The first part of this article covered the different types of tournaments. We will now look at cash games and the pros and cons of the two types of games.
Cash game basics
Cash games are the original form in which poker was played - tournaments were only invented in the 1960s.
While cash poker generally doesn’t have the glamour and excitement of tournaments, it is the choice of many folk who want to make a more consistent income.
Cash games are played on one table only. A player can sit and leave at will and there are no time constraints.
The money you bring to the table is converted into chips with a real monetary value. Every pot you win or lose translates into real money. For example, if you sit at a game with $100 and win $40 in the first hand, you then have $140. You can now leave with this $140 if you wish, or continue to play on.
Types of cash games
Cash games are generally much simpler than tournaments. The only variables are how much to buy in for, and how many players to play against.
Most online poker sites have their standard tables set at a maximum buy-in of 100 big blinds (bb) with a minimum of around 20-40bb. So, for example, in a game with $1/$2 blinds, the maximum amount you can buy in for is $200.
Most sites also offer tables with different maximum buy-ins, generally ranging from 40bb to 250bb.
The amount of money you buy in for should be considered carefully as different stack sizes call for different strategies.
The other option you have is how many other players you wish to play with. Although a cash game can run with anywhere from 2-10 players, there is always a maximum number of seats on the table. The standard games offered by most online poker sites are heads-up (2 players), 6-max (6) and full-ring (9-10).
The general rule is that games with fewer players tend to be more aggressive but also offer more action.
Which game to play?
There is no one correct answer to this. Any kind of game can be profitable but each requires a different approach and has its advantages and disadvantages.
Variance
One large difference between cash games and tournaments is the amount of variance (or luck) encountered in each. Tournaments are a high-reward game where you can stand to win many times your initial investment in just one game.
Cash-game players stand to make profit in smaller increments but on a more consistent basis.
The problem with tournaments is that even the best players can go many games without a good win. This can be tough to handle, and also makes it difficult to assess your skill level until you have completed a large number of games.
While cash game players obviously have swings too, the downswings are generally smaller and easier to cope with.
Time commitment
This is an area where cash games have a huge advantage. Due to your ability to join and leave whenever you want, cash games offer much more flexibility.
A tournament on the other hand may require a lengthy time commitment. Whilst a standard 9-player STT can last over an hour, large MTTs can go on for 12 hours or more.
This means that the recreational player can find it hard to fit tournaments into their schedule. There is nothing worse than having to blow your chip-stack halfway through a tournament because you have a prior commitment. If you have limited time to play then cash may be your best option.
Skill level
Most recreational players are drawn to poker tournaments because of what they’ve seen on TV. They are also attracted by the big prizes on offer and the excitement they can provide. This generally means that tournaments, especially MTTs, attract a higher percentage of weak players and have a lower overall standard of play than cash games.
On the other hand, you cannot choose your seat in a tournament. Even though the average standard may be lower, you still may end up sitting on a table full of great players. In a cash game, you can select the best tables to play on, and the best seats on those tables.
Making your decision
No-one can tell you which game you should play as everyone wants something slightly different from their online poker experience. There isn’t one type of game that’s more profitable than another and the decision about which game to play is one of personal preference.
Beginners should probably try out a few different game types and see what works best for them.
For the next step in our poker journey, we're going to look at Basic poker strategy.
