Tournaments vs cash games — where is the real money?

How to make money by playing poker in long term?

Good morning everyone.

I started playing poker at the end of 2018 and I have always had the impression that it is much easier to make money playing tournaments than cash games. For example, I have 28,000 reais in profit on PokerStars, which is roughly about 5,000 dollars, practically all coming from tournaments.

Now, if I analyze my cash game results on PokerStars, I must have around 100 dollars in profit over more than 100,000 hands. In other words, after a large volume of hands, I have practically had no significant results in cash.

For that reason, I have always found cash games much more difficult. However, after reading and studying more about the subject, I see many people saying that it is easier to make money in cash games than in tournaments.

It is also important to point out that variance in tournaments is much higher than in cash games, since results depend much more on large, concentrated payouts, whereas in cash games profits tend to be more evenly distributed over time.

The correct answer is both especially if one is starting with very little money and at micro/low stakes. For example it's pretty easy to take $50 and start playing micro stakes cash and turn it into $500. Once you got that $500 you keep play cash during the week when you play and then on weekends you focus on longer blind level(10+ min) MTT's. I normally make enough playing cash during the week to afford the MTT buy-ins on the weekends plus a small bit of profit even if I don't cash in my MTT's. I'm just a rec/hobby player not grinding hours or a high volume of MTT's. At most I double table.

Cheers!!!

If you’re a good player, the money can be in both. In the short term, tournaments usually offer much bigger payouts, especially when you make a deep run or hit a big score. But in the long run, cash games tend to be more consistent, since a solid cash player can generate steady profits without relying on a few big results. Tournament players often depend on occasional big wins, while cash players build their edge over time.

Another good thing to have in mind, that might influence your decisions, is that in soft low-stakes MTTs, especially with recreational-heavy fields, you can exploit population tendencies pretty hard (ICM mistakes, bad short stack play, etc.). In cash, regs adjust faster and you’re constantly battling for small edges. So sometimes tournaments feel more “beatable” because mistakes are more expensive and more frequent. That might explain why some players crush MTTs but struggle in 100k hands of cash

I think a lot depends on the skill of your opponents. But I prefer tournaments because I set higher goals for myself in them, whereas in cash games I mostly play to complete challenges.

basepokerplayer said:

How to make money by playing poker in long term?

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You can make money in both cash games and tournaments. But in my opinion, tournaments are generally a more promising direction. Therefore, if I have a choice, I will always give preference to tournaments.

If you have the time and skill, dedicate yourself to both. real money games will regain the balance that bad variance in tournaments eliminates. And in tournaments, by winning, you will receive the desired reward.
It's also important to know your limits and to know when to stop when you've lost too much, especially in cash games.

You can win both in the tournament and in the cash game, the difference is in the strategies.

Both you can learn and play profitable. It's the tournaments that often contain lots of players and you can win a lot of money. Variance does play a big part there, though

Maybe I'm a skeptic, but in my opinion, real money is earned through real work, not in a casino.

To make money playing poker in the long run, you must treat the game as an investment based on statistics and discipline, not as a gamble. And above all, you must study a lot and continuously, because poker is difficult to understand in its dynamics.

depends on the field

hardongear said:

The correct answer is both especially if one is starting with very little money and at micro/low stakes. For example it's pretty easy to take $50 and start playing micro stakes cash and turn it into $500. Once you got that $500 you keep play cash during the week when you play and then on weekends you focus on longer blind level(10+ min) MTT's. I normally make enough playing cash during the week to afford the MTT buy-ins on the weekends plus a small bit of profit even if I don't cash in my MTT's. I'm just a rec/hobby player not grinding hours or a high volume of MTT's. At most I double table.

Cheers!!!

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As a cash player, what book/course would you recommend for a tournament payer to adjust to cash?

OnyxD said:

As a cash player, what book/course would you recommend for a tournament payer to adjust to cash?

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I haven't read it yet but everyone else recommended Modern Poker Theory to me which I brought. Looking at the table of contents it's good for both cash and MTT's.

Other then that idk as all the books I've read are 20+ years old they were the best of books of their time but not sure how relevant they'd be today.

Fwiw I have heard some players recommend Pete Clarke on youtube "Carrot Corner". I believe he also has a course on runitoncepoker. I haven't personally studied any of Pete's stuff. I am huge fan of Phil Galfond who owns runitoncepoker. Good solid respectable poker player and doesn't only know poker he knows how to run his own business he's had a few over the years. I follow him Twitter really nice sharp and knowledge guy about a lot of things.

Cheers!!!

rhoudini said:

Another good thing to have in mind, that might influence your decisions, is that in soft low-stakes MTTs, especially with recreational-heavy fields, you can exploit population tendencies pretty hard (ICM mistakes, bad short stack play, etc.). In cash, regs adjust faster and you’re constantly battling for small edges. So sometimes tournaments feel more “beatable” because mistakes are more expensive and more frequent. That might explain why some players crush MTTs but struggle in 100k hands of cash

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Can totally see this. Cash games are perceived as quicker ways to get 'paid', so it's more of a meat grinder with many sharks waiting to eat you.

Cash games are where the real consistent money is — lower variance, clearer hourly, and much easier to rely on long term. Tournaments have the big scores and glory, but they come with huge swings and long dry spells, so it’s more upside than stability.