Originally Posted by Antneye

Due to a change in my available playing times (less time per session available to me) I have been migrating over to mostly ring play. For the most part I have been profitable when playing ring, but I am trying to improve my game (as we all are).

I typically play a tight aggressive game, but in tourneys you need to need to take chances to double up and grab the prize. I am running into spots where I have pushed the edge and lost a chunk of my money and am wondering whether I need to walk away from these spots in ring play.

Anybody want to share the difference in their game when playing ring vs tourney? I am talking strictly NL Holdem here.

I'm certainly not an expert so take what I say with a grain of salt. Also note that I play the lowest limit available at pokerroom ($0.25,) so my advice may not apply to larger limits or, perhaps, to the $0.25 limits available at other sites.


Since the blinds aren't increasing and there is no need to build a stack to stay alive, patience is the key in ring games. You're better off just waiting for the big hands and playing them REALLY agressively. Once you pick up a good hand, bet big PF. A lot of people in ring games (at least the ones I play in) are willing to gamble. They have no problem calling 4bb raises with 10/J OS so betting 8-12bbs will either make them fold, and help you to avoid those horrible bad beats that seem to come at the micro limits, or punish them when they still call but miss the flop.

Avoid the trouble hands (AJ, KQ, KJ, etc.) Unless you're good enough to make solid reads post flop and lay down top pair, good kicker, you're better off just avoiding these situations altogether. The only exception to this is when I have position and can see a cheap flop. Then I'll be more likely to limp in and hope to catch 2 pair or better. I'll also due the same with small suited connectors and small to medium pairs.

This isn't a really exciting way to play poker and you'll find that it can be quite tedious grinding out small pots, but it's a good way to consistently make money in the ring games and help you get more comfortable playing them. Once you've built up some experience, you can open up your play and get more creative.

sounds like you may be getting involved in situations where you have 50bb in the pot preflop with AQ agaiunst a dude that you have put all in? Or maybe substitute the AQ with 88?

imo cash is about taking down pots @ the right time.

Ant, you know how to play, so I'm not goign to even bother giving strategy as to what to play when.

Basically the idea of a tournament is to give and take Edges when you need to build or keep your stack. You will fold a situation that might be marginally +EV if it risks a good chunk of your stack, but then you may later may a move that is designed jsut to build enough of your stack to survive.

Ring is the slow, consistent grinding of exploiting your edges in the most profitable way. Certain hands have certain +EV depending on the game situation, and youy play them to their fullest EV. You should never be at risk at not being able to rebuy, so losing your stack is not considered in EV Calculations.

That's why You can 8 table Ring than you can Tournies. You do not have to think about situational problems in the EV. All you really have to understand is the cards, payers, and the current environment at the table.

I kinda prefer the thrill of ring games now. I ahte playing for 4 hours just to make $10.

How many huge pots do you play (and win) in a tourny for no avail later? Ring, you can walk at any time with your winnings....

for ring nl tourney, u have to memorize the betting patterns that most good players will use, and the betting patterns that most fishes use.. scout out which people will chase draws when not given the odds, and which ones wont. this way if ur called down on the flop after u bet potsize with TPTK, and u continue to show strength on the turn with lets say a 3/4 potsize bet, and the guy raises you (and u know this guy doesnt chase against the odds) u can be sure he has a set and has u drawing dead. If ur a tight aggressive player, im guessing that the only hands where u lose money on is when u over play TPTK and other hands similar to that, on the turn and the river, and thus end up pot committing urself when ur drawing dead to the made set.

so just watch out for those instances where u have KQ, limped in from MP.. flop comes K 10 4.. someone else limped in with 44 and hit his set, u bet out potsize on the flop. The guy with the 44 is a tight aggressive player who never chases draws when not given the odds, he ends up just cold calling ur potsize bet on the flop. Turn comes 6, u betout 3/4 potsize on the turn, he min raises you. These are situations u needed to familiarize urself with and make the appropriate laydowns.


also never push all in pf unless u have AA or KK