By poker_boy | 5 Comments
Last updated: Saturday, January 3, 2009 | 113 Views Tags: blinds, chips, confusion, cool thing, decent player, poker pros, poker tournaments, stack, wsop
We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of poker. Let’s take a look:
So of course I have to build my bankroll. I rarely come out winning out at sit and go tables but I've been playing in tournaments online and about half the times I reach the final table. But I'm always short stack at the final table so it's really hard for me to win.
The cool thing is even if you lose you still make money just for reaching the final table.
I guess my question is do poker pros play more in tournaments or at the sit and go tables where the blinds never go up.
For me it seems safer to play in the tournaments because you can win money with out having to win it all and everyone has an equal chance at the beginning to win. I don't usually win at the sit and go because there is always somebody who has more money than me and can bully me.
I did mean cash ring games. Sorry about the confusion
Maybe I exaggerated a little but I do get to the final table quite often. Once I have a nice stack of chips I pretty much just wait til most people are knocked out, which is probably the reason I end up short stacked
It sounds like you might be playing a tad bit tight-passive since you indicated it is easy for you to be bullied. Don't change your whole game, but try hittin' back a bit and see where it takes you!
But if you end up winning consistently and profiting at the MTTs, you hunger should take over and see if you can start WINNING the big tourneys rather than just placing in them.
Mike Smith
January 3, 2009
It sounds like you should stick to the tournaments. Also the way you are describing the sit-n-goes, it sound more like the ring game(cash game tables). That is where you can buy in for whatever amount you want. Also if you think people are bullying you with more money, maybe you should move down in stakes where you can afford to gamble more and maybe be the bully yourself.
PS- Sit-n-goes are basically smaller versions of tournaments to help you build experience in different part of tournaments, whether heads up, final table(9 players), 18 players, or whatever else the site you play on offers. I know on Pokerstars and Full Tilt they offer sit-n-goes up to 180 people.
January 3, 2009
Ok- so after deciphering your post I have realized that you don't mean sit and gos. A sit and go is a TYPE of tourny that starts when a certain amount of people have registered.
I think what you are referring to is a ring cash game.
The answer to whether pros play more sit and gos or cash games is…. personal choice. Some pros are cash game players others are tournament players. If you are succeeding at tournys but not cash games, then play tourneys.
That being said, it seems to me that you are probably not playing the right hands in cash games. You might want to tighten you hand selection up but be willing to make larger bets with those hands. Basically, classic tight agressive play.
January 3, 2009
So let me see… you often make the final table in tournaments, but you rarely come out ahead on the cash games… and you are asking which one you should play?
uhhh.. I'll say you should play the one where you are winning money as opposed to the one you rarely win.
January 3, 2009
I only play in tournaments anymore, for some of the reasons you mention, but the biggest reason is all the cheating that seems to go on in ring games. Collusion, teams, etc that I seem to run into quite a bit.If you are watching for it, you can spot it pretty easily.
Cheating is a lot more common in poker than most people think it is, here is a link: http://www.thedoverpro.com/pokercheat.htm
From a bankroll standpoint, I find that I can cash pretty often in tournaments and build the bankroll that way.
Good luck at the tables.
January 3, 2009
if what u say is true and it isnt for a fact u should stick to tournaments
some of the best pros that win major tournies only place in the money about 20% of the time so for u to claim 50 is a little unrealistic. BUt you should sit and play where u are most comfortable.
also there are cash games that have a cap on your buy in. like 25 is the most u can bring to a .10 ,25cent 6 max tables on pokerstars. at least noone can buy in for more than u there.