Quote:
Originally Posted by NWPatriot
Thanks for a little validation. Yes, finishing 1st is the ultimate goal, but you must have stepping stone goals along the way. Double up, then 10X original stack, then ITM, then final table, then win it outright. ROI is obviously the ultimate goal, but you can't get to the final table without first getting ITM right?
Is shifting from strictly tournament play to cash ring games a difficult transition? I am hearing a lot of negativity towards profiting from tourney play. I guess the reason i was attracted to tourney play was that I knew exactly how much I could lose in any particular outing. This may sound like a negative perspective, but I really wanted to be sure i didn't get in over my head too quickly.
Actually, when I had to decided what I what form of poker I wanted to play, that was an important part of my decision.
I don't want anything to do with something addictive. I decided that very early, just from seeing the addictions of others. My problem wasn't getting addicted to poker. My concern was the other players. Specifically, I didn't want to sit at the table with the stereotypical gambler who gets in a cash game, doesn't know when to quit and loses his entire paycheck or the kid's college fund. I wanted nothing to do with that possibility. When I played my first live tournament I knew that the most I could take from someone was their $40 buy-in.
That was reinforced when I worked at a rescue mission for 9 years and saw what alcohol and other drugs did to people.
I have never consumed an alcoholic beverage or a even a cup of coffee, because I knew people that got addicted to both. I don't take any non-prescribed medicine, not even aspirin. I made the decision that I would never go down that road when I was 10 years old.
Regarding profits of cash games vs. tournaments, it is very different. I made the choice to play only tournaments for reasons already stated. Also, I understand tournaments and have played many different kinds, including chess. I like the idea of winning and losing, of being the best or at least finishing high in a tournament. It just makes sense to me.
The one thing you need to know is that tournament income is
much more irregular than with cash games. I talked online to someone who played cash games, then the following year played only tournaments. He made three times as much in his tournament year than the previous (cash) year, but more than half of his income was from just two cashes.
Tournament incomes are made from a few big cashes. Most of the tournament prize money is made at the final table, and most of the final table money is in the top three spots. Look at a tournament and see how much you would profit from winning it twice, then compare that to how many minimum cashes you would need to make the same amount.
In your situation, the fact that you're thinking carefully about what games to play and how to manage your money puts you way ahead of most beginners. I think you'll do just fine.
Last edited by Poker Clif; 07-19-2017 at 05:09 AM.
Reason: spelling