Tue, 09/13/2011 – 07:41 – PokerPages Staff

When playing online poker at PokerStars there are two main ways in which you can play the game.  Both ways offer a fantastic poker experience, but with major differences between the formats it is important that beginner poker players are aware of what they are getting themselves into before they sit down at the virtual table.  If you’ve ever wondered what the differences are, read on and be illuminated.

Cash Ring Games

Cash ring games are the sort of games that people play around kitchen tables up and down the country.  Likewise, if you’ve ever walked into a casino and just started playing poker at a table, the likelihood is that you are playing a cash ring game.  All poker bets at cash ring tables are for real money, with the possibility on some tables of playing for some seriously high stakes.  It is important to be aware at all times that each bet you place is for your money from your account.

Tournaments

Whether playing a single or multi table tournament, the premise remains the same: your entry fee, or buy-in, buys you a stack of chips from which all of your bets are taken.  Other than your buy-in, no more of your money is at risk, as every other bet is for ‘imaginary’ money.  Chips have no monetary value, with the prize structure of tournaments dictated by the number of players participating and the size of the buy-in.  Unlike a cash ring game, where you can choose to walk away and cash up after any hand, in a tournament players only leave the table when they are out.

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