Choices

At this point in my poker evolution I feel like I have to make a big decision - cash games or tournaments?

The two are so different from each other and I still have so much to learn that I feel like I'm doing my poker mind a disservice by alternating between the two. Instead of learning each in moderate increments I'm probably taking a half step forward in one and a full step back in the other.

I like cash games because I'm already a solid player up to and including 5-10 NL but the appeal and excitement of tournaments has me hooked. You have to focus on every single hand and basically play mistake free in order to stand a real shot - whereas in a cash game you can take some hands off or switch to autopilot because of the static blinds and not really run into any kind of trouble. In a tournament, you need to be on your A game from beginning to end or you're done for.

Plus, I haven't had a really big tournament score yet and I feel like I'm fully capable of one - $2500 is my largest ever cash and that was for winning the Bodog $8500 Guaranteed last winter.

For me ... cash games are like the cute girl two floors above you. You pass her all the time and she laughs at your little jokes and gives you that smile each day. In other words, you know it can be had when you want it. All it would take is a few drinks, some attention, and selling her the best version of you that you have.

Tournaments are different. Tournaments are the hot girl at the bar who won't even humor a dude by letting him by her a drink. She'll talk to the smoking hot bartender who's probably her roommate and then she'll flirt with the muscle head at the door who's getting paid $10/hr under the table to act hard and wear a black shirt that's two sizes too small for him.

But you know what? If you have the confidence to take a shot and if luck is on your side, you have a chance. Maybe she glances at you for longer than a second and you get the balls to walk over there and make her laugh a few times. And you stay focused. No wasted words because she's heard every line there is and shot them all down with better comebacks. You know what you want and so does she, but you come with the right game and a few hours later you're drunk kissing in the elevator all the way up to her loft and it ends in the two of you catching your breath on the floor, completely spent and smiling a stupid, blissful grin.

That's what I want. I want to fuck the hot girl.

I want to win the tournament.