Cash Games vs Tournaments – Which is Better?

Rummy is a fun card game that can be played online as regular cash games or in tournaments. To know which option is the best, let’s have a look at the pros and cons of both.

Pros of cash games

1. Freedom to choose when to play – In tournaments, you are bound to a tournament registration period, but in cash games you can just sit and play as long as you want. You can choose if you wish to play for 30 minutes or 5 hours straight on any given day.

2. Smaller bankroll requirements – Though a debatable topic, tournaments often tend to have buy-ins of higher value than for a cash game.

Cons of cash games

1. Can get monotonous – Joining tables, and playing classic rummy games can start feeling like a grind after a while. So, tournaments can be a good refresher.

2. No massive paydays – Regular cash games have less value buy-ins and less value winnings too. So, you won’t be able to make lakhs of money in one go.

Pros of tournaments

1. When you win, you win big – Tournaments usually have extremely high prize pools. In fact, it’s even possible to win a million dollars in a two to five day session. So, it is a great way to make lots of money in less time.

2. Play high stakes against really bad players – You will often come across amateurs trying to play tournaments for the first time. So, you can easily beat them with your experience and high-level skillset.

Remember:  Cash prizes are of higher value here as compared to usual cash games.

Cons of tournaments

1. Time consuming – As mentioned earlier, tournaments are bound to a tournament registration period. So, you need to invest a lot of hours even before the tournament actually begins. The tournament itself can take up hours to finish. So, a quick game is not possible when you play rummy for cash in tournaments.

2. Deposit required of larger sum – Certain tournaments require a deposit a week before the tournament begins. So, your money gets locked into your account, and you get to enjoy it. Cash games, on the other hand, do not require high-value amounts in your account.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Before deciding which one to play, ask yourself the following questions:

1. How much time do I have to play?

If you have a busy schedule stick to cash games, otherwise go for tournaments.

2. What do I want out of rummy?

Is your ultimate goal to earn money, pass the time, or improve your skillset? If your primary goal is to earn money, then go for tournaments. But if you wish to simply pass your time or improve your skillset, then cash games are the ideal platform for you.

3. What do I want to play the most?

The ultimate choice between cash games and tournaments lies in the answer to this question. What do you really want? Maybe today you cannot afford to invest a lot of time, so stick to cash games. If you hate cash games or tournaments, don’t torture yourself. Think what makes you happy and choose accordingly.