cash games vs touneys?

[ballboy75]

Well...Ive been talking to a few players around here and benn trying to find out how exactly it is that people are successfull in poker, one way or another.
Ive spoken with those who are great MTT players and those who prefer cash games.
In a cash game, one can play rather automatically and not need to change his style unless things are going horribly. Also, playing a vast amount of tables reduces the amount of time one can dedicate to each hand, thinking it through and being able to make a great play (bluffing....).
In MTT's reaching the money is much harder than in a cash game, one hand isnt enough to win you money, you must show discipline, patience and obviously a common knowledge of the game (more if you hope to win). It isnt as if these thing arent important in cash games as well, yet they play a bigger role in a tourney and may be the deciding factors in your success in one MTT or another.
There is also the time needed to play in each of the above.
A cash game can be played for one hand if desired, in a MTT, you can also play one hand, IF U BUST or have suffered from a cardiac arrest at your computer (lets pray that no one ever has that misfortune (i can understand if you flop a roayk flush).
I personally would have to say I prefer MTT's. I play more cash games because its easier for me to win money at them but I feel great when i make the money in a big tourney, its reqarding and reassures me that at least i can do something right.
What do you guys prefer? why?

p.s I dont count SNG's in here.

[C8H10N4O2]

It depends on my mood.

[CallifyouDare]

I mainly play 1 or 2 tables tournaments because I'm not confident enough to go cash gaming and because larger tourneys would require more than I could afford in time. A SNG usually runs for an hour (online) and that's about the maximum I can spend right now on a daily basis.

But even if I had that much time to spare for MTTs, I'd rather go for cash gaming. In terms of positive financial outcome, you'd need to run very deep in a MTT to be positive (over all the entry fees you've paid for all the tourneys you've entered) whereas in cash game, on single session is enough to be positive.

The above comparison is made with a low/medium level of skill in mind. Of course, if you're a highly skilled player, MTTs could probably be best for you. And even so, I think cash games have more flexibility (you can sit/leave whenever you want).

[travz21]

Cash games are always more consistent and, unless you have a big enough BR to be playing the biggest buyin online MTT's around, I don't see how you could make a living at it. I had a friend who was solely an MTT pro since he was 16. He would run hot for a month or two and then be done for the year basically. He's had one huge cash (120k, I think) in the last year, but that's the only significant number he's put up in that span. Subtract all his other tourney buyins that he didn't cash in from that and you'll still have a decent yearly wage, but the dry spells would be unbearable I think. You can play perfect and not make any money for a couple months. Needless to say, he got tired of that and has now moved on to midstakes/high stakes NL heads up cash. Cash games are more appealing to me for that reason. Maybe I'm just a twat though.

[thegrizz1111]

In MTT's reaching the money is much harder than in a cash game, one hand isnt enough to win you money, you must show discipline, patience and obviously a common knowledge of the game (more if you hope to win). It isnt as if these thing arent important in cash games as well, yet they play a bigger role in a tourney and may be the deciding factors in your success in one MTT or another.

In my opinion patience and discipline are much more important in cash game play than in mtts.

[MikeyEl]

Which type of game all depends on what I am feeling.

SnGs offer the opportunity to play the whole spectrum of a tournament in a shortened fashion.

Cash offers the opportunity to play for whatever amount of time, and to play BEYOND the flop and beyond the flop.

MTTs can offer entertainment for hours, and the potential for a huge payoff. Cons...they take HOURS.

[gerhardt]

I like to play MTT's most of the time. Only thing that busts my b*lls sometimes is you start well, get a big stack, and after playing for about 4-5 hours, get bored/paranoid and are takin out before the money. When I get a bigger BR I would move to STG's and fair better than in MTT's.