasts is to know which format is the best. Whether to choose poker cash games or be involved in poker tournaments?
Indeed, they are interesting, entertaining, and highly lucrative for Poker players. It is completely your choice to pick any one of them and make a good bankroll out of it. All you need is the right strategy for your gameplay and commitment to achieve your goals. In order to decide your preference, you will need to understand the difference between both the categories.
There are two categories, each with a different set of strategies and skills needed to prove bounteous in the game. You should be the only one to know your skillset also have a clear understanding of using it profoundly.
With the following tutorial, We are going to ease out your decision in choosing the best one for you. Let’s just go through the fundamental differences between the two.
1. The Nubs of Cash & Poker Tournaments
Cash Games
- You can start your gameplay as per your convenience and leave whenever you want to. There is no time limit while playing cash games. You are free to leave and open to join any table at any point of time.
- You are free to rebuy chips whenever you run out of them..
- You can keep playing at static blind levels.
Tournaments
- You can only join the tables after completing the registration process.
- You cannot leave the table until you are out of chips, unless you decide to forfeit.
- Option to Rebuy chips is only available if mentioned in the tournament format.
- The blind levels are dynamic and keep increasing after every interval.
2. Pros and cons of Tournaments
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
If you win, you win a hefty amount. You pay less than what you win in tournaments. All you need is the right strategy and patience to win or be in the money. Hence, Tournaments can become a big door to a million dollar fortune. |
High Variance, This is one of the reasons that many players choose to prefer playing cash games over tournaments. If a person playing cash games consistently will earn more but every day, however tourneys will definitely ward you a huge amount but not every time. This creates a huge variance between both. |
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Play against recreational players and not against the newly registered players. Hence you only get to deal with the experienced poker professionals. |
Time-consuming - In order to win, you will have to survive beyond the other players at the table and keep entering money. A tournament might go on for hours or days wherein if you bust out from the game at any point, you get nothing unless you are in the money. |
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You get to experience a lot of thrill at the table. This enables your ability to use your mind better in tight situations. |
Skill set required to play for tournaments is somewhat different from what you play in cash games. You need to be efficient in maintaining your stack with adjusting decisions at times. |
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You learn to manage stack and bankroll as you get limited starting stack. Building on that stack efficiently is what refines your skills. |
To be a successful tournament player, you would require a bigger bankroll in comparison to cash games. |
3. Pros and cons of Cash Games
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
You are free to join any table at any given time. While in tournaments you are bound to a registration period, in cash games you can just play as much as you want. Basically, you control your own game time in cash games. |
Stronger players choose to play cash games, hence it is a little difficult. The freedom and lower variance that cash games offer attract people well versed with the game, who are willing to put in a lot of work to achieve their ideal lifestyle. |
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More analytical gameplay - Since the blind levels are static you don’t have to worry about increasing blind levels. Hence, your focus on building a deep stack will remain intact post-flop and exploiting the opponents. |
You are not going to have any massive paydays, because cash games offer small profits as compared to tournaments. |
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Lesser downswings - There are lesser downswings in cash games in comparison to tournaments. You always have the game in hand to make your cash double or multiply the investment. |
Higher Rake - In cash games you will have to pay a rake(Fee by website) for every pot you win depending on table stakes. However, in tourneys, you just pay the rake on a single buy-in session. |
4. The compendium of Cash & Tournaments
| Cash | Tourneys |
|---|---|
|
You are free to choose your time of play. |
You need to be committed to the table for a specified time period. |
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Strong intellectual skill set is required |
An above average intellectual skill set works fine. |
|
Less variance is involved |
Huge variance is involved |
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Monotonous gameplay, smaller but faster payouts. |
Thrill based, with huge payouts. |
It can be hence drawn out from the above details that your preference of the game type depends on your gameplay, bankroll, skill set & availability. While trying out your unfavourable format, one should be well aware of the differences shared above & be versed with the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is a Bankroll?
In Poker, Bankroll is the amount of money that a poker player keeps handy to invest into the poker table.
- What is Rake?
Rake is a fee charged by a poker website or live rooms for providing the platform to play. It generally ranges from 2.5% to 10% + GST based on the table stakes.
- How much time do I have to Play?
The time of gameplay will completely depend on the type of game you choose to play. If you are playing cash games, you have the control of your in-game time whereas in tournaments you are bound to play until the game ends or you are out of stacks.
- Which one should I play the most, cash or tournaments?
Choosing the game type is always an individual choice as per your convenience and expertise.
- How do I register for a Poker Tournament?
All you need to do is check the buy-in and time slot to start with a tournament. Pay the buy-in and click on the register option in the game lobby. You can then join the game at the time mentioned for the tournament to start.
it’s time to be a Poker Pro :)
Bankroll Management
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