Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 6786
Difficult to say which needs more skill, but there are differences. Tourney players have to adapt to the changing blinds during a tourney, which results in different play of similar hands. But cash players need to be able to play the later streets better.
Joined: Mar '10
Location: Greece
Age: 54 (M)
Posts: 505
Although I'm a 100% tourney player and I know that the swings and the variance are a killer in such large 5000+ player tournaments, I believe that playing big cash nosebleed games and have a steady profit is much harder and maybe the epitome of a real poker master.
Let's face it, on the right day even Jamie 'CallYourShoveWithAnyTwo' Gold managed to win a WSOP... Oh, and Cada too... Not that I consider them successful players, but they managed to make a shitload of money when God smiled upon them. On the other hand, I see some excellent greek tournament players that are so commited to reading, analyzing and getting better day by day that shows it's very hard to be good at tourneys, but I still believe cash is harder
i think it will be touher being a cash player more cos naturally being a cash player, u play more often than a MTT player and hence the pressure is on every other day and me my self having been through that for a while, I know how it feels......
It depents on what you mean by "successful". If you mean which players wins more I'd say it's harder to win on cash games. If you have good bankroll for tournaments and you play them well even if you won't reach money in 10 in a row the 11th could be a win with a hundreds of buy ins profit. Swings are big, but so are winnings if you reach top3 or even FT.
When it comes to cash cames it's tough when you reach a level with good players. Even if you are very good at micro and small stakes, when you climb up to medium you won't meet donk on every table. You would play with donk at 1/10 or 1/15 tables and probably at every table you'll play with at least one regular with impressive BB/100 factor. So it takes longer to win big money on cash games, therefore it's harder.
Joined: May '08
Location: Netherlands
Age: 53 (M)
Posts: 6197
Any spewtard/luckbox can win a big event, even a wsop title, but playing high stakes cash constantly winning in semi long run is a different story. Imo cash games is more skill then donkements, thats why TheDom plays donkements, easy money
Joined: Oct '09
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 57 (M)
Posts: 667
Hi BMWman
I think it takes more skill to play tournaments and be consistent in them. I would imagine that in High-stake cash games you would expect to win 2 pots in what 50 hands? In a tournament if you played to win that amount you would be out before you knew it, therefore bluffs come into play more often. Some might say that it not true, but I think it is - what do you think?
Appreciate some feedback........
GL to you all whatever form and wherever you play.
Joined: Feb '08
Location: Netherlands
Age: 52 (M)
Posts: 818
Nice question, allthough there both completely differen't when it comes down to skill, i would have to say cashgames. With luck and a couple of good hands at the right times you can win a tourney, but being a profitable cashplayer( long-term) it takes way more skill, patience and discipline.(and adrenaline)
@ Marc : I think bluffs come into play more often only a little bit more, because of the reasons you described, when your shortstacked you"ll need to push sometime(semi-bluff) and ofcourse stealing binds and ante's. But need to bluff more doesen't make it more difficult than cashgames, its just a small part of tourney-skills. Gl all
Joined: Feb '11
Location: Canada
Age: 57 (M)
Posts: 753
Posted by MarcWinz: Hi BMWman
I think it takes more skill to play tournaments and be consistent in them. I would imagine that in High-stake cash games you would expect to win 2 pots in what 50 hands? In a tournament if you played to win that amount you would be out before you knew it, therefore bluffs come into play more often. Some might say that it not true, but I think it is - what do you think?
Appreciate some feedback........
GL to you all whatever form and wherever you play.
I totally agree, you have to be in a different mind set for tournaments than cash games. In a cash game, you only need to win the hands that are payable. I think maybe win more than a few hands in 50, but in a tourney it's all about beating out thousands of players versus playing only a table. In tourneys you are gonna be there for maybe hours, in a cash game you might only be there for 30 mins or less...... Thanks all for your feedback on this........................
Joined: Jan '11
Location: United States
Age: 42 (M)
Posts: 852
I just had an epiphany....Both take skill, maybe the same amount. How does one measure skill? Here's the thing though. Until you make "the money" in the tourney, they're just chips. Play things. In a cash game you are betting your actual real hard earned cash. I think cash takes, bigger balls. To try and play well consistentlly, in the high stakes,, or the low. I've seen some low stakes games, turn high stakes in a matter of hours.
