Categories: Cash Game Strategy
| On Updated : Jul 6, 2020 4:38 PM IST

Cash Game Strategies

By Dheeraj Singh

Now that you have the basic knowledge of Poker, you would be pretty eager to try some tables. But wait, learning poker hand rankings, understanding table positions or blindly applying aggression is not enough to become a winner. Like any other game, Poker also involves strategies to yield the best outcome.

After all, you wouldn’t like to sound similar to a random person who has seen some videos, read a few articles and has bumped into the poker table. You might win one or two games, but in the end, you will fail. Random content pieces that do not fit into one strategy or a straight line that can help you in the long run. You might learn one or two tricks, but you will waste a lot of time and money in improving your game.

So, in this section, we will discuss some basic cash game strategies to help you improve your gameplay and make the most from it. You can also check our Tournament Strategy section if you are willing to participate in a tournament.

But, before we head to the cash game strategies, let’s first discuss cash games.

What are the cash games?

Cash Games or often referred to as ring games are a form of Poker games in which you play with real money. Unlike tourneys, these games have no set start or end and run round the clock. Each table or cash game allows you to bet a different amount of the money, i.e. you can choose the table as per your betting needs – big or small.

So, now that we know a bit about the cash game and their fundamental difference from tourneys let’s look up to a few strategies which can help you in bringing out the best results-

Tip-1: Choosing the right table

The basic strategy of playing a cash game is choosing the right table. So, pick a table as per your gaming style and betting capacity. In cash games, you make the profit from the players who are worse than you. So, search for tables that have as many losing players as possible. Always remember, you can quit cash tables at any point in time. So, if the table you are playing is full of professionals and pros, don’t waste your time leave the table immediately.

Tip-2: Bankroll management

As cash games have no defined start and end, bankroll management becomes one of the most crucial strategies while playing them. It also affects your gameplay style. Having a full bankroll will enable you to play your game bold and fearlessly and also allow you to take certain risks that you might not consider otherwise. Let’s say, you think an opponent is bluffing, and you might want to make a call. But, if you are playing tight, you might second-guess yourself and make a fold instead. And, if you’re afraid you could be wrong and lose your money. So, proper bankroll management creates the difference between playing solid poker and scared poker.

Tip-3: Bully or target weak players

Most weak players adopt passive gameplay. So, you have to clearly identify them and play accordingly to make the most from them. Attack them when you have a better hand and force them to play as per your terms. Try to manipulate their gameplay with different bet sizing and raise a wide range. You can also try some bluff but don’t overdo it.  Just like in tourneys, you should often bluff to take advantage of your weak hands. But remember, bluffing and catching the bluff is a crucial skill which you must master to make it a tool.

Tip-4: Learn when to fold or quit

Knowing when to fold or quit is a crucial strategy in cash games. As cash games have no end, it becomes quite challenging to make a decision when to leave. So, whenever you get distracted or start playing with emotions rather than the mind, simply quit without a second thought. There’s a rule while playing poker – never play emotionally, i.e. when you are feeling sad, angry, agitated. Having the full focus on making the right decision at the right moment is the key for winning in poker, be it cash games or tourneys.

Tip-5: Take help of the Poker tools

Apart from your skills, you can also take the help of various tools available in the industry to improve your winning percentage. Taking help of poker tools and software can help a beginner in outsmarting an intermediate. In current times, almost every online player is seeking the help of these tools and software to know the stats and HUD of the opponent while playing.

There is plenty of software that helps you in reviewing your previous hands, tell about the strength of your hand and even identify the gameplay of your opponents. So, search for some of the best tools available online, do research and invest in the best software to increase your winning chances.

Moreover, this doesn’t mean that these tips will help you win each time you play cash games. But, these tips will surely help you naturally increase your winning chances and improve your gameplay over the long run.

Dheeraj Singh

I believe Life and Poker work on the same principle. The more you learn the better you become.