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Poker Cash Games and Tournament Games

Think poker.

For those who have no idea about the significance of the similarities and differences between cash and tournament games, they would think that these terms are not so important. Thing is, they have similarities and even greater differences. To the amateur, they might be surprised to know that in one of these games mentioned, you can win big but could mean less significance in terms of points. Actually, the main difference between cash and tournament games is the percentage of luck.

As we know, blinds are involved in poker. The two players left of the dealer give the blinds. The player nearest to the dealer gives the Small Blind while the next gives the Big Blind. In a cash game, the amount of the blind stays the same throughout the game, while these increase in a tournament game. However, in a cash game, you can buy more chips in case you're on the merge of running out. In tournaments, when you're out, you're out. In tournaments, the thing that could help you enter the finals is luck, in most cases, through flip-coins. In cash games, it's survival of the fittest; you play your way to the finals table. This is the reason why there are cases that in tournaments, novices can get their way to the top, but in cash games, they barely survive.

In tournament games, you play based on what you have. In cash games, you play trying to guess or read your opponents' hands and strategies. It's never good to mix strategies with different games. For instance, a tournament player in a cash game has a tendency to all-in or throw huge amount of chips if they have good cards, like a high pair, only to find out that their opponent or the dealer has a flush. Yes, it's really unfortunate. A cash game player, having better strategy management skills than that of the tournament player, would think in a different way. If a player bets big, he would think that he might have a high pair or an ace. He would try to make his opponents fall in his trap by letting them bet big, and force more players to flop. He could win big or stay longer by that style. A cash game player can still play even with small-numbered cards, with the hopes of making a straight. In case his cards are not good, he can flop right away, really careful but a good strategy to stay longer.

The lesson learned here is that before entering any competition, know to strategize. Luck is a main factor, but risks handled well helps you win big.