Cash Game - Complete Guide to Strategies and Tips

Cash Game Characteristics

• Free entry and exit: You can sit and leave whenever you want
• Chips = Real money: Each chip is worth its value in money
• No time pressure: No increasing blinds or elimination
• Play at your pace: You control how long you want to play
• Unlimited rebuy: You can buy more chips at any time

Cash Games

• You can enter and leave at any time
• Chips are worth real money directly
• Fixed blinds (don't increase)
• Focus on making money long-term
• Less variance (swings) than tournaments
• More conservative and mathematical strategy

Tournaments

• Defined start time
• Chips don't equal money until reaching prize pool
• Blinds increase progressively
• Focus on surviving and reaching the money
• High variance (can win big or nothing)
• Adaptive strategy as blinds increase

Micro Stakes

• NL2 (No Limit $0.01/$0.02) - Blinds of 1c/2c
• NL5 (No Limit $0.02/$0.05) - Blinds of 2c/5c
• NL10 (No Limit $0.05/$0.10) - Blinds of 5c/10c
• Ideal for beginners to learn

Low Stakes

• NL25 (No Limit $0.10/$0.25) - Blinds of 10c/25c
• NL50 (No Limit $0.25/$0.50) - Blinds of 25c/50c
• NL100 (No Limit $0.50/$1.00) - Blinds of 50c/$1
• Intermediate level for experienced players

Mid Stakes

• NL200 (No Limit $1/$2) - Blinds of $1/$2
• NL500 (No Limit $2/$5) - Blinds of $2/$5
• NL1000 (No Limit $5/$10) - Blinds of $5/$10
• For advanced players with solid bankroll

No Limit (NL)

You can bet all your chips at any time. It's the most popular format and what you'll find at most tables.

Pot Limit (PL)

You can bet up to the size of the current pot. Common in Omaha and other variants.

Fixed Limit (FL)

Fixed bets in each round. Less common today, but still available in some rooms.

20-30 Buy-ins Rule

Have at least 20-30 full buy-ins for the level you want to play. For example:

• For NL10 ($0.05/$0.10): Have $200-300
• For NL25 ($0.10/$0.25): Have $500-750
• For NL50 ($0.25/$0.50): Have $1,000-1,500

This protects you against natural poker downswings (losing periods).

When to Move Up

Move up only when:

• You have sufficient bankroll (20-30 buy-ins)
• You're winning consistently at current level
• You feel comfortable and confident
• You've studied and are prepared for next level

What to Look For

• Tables with many players: More action = more opportunities
• High average pot: Indicates more aggressive and loose players
• High players per flop: Many players entering hands
• Weak players: Look for poor playing patterns

What to Avoid

• Very tight tables with little action
• Tables with many professional players
• Tables where you're consistently losing
• Tables with very aggressive players you can't read

Early Positions

You act first, so you need stronger hands. Be more selective and conservative.

Late Positions

You act last, so you can play more hands. Use your position to steal blinds and control pot size.

Player Types

• Tight-Aggressive (TAG): Plays few hands, but aggressive when playing. Respect their bets.
• Loose-Aggressive (LAG): Plays many hands aggressively. Exploit with strong hands.
• Tight-Passive (Rock): Plays few hands and rarely bets. Steal their blinds.
• Loose-Passive (Calling Station): Plays many hands but rarely bets. Value bet your strong hands.

When to Build the Pot

• When you have a very strong hand (top pair, overpair, etc.)
• Against players who call too much (calling stations)
• On boards that favor your hand
• When you have the best possible hand (nuts)

When to Keep Pot Small

• With marginal hands (middle pair, bottom pair)
• Against very aggressive players
• On dangerous boards (many straight/flush possibilities)
• When you're out of position

Mistakes to Avoid

• Playing with insufficient bankroll: Recipe for disaster
• Not respecting position: Playing weak hands out of position
• Calling too much: Being too passive and not betting when you should
• Betting too much: Being too aggressive without reason
• Not adjusting strategy: Always playing the same way
• Playing on tilt: Continuing to play when emotional
• Ignoring table selection: Sitting at any table without analyzing