Cash game and Tournament, which one requires higher skill ?

Yunyi · Feb 20, 2019

I wonder which requires high skill. To me, cash game does. I started playing poker about 2 months ago and I don't play tournaments so often, I already reached the finally stage (4th place was my best), but I got more losses than wins in cash games.

It seems in cash game players are more serious on each hand, tournaments (esp. freeroll) players go all in a lot, just try to test their luck...

eutot · Feb 21, 2019

Depends on the tournament stakes - in Sunday Million players are much better than in $3 MTTs. I assume you play TAG, and thats why is harder for you at cash tables. Its a common thing, many tournament players find it harder to adapt to cash, but they both require skill, just a different type of skill.

riverokker · Feb 21, 2019

They both require different skill. Cash game once your up you can walk and book a win. So you essentially need less endurance to play cash game and stay focused. Tournament can last for days/ weeks . So your approach changes and style can change. It's harder to play cash games in my opinion.

FanatsLV · Feb 21, 2019

Both must need a skills but turneys are harder than cash but if you are good enough it's gonna reward you for your time

Clandestine05 · Feb 21, 2019

Skill is required in both cash and tournaments. It depends on how you play, and what kind of player you are. For me, tournaments are where the money's at. You may need more patience and discipline in tourneys vs cash games because once re-entry/rebuys (if available) end, you are left with that stack to play with and try to run up until you either get knocked out or place ITM, then that's that. You also know what prizes are available ahead of time. Cash games, you can always re-buy, leave and come back to the table whenever. bankroll management is also very important when playing either tourneys or cash. There's also our lovely friend VARIENCE, who doesn't care about skill level lol.:elefant:

Yunyi · Feb 21, 2019

thank you all for the comments!
i play freeroll and maybe that's why i feel easier. to me cash games are more like gambling, each hand takes energy

Sp0own · Feb 22, 2019

In tournaments you should keep your focus for longer but i think that both require slightly different kind of skill.

I think that playing cash game is like working 9-5 and the tournaments are more excited regarding this matter but you have to have higher mental discipline for last one.

onione6ix · Feb 24, 2019

Tournaments have the largest variance over time . You have to run good and play nearly perfect poker to edge out players in the tougher fields.

James24543 · Feb 24, 2019

Tournaments and cash games require different playing strategies. In tournaments the blinds steadily increase whereas the blinds in cash games remain the same.

quick · Feb 25, 2019

From easiest to hardest I’d say:

- Online MTTs
- Live Cash
- Live MTTs
- Online Cash

I rank them as such because online MTTs while luck factor and sheer size makes it hard to cash, these often attract the softest of rec players hoping to turn a few bucks into a big score. You can quite literally in most of these play basic TAG and add in some push/fold charts as it progresses.

Then live cash is pretty easy at least at lower stakes. Esp in casinos. Lots of rec players just having a gamble and a tight strategy can work well even a nit strategy I’ve seen do decent.

Next up Live MTTs are harder because they are going to cost more which means sometimes more serious tough players and unlike online you can’t put in volume for Live MTTs. Also have to contend with live reads and much longer levels and even days for a single one to play out.

Finally the hardest is online cash especially for areas where there’s no regulated sites. Only really interested or dedicated players jump through the hoops to get money on the site to grind and with HUDs and so much info out there you’ll often find players like us here working on our game and stats.

I imagine SNGs fall somewhere in between online MTTs and live cash and HU games fall closer online cash in terms of difficulty.

ayahuasca · Feb 26, 2019

Lol, both require high skill (different playing strategies but anyway), if you want to make money on them.

takinitSLEAZEE · Feb 26, 2019

I think the skill-set is the same for either. Patience is the other determining factor. Well, that and luck.

plastilin898 · Feb 28, 2019

in cash game need more skill, and in tournaments often helps simple luck

jaydaddy0325 · Feb 28, 2019

I think cash games give instant gratification. I also think ROI is so much better for a good tournament player. Every person has a specialty tho. Not everyone is cut out for tournaments that might be a great cash game reg and vise versus. Jts a very debatable subject but I will always recommend trny play for new players in the long run and 25% time play cash to keep some $ coming in

LotharMcDowner · Mar 1, 2019

Definitely different skills in both. Tournament players have to deal with fatigue and just the overall grinding aspect of being locked into a seat for a long period of time. Cash games the variance is tied directly to your bankroll so its faster wins, but faster loses too...

xy23 · Mar 2, 2019

Both requires different skills. For tournament players, patience is definitely the top skill required.

Dzob · Mar 7, 2019

Definitely cash games are more difficult. I make profit in tournaments and I lose in cash games. Therefore, I prefer tournaments with these two options

micman66 · Mar 10, 2019

Yunyi said:
I wonder which requires high skill. To me, cash game does. I started playing poker about 2 months ago and I don't play tournaments so often, I already reached the finally stage (4th place was my best), but I got more losses than wins in cash games.

It seems in cash game players are more serious on each hand, tournaments (esp. freeroll) players go all in a lot, just try to test their luck...

The best way to learn the game is in a live cash environment in my opinion.

Yunyi · Mar 10, 2019

Dzob said:
Definitely cash games are more difficult. I make profit in tournaments and I lose in cash games. Therefore, I prefer tournaments with these two options

I agree. I have once a quite long winning streak on cash games, thought my strategy worked, but soon I got a longer losing streak. Tournaments I play freeroll, no stress whatever. But less interesting, unless I got into final table.

Brayan9052 · Mar 11, 2019

Clearly the money games can be lost enough of your account. However, in a tournament on your entry page, it's another topic.

howiefig · Mar 11, 2019

Yunyi said:
I wonder which requires high skill. To me, cash game does. I started playing poker about 2 months ago and I don't play tournaments so often, I already reached the finally stage (4th place was my best), but I got more losses than wins in cash games.

It seems in cash game players are more serious on each hand, tournaments (esp. freeroll) players go all in a lot, just try to test their luck...

[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)]I think the two require skill, but even more cash games, because in the cash game you are losing directly from your bag and as you can win a large amount so you can lose it, while in the tournaments there is more opportunity with less investment[/COLOR][COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)] [/COLOR][COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)]and greater gain, in my personal experience I have lost a lot in cash game and I have not won so much in tournaments but I have not lost what I lost in cash games, this is my point of view[/COLOR]

Nano5722 · Mar 11, 2019

That,s all depends on what you prefer to play most.
For example, some people can be really good at cash games, but they can,t win anything in tournament.
So , you just need to understand, what is better for yourself and try to focus on that game.

Ovuvuevuevue · Mar 11, 2019

Definitely different set of skills but the type of person also has an influence on what game type one would prefer. For example, a tournament player needs to have a very strong resistance to variance so that he can profit over the long term

smknginmaine · Mar 11, 2019

They are very different. Most pros, not all, make the bulk of their money in cash games. The better player in the long run. Playing better is a huge edge in a tournament. But often not enough. I don't think I could say one takes more skill than another. But to win long term at cash, takes less luck.

JJP · Mar 11, 2019

All forms of poker require skill ! The different forms will be better suited to certain skill sets but all forms of the game require skill.

Cash games require more of an understanding of deeper stacks while tournaments are more about understanding how to play shorter to medium stacks.

Find the one that fits your individual skillset the best or the game you enjoy the most and bang out the volume !

Cash game and Tournament, which one requires higher skill ?

Yunyi

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