Playing Cash Games Again (and playing well)

I finally started playing cash games again, approaching them with the same discipline and principles of my tournament play. The only exception being that I'm adapting my play to the cash format of course. I'm playing $1/$2 on PokerStars right now.

I've felt really good about my play, and not just because of results (although doubling my buy-in the last two sessions was nice too). Here's a quick list of what I'm doing right:

1. I'm playing third and fourth level poker, but only with players that are thinking 2nd and 3rd level. I feel like I'm one step ahead of their plays and their emotions based on the way I've been playing. BUT, I also feel I'm adapting to those who are only playing their cards at the same time.

2. I'm playing position well.

3. I'm controling the pot size and not overbetting hands.

4. I'm not afraid to bet, raise or call when it makes sense to do so against the right players at the right time.

5. I'm mixing up my play - both betting patterns and hand selection.

6. Well timed bluffs against the right players based on their past patterns. Example was a nice squeeze play into a habitual button raiser who was re-popped a few times by another player and had shown the tendency to fold. The SB was a habitual caller. Button raises $6, SB calls, I make it $30 with J9os...both fold. It worked better for me because it was the first time I made that play into him.

7. I'm not afraid to fold AA on a scary flop against a tight player, but at the same time, I'm not afraid to call with middle pair against a different player.

8. I'm not limping and hoping with connectors. I used to never do that, but then during a string of bad local cash game losses, I found that was a major leak. I was essentially chasing all night because everyone else was and I was trying to force a big pot. It's funny because that is the complete opposite of how I play. If I'm going to play connectors, you should never really now how I'm going to play them...fold, raise, random limp on button only to mix it up, raise into limpers, call a raise, fold again to a different person's raise, limp behind others....who knows (mostly fold though :-))

9. I'm observing and capitalizing on changing table conditions based on recent hands and emotions between other players. I can feel who's frustrated, playing with ego, getting passive, etc.

10. I'm aggressive

11. I'm patient


I'm really enjoying the cash game play. I feel like I'm able to exercise my ability to fully trust my reads without that worry of busting out. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE tournaments and tournament strategy. But the cash game play is allowing me to flex some different muscles that I normally would only get to do very deep stacked and I think the repetition of it will help me continue to both trust my reads, but also bet accordingly. Ultimately, it will help my tournament play and get me closer to my goal.