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Playing a tournament can be incredibly sexy for a poker player, especially a new one. You’ve no doubt watched the professionals cut up the competition on televisions, you’ve tried your hand at some $10 buy-in tournaments in local basement games, and now you want to take the next step and be a regular in the online or casino tournament game. As I always do, I wish you the best of luck, and just you know the benefits and detriments to focusing on tournaments over cash games.

First, what do you expect from a tournament on Absolute Poker Rakeback? You’re going to see more pre-flop all-ins than cash games. You’ll see people racing to get ahead, fighting against the blinds. These should all be expected before you even get started. There are claims that tourney style favor the lucky, and they throw all their weight behind that one A, A pre-flop gem. This holds some water, but in reality the same can be said for any type of poker game. Luck is consistently going to be part of the joy and frustration of poker.

Also, expect to need a larger bankroll if you’re playing tournaments. It’s just a fact. And expect to play multiple times, with multiple new buy-ins, before taking in any cash. A tournament can be all-or-nothing, whereas cash games are, by design, hand to hand.

Volume is also a variable. Some of these online tournaments can include up to or more than 1,000 people. That’s a lot to contend with when you’re trying to get a return. Cash games, of course, probably offer a lower return vs. the time you put in, but the payoff potential is much more frequent. It’s all about what type of game you want.

Cash games can be slower than tournaments as far as actual playing goes. You have a better opportunity to watch and read someone who sticks at your table. The process is a bit more methodical. Every hand counts in real money. Tournaments are a bit faster. As mentioned, it’s more of a race. You might not be able to try that check-raise the way you would in a cash game.