The two big ways to play poker are cash game (money tables) and tournaments. They look alike but reward different things. This comparison helps you choose.
Cash game
- •Chips = real money: every chip is worth what it says. You sit down and cash out whenever you want.
- •Deep stacks (100bb), rich postflop play.
- •Less variance: the swings are smoother; ideal for learning at a calm pace.
Tournaments
- •You pay one entry and play until you run out of chips; the prizes are split by finishing position.
- •Chips aren't worth their face value linearly (the ICM): surviving has value in itself.
- •Lots of variance but a big prize: you can play for hours and cash nothing, or take down a huge pot.
💡 To start out, cash usually teaches better (more postflop hands, less variance). Tournaments hook you with the excitement and the big prize.
🎓 Understand ICM in tournaments→