Tournament vs Cash Games

Different formats require different skills and temperaments. Choose based on what suits you.

Cash Games

Pros: Play any time, leave any time. Consistent edge compounds. Less variance session-to-session. Cons: Can be grinding. Hourly rate ceiling. Less excitement.

Tournaments

Pros: Potential for big scores. Clear beginning and end. Exciting. Cons: Huge variance. Most sessions end at zero. Requires large sample to see results.

Skill Differences

Cash games reward steady, exploitative play. Tournaments require ICM understanding, push-fold mastery, and comfort with high-variance spots. Stack depth constantly changes.

Bankroll Reality

You can be a winning tournament player and lose money for months. Variance is brutal. Cash games show results faster but edges are often smaller.