How to Play Online Poker Cash Games
Cash games can be both one of the most rewarding and one of the most dangerous forms of online poker. Unlike other games where a standard buy allots each player a set amount of chips and players then keep going until the pot is all won, cash games are endless – and losing players can continue to buy themselves back in.
Players who wish to participate in cash game will need to have not only strong poker skills, but also a high level of self awareness and self control, since badly managed cash game playing can lead to high losses.
There are a number of common mistakes that players looking to make the move from limited pot playing into cash game should attempt to avoid.
Under betting the Pot
A common rookie mistake when moving from limited games to cash games is to misjudge the necessary bet sizes, even on good hands. Players making the move to cash games will need to lose the habit of using smaller drawing bets every hand to get the measure of their opponents. A pot sized bet can often take out less confident competition – especially when made pre-flop, giving the player less competing hands to worry about and a better chance of reading the game right.
Playing for the Sake of It
Players used to a tournament setting may be in the habit of playing any hand they feel has a chance. In tournaments once the blinds are in, players want to get their money’s worth to avoid being eliminated by a lost stack. This is not a risk in cash games as players can always buy back in if they lose their stack to the blinds. The trick with cash games in to pick which hands to play. Limiting hands can give the cash player a better shot in the long run.
Failing to Protect a Good Hand
Players who are dealt a pre-flop gift should not be afraid to protect it. A pot-sized bet after the blinds can often knock out those with hands that might otherwise come good on the flop (as seasoned cash game players will be carefully picking the hands to play as recommended above). While it may be tempting to attempt to keep other players in by simply calling the existing bet – this move can be risky and in cash games it is a better overall strategy to keep winning smaller pots and building a healthy stack.