Tournaments vs Cash Games

Whether you're making the switch from cash games to tournaments or from tournaments to cash games, you're going to have to make a few adjustments to continue winning. The object of the game (to win chips) remains the same, but the poker strategy you use to achieve that goal is totally different.

There are 5 differences and 5 adjustments you should make when switching from one to the other:

1. Tournaments tend to play with shallower stack sizes

In cash games, the blinds remain fixed and players usually buy in with about 100 big blinds. If they ever dip far below that, they can easily top off their stacks to be back to 100 big blinds.

Tournaments are usually played with much smaller stack sizes in comparison to the blinds. In an average tournament, each player starts out with 75-100 big blinds and it only gets lower from there.

Adjustment

In tournaments you have to play a more straightforward game. There's not much room to maneuver after the flop so you should play your big hands hard and fast. Because of the smaller stack sizes, you'll have low implied odds. This makes hands like small pocket pairs and small suited connectors poor hands.

In cash games, you can play a more patient waiting game. You can also play more hands before the flop because your opponents have larger stacks. This means you have greater implied odds and can play hands like small pocket pairs because when they hit, you can get paid off nicely.

2. The blinds continually grow larger in tournaments

The blinds are a constant presence in tournaments. They keep growing larger and eventually start to put a lot of pressure on everyone to accumulate chips quickly. This leads to shallow stacks and a lot of desperate all-in moves.

The blinds in a cash game stay at a constant level. Any time your stack gets low, you can simply rebuy and have another 100 big blinds to work with. There's no pressure to make a move any time soon; all you have to do is wait for the right moment.

Adjustment

When you move from tournaments to cash games, you can place less of an emphasis on stealing and defending the blinds. While they are worth stealing when the opportunity presents itself, it's not as vital in cash games as it is in tournaments.

When you move from cash games to tournaments, you'll have to pay close attention to the blind levels at all times. A single increase in the blinds can cut your stack in half without a warning. You'll have to work on identifying which opponents play tight and then steal their blinds as often as you can.

Your hand values will change drastically when playing in tournaments. In a tournament situation, you can easily find yourself going all-in before the flop with a hand like A9 offsuit because your stack is small and the blinds are growing. In cash games, this would almost always be a terrible play.

3. The structure of the tournament affects your strategy

You have to take more variables into consideration when playing hands in tournaments. Factors such as the payout structure, blind levels and the chance to knock out certain players all affect the plays you make and the risks you take in a tournament. Satellite tournaments and double or nothing sit and go's change things even more because of their unique prize structures.

When playing in cash games, you only have to worry about making the play with the highest positive expectation. Even if you have only a small edge, you can make the play knowing that it's profitable in the long term. If you lose the hand, you can always rebuy and keep playing.

Adjustment

When you play in tournaments, you need to take all those factors into consideration before getting involved in a big pot. In cash games, you only need to ask yourself if this is a profitable play.

 

4. Cash games are slow and steady; tournaments are swingy

Cash game players typically make their money at a slow but steady rate. Tournament players can go months without a major win and then suddenly take down a $40,000 tournament. It requires a completely different mindset when moving from one to the other.

It can get especially frustrating for cash game players who are used to winning money on a regular basis. An ex-cash game player can have a hard time playing great poker for three hours straight and then getting knocked out on a bad beat without receiving a penny for his efforts.

Adjustment

The most important thing you can do is adjust your bankroll to the new game. If you're moving to tournament play, a generally accepted bankroll for tournament players is 100 buyins. It sounds like a lot but it's necessary because you can go through long streaks without winning a thing.

If you're moving from tournaments to cash games, you'll want to have a no limit bankroll of about 30-40 buyins. You'll probably want to lean towards the higher end of that as a new cash game player.

5. Cash games are flexible; tournaments are rigid

In a cash game, the players can come and go as they please. If you sit down at a table and have a hot run right off the bat, you can collect your profits and leave after playing just a few hands. Tournaments don't allow you the same luxury. Once you buy in to a tournament, you're going to be stuck there until you either get knocked out or win the whole thing.

Adjustment

The adjustment for this difference is based on pre-planning more than it is strategy. Make sure you know how long any upcoming tournaments could last and plan accordingly. If it's a long tournament, make sure you're well fed and well rested before you show up.

In cash games, you have the luxury of only playing when you feel comfortable and confident. You can stop any time the game goes south or you lose your concentration. Too many poker players stay in poor games for too long and wonder why they can't win anything. If all the fish leave, don't stay at a table full of regulars! Look for easier tables or call it a day.