Hello ! I currently play limit cash games 5c/10c texas hold'em. I want to play STT/MTTs as well for variety. They are far more plentiful as NL as they are at FL; in fact, it seems that NL works much better for tournaments than FL does.

I have focused a lot of time and energy on the FL cash game, and would like to know how I can leverage that info for NL MTT. Specifically :


1) Is there a comparison between early to middle NL MTT and NL cash games ? If I am able to often get into the bubble, I wonder what impact that would have on NL cash game performance.

2) Can early MTT play be considered the same as a cash game, with respect to strategy ? In other forums I lurk, MTT players who are stuck are often told to work on their cash game - why is that ?

3) How much time and effort would it take to keep an edge in both cash and MTT ? Note I am not looking for an instant win button, only to gauge what time commitment I will need to make.

4) What additional steps would someone need to take to leverage my limit cash game experience to exploit NL cash games and MTT ? Many people speak as if the difference is as big as the one between Texas Hold'em and Omaha.... but I have to wonder about that. I mean, what is the big deal ?

My opinion
FL cash games, NL cash games, NL SNG and Big MTTs all this games have different strategy. Same for FL cash full ring and FL cash SH.
The start of tourneys If are in a deep stack tourney let say 5000 starting chips Blinds 10/20 and 30 min blinds this give u a much bigger room for play looser because everybody is bigger stacked compare to the blinds, and u can take a hit, (more room for re raise 3betting etc). When are in a 10 min blind structure fast blinds 1500 starting chips this room get smaller and we have to tight up and play stronger the hands we are involved in. Cash game NL people normally sit whit 100 big blinds (deep all the game), so I don’t think we can compare cash games to NL tourneys, because strategy will always be to meet the blinds another way of thinking for tourneys, and in cash games since u are pretty deep all the time u learn to find weak players this is what u are locking for all the time when play, if the table is to strong simply go out and find another table and sit wait for what u are locking for.
I think to go from FL cash to MTTs is like learn a new game, and u have to start from beginning and try forget habits in FL game, maybe best forget that u ever played FL cash. So is not so easy to give u a good answer here, do u have some example situations stuff like this, do u use some poker tools like pokertracker?

My PokerTracker 3 trial has expired. I am on the HEM trial, but I do not like it. My main focus is to fix my limit cash game, so learning a new game from scratch will have to be weighed against how much it takes away from that.

My overall poker goal was to have a solid cash game, then play in tourneys on occasion. My cash game is very weak, as I struggle with post flop play. I thought that if I could try out other things, I might get some variety and learn more. But from your comment, it appears that I am not able to use anything from FL to do any of that. I can't really figure out how much time it will take. I have played in some NL tourneys and 1 SnG already, so I will have to figure out how badly I want to chase after that stuff. I am not rolled for a flat out switch to NL, but there are some cheap SnGs that I can get into. PokerStars and Full Tilt even have FL tourneys and Sngs - I may check that out.

Due to time constraints, I do not think I would want to focus on MTT exclusively. Then again, I can see why it attracts so many people. As I type this, I finished a cash game session where I experienced +/- 25 BB ! Not everyone can deal with that, I know.

I find NL MTT to be therapeutic compared to the craziness of a cash game. There's not enough there to make me want to switch, though...

Hi,

An interesting topic.

I myself prefer MTT and SnG to ring games and yes the difference from Limit to NL I find is very extensive and enjoy both. Ring games, when I play, I enjoy limit.

Betting and hands played are what I see the major adjustments. Yes quite a different play, but might I suggest (esp if time restricted) try the 45, 90 or 180 man SnG NL. These are a great introduction to NL MTT games.

GL >^_^<