Advice on playing cash poker?

Question

I'm used to playing tournament poker but i want to start playing in cash games at my local casino. What are the best tactics for cash poker and how should i play differently from tournament poker?

Answer 1

I guess the first thing I would ask is "are you a winning tournament player?"   The main thing I notice is play is a heck of alot looser in ring games.  The next observation is that a standard tournament preflop raise in a ring game only invites a heck of alot of callers, the reason for this is your blinds stay the same, in a 100 dollar buy in game the blinds are usually $2/$1 and a 6 dollar raise is only gonna give everyone after you odds to call if they have anything at all.  You will see alot more drawing hands played and because of the relatively cheap cost to see a flop and the ability to reload anytime, you will see alot of trashy hands seeing the flop.  If I am playing NLT holdem cash, I play real tight up front, and raise healthy or call with suited connectors and such in the rear for no raise.

Playing no limit holdem ring games can be frustrating for a tournament player until you get the hang of it.  I would suggest learning omaha 8ob, stud and stud 8ob for cash games.  A patient player who understands cards will do alot better in those games than in nl holdem. The reason being is that chasers are the bain of good players in N.L. holdem, but in the other games they are an A.T.M. One other observation, watch out for drunks with more money than sense in ring games, I see them put alot of folks on tilt.  I will welcome them to an omaha or stud game though. If those other games aren't for you, try playing limit holdem.  5/10 or 10/20 you have less chasers at that limit.  If you are really an adrenaline junky, you might want to play in any pot limit omaha game but they attract alot of money and you need to play extremely tight. Good luck in your games.

Answer 2

If you're looking for tips and lessons you might wanna check out Doyles Room's collection right here:

http://www.doylesroom.com/education/

Answer 3

First off, we need to make the distinction between No Limit Hold Em (NLHE) and Limit Hold Em (LHE).  The games differ greatly in strategy.  But since you normally play NL tournaments, I'm assuming you'll make the switch to NLHE.  One difference is in a tournament vs. a cash game is the blinds increase in a tournament.  As a result, this forces the action.  However, since the blinds never increase in a cash game, you won't be forced to play a hand due to increasing blinds.  A tournament has a fixed buy in - the result is that you can not lose more than the initial buy in.  Knowing this, it can affect your play.  You might decide to go all in figuring," Well if I'm wrong, and I'm out, I only will lose my buy in."  In a cash game, every cent that is on the table is up for betting and therefore losing.  Calling someone's all in bet is a lot tougher in a cash game where you could lose a lot more than just a buy in.

Answer 4

Tournys are long and boring after a while but you get the chance to make the most money in the fastest time but you have to be hella lucky and money management isn't as important cause the most you can lose is your buyin fee, on the other hand its much more important in cash games. In NL holdem there will be more crazy plays in tournys then in ring games cause players are trying to survive and the blinds keep eating them up, this is why I prefer limit holdem, there are alot more fish in limit holdem.. Anyways there just to much to learn is a game of high variance of luck and skill. Then theres mentality which probably leads to 50-75% of your success.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

The tactics are the same, it's just that in a tournament, the game changes.  How do you play in the early stages of a tournament?  Tight and aggressive?  You normally do not want to get all your money in the pot unless you feel you are a heavy favorite.

Medium pairs that flop a set are powerhouses in a cash game.  Look to win another person's whole stack.