Cash Game Tips

June 11, 2009

There’s a lot of money to be won in cash or ring games but a lot of players are more uses to playing tournaments. Maybe it’s because of the prestige a tournament player gets when they win the big one. Still, variance at tournaments is quite high so if you want to be a profitable poker professional, cash games is the way to go.

There are some rules that need to be followed when playing cash games so that you don’t lose money. The first and the most important rule of thumb is that you should never buy in short-stacked. If you don’t have enough money in front of you, you will not be able to make strong poker plays. You will end up playing scared, or will be reduced to an All-In or Fold decision. In which case, you might be better off playing Baccarat. You should buy-in for at the very least 100x the big blind amount (or the maximum you can buy-in for).

Another tip you can use when playing cash games is to study the players. This way, you’ll be able to choose the position you wish to play. If there is a seat available and you feel it would be more profitable to sit there, go ahead and ask for a seat change. Remember that it is always best to have aggressive players seated on your right and passive players seated on your left. Don’t buy into the theory though that some seats are lucky and some seats are just plain unlucky. Stick to odds and possibilities—superstition has no place in poker.

You should also take your time when playing ring game poker. You can lose an immense amount of money in every pot so don’t act on impulse. Be sure to consider every decision. Think before you act. Unlike in tournaments, the blinds are not going to go up so you have all the time in the world to make important decisions. Follow these tips and you are well on your way to becoming a more effective ring game player.

Posted by The Metro under Metro Blogs.