From Mlive.com professional poker player Daniel Negreanu weighs in on the differences in playing in a cash game versus a tournament:

There is plenty of discussion on Internet poker forums about the differences between tournament and cash game players.

The general consensus is that cash game players are superior.

While I believe there is some truth to that sentiment, it’s important to recognize that the skills required for each format are vastly different.

The most obvious difference between a cash game and a tournament is that in tournament play, once your chips are gone, so are you.

In a cash game, you can dig into your pocket for more money.

As a result, tournament players think in terms of survival and play their hands to avoid losing all of their chips.

A different mentality
Cash game players think differently.

They are concerned about getting full value for hands when they’re ahead, and try to minimize losses when they’re behind.

Another difference between big buy-in tournaments and high-stakes cash games is the caliber of players that compete in each.

Even in the $10,000 World Series of Poker main event, you’re sure to find a high percentage of low-skilled amateur players.

That’s not the case in high-stakes cash games where the tables are littered with professional sharks.

I think most people would agree — it’s much easier to beat a bunch of amateurs than it is trying to outwit elite professionals.

Yes, you might take a few bad beats against amateur players who don’t know what they’re doing.

But at the same time, it will be much easier to get all their chips in situations where pros would fold.

Beating amateurs in tournaments is all about taking their money by playing fundamentally sound poker.

That approach isn’t good enough when playing pros in cash games.

That’s where Phil Hellmuth comes in.

Even though Hellmuth has won 11 World Series of Poker bracelets — all of them in Hold’em events — he doesn’t get a lot of respect from cash-game grinders.

But Hellmuth has mastered two of the most important concepts of tournament play. He knows survival is king and bluffing should be used rarely.

He knows weak players will make big mistakes eventually, and when that happens, he’ll clean up.

Or else he’ll take a bad beat and throw one of his patented temper tantrums.

Why it works
If Hellmuth tried that same patient, nonbluffing style of play against top cash game players, he’d see his chip stack slowly dwindle.

He would never be able to trap his opponents — they would see right through his strategy, and he would be finished.

Hellmuth would be hammered into submission continuously before and after the flop.

Hellmuth’s successful approach to tournament poker just doesn’t translate into the world of high-stakes cash game poker.

Some major differences
Tournament play demands patience to survive and win.

Winning at cash games demands a whole other level of thought and deception.

You need to reach into your bag of tricks and run the occasional big bluff to be a consistent cash game winner.

Not as easy as it looks
Don’t get me wrong, not all cash game players properly adapt to tournament play and tournament opposition either. They attempt bluffs that might work in cash games but fail miserably in tournament play.

They don’t realize that many amateur players aren’t skilled enough to recognize when they should just fold their hands.

I am challenged the most by playing cash games against the world’s top players.

These games force me to think several moves in advance. I like this, as it reminds me of playing a game of chess.

Though I find tournaments fun, they just don’t provide the constant brain buzz that cash game players crave.

Tags: Cash Games, Casinos, daniel negreanu, difference, gambling, how to, Online Gaming, styles, Texas Holdem, tournament play|
Posted By: jackhammer | Sep 2nd