There are many different types and formats of poker games. In practice, only three are widely popular and, simultaneously, the most profitable ones.
Of course, we are talking about multi-table tournaments, cash games, and Spin & Go’s. These formats are all primarily played in No Limit Holdem but have some crucial differences. Which game should you pick to enjoy poker the most?
Different poker formats offer different thrills
Let’s start with an important caveat. We’ve already discussed the profitability of these formats in another piece: Which online poker game should you choose in 2024?
Here, we’d like to take a closer look at how enjoyable different poker formats are and which are the most suitable for your needs. When you start to play poker, it’s easy to get lost in the maze of various available formats. It also takes time to try out every different one of them to find out which is the most enjoyable for you. It’s a necessary condition, as we firmly believe that’s what poker should be: entertainment.
Only if you enjoy playing poker can you take another step and become so good that you’ll be able to live off the game.
A lot of recreational players enjoy multi-table tournaments
This format holds much appeal for the average player. It’s also the one most present in various media. After all, it’s tough to top the news that someone won hundreds of thousands of dollars overnight or a million or two over a few days of a live poker MTT.
Poker tournaments can be a wild ride. While the outcomes of all poker games are affected by luck in the short term, the luck impact is usually the biggest in the tournaments. That’s probably why many recreational players see them as such a thrilling poker format. However, there are a few essential things to consider when determining whether MTTs should be your game of choice.
Firstly, the tournaments can last long hours, and you can’t really do anything about it. If you’d like to take a shot at the biggest prizes, you have to spend up to 12 hours straight in one sitting. Admittedly, you can choose tournaments with smaller player pools, but that reflects in their prize pool.
Remember that, barring poker major tournaments, most of the time, you’ll play short-stacked in MTTs. So, as thrilling as tournaments can be, you’ll usually be unable to play fancy poker as you won’t have a big stack at your disposal. You also have to keep in mind that there are no second chances after the late registration ends. After you lose your last chip, you are done.
Moreover, almost every tournament prize pool is very top-heavy, meaning the first prize can be up to 20 times bigger than the ninth-place prize. The steep structure has good and bad sides, but one thing is for sure, the top 3 is the place to be in any tournament.
Despite their drawbacks, tournaments are one of the healthiest online poker formats. Big prize pools keep attracting recreational players who dream of winning life-changing money. That, obviously, draws regular players, and as a result, most tournaments consist of a good mix of both groups.
If you can spend a lot of time at once and have a mindset strong enough to overcome notorious losses in the late stages of such events, you probably should give MTTs a go.
Poker cash games – a shadow of the former glory
Cash game offers a unique experience. You almost always play with over 100 big blinds, and you can walk away from the table or top up any time you want. While they are considered by many as the purest poker format out there, cash games are definitely not as popular and not as thriving as they used to be.
Don’t get us wrong, we understand perfectly why they are so appealing for some and at the same time so esteemed as “the best poker format”, but they have fallen out of favor with recreational players, at least online. There can be many possible reasons for that, but the fact is that cash games are way more challenging and less popular than they used to be a few years ago.
That being said, there are still plenty of low to mid-stakes players. The higher stakes lost most of its player pool, though. Despite their dire situation, being a cash game player still has some advantages.
Firstly, cash games do not require a lot of your time. You can play as long as you want, buy-in for as much as you want and, most importantly, stop playing at any point. Secondly, while you won’t be able to win life-changing money in one go, playing deep-stacked will let you try out very creative lines, which can be a lot of fun. Thirdly, cash games are very complex, requiring you to study many scenarios. If you do so, you’ll obtain the knowledge that will help you understand the poker theory better and improve your skills in other poker formats.
Lastly, despite online cash games being in poor shape, live poker is thriving, including live cash games. If you are good enough to break even at mid-stakes online, you will likely crush most of the mid-stakes live games where significantly more money is at stake.
Spin & Go’s – the ugly duckling that turned into a beautiful swan
When Spins emerged for the first time, they were not received warmly. Many professional players look at them like they are a casino game. Randomly drawn prize pools, short play time, and relatively short stacks deterred poker pros. However, as time passed, many professionals changed their perception, and rightfully so.
It turned out that recreational players really liked spins and the game itself was not as devoid of strategy as it looked at first glance. In fact, it is on the contrary. Spins turned out to be an exciting poker format that offers fast-paced gameplay without much downtime. Oh, and every now and then, you’ll hit a prize pool multiplier, giving you a shot at a substantial prize.
All of its not-so-obvious advantages lead to the creation of Smart Spin. For the last few years, we’ve coached hundreds of players, many of whom made much money on spins. Some of them are top Spin & Go players to this day.
While the path to the top is neither easy nor short, we are confident that spins are a way to go in modern poker. Let’s look at their advantages:
Firstly, the games are quick, attracting many recreational players and allowing you to finish your session at almost any time. It also enables you to play a lot of spins in one sitting, which usually translates into quite a hefty rakeback.
Secondly, they are way more complicated than they seem, which is a really good thing. Spins’ complexity allows you to create a significant edge over worse players and, consequently, to win money from them.
Lastly, they offer you an occasional bonus in the form of a prize pool multiplier. You won’t hit it often, but if you do, you’ll likely be well-equipped to win it. And trust us, winning big multipliers is a one-of-a-kind feeling.
Of course, despite being our game of choice, we know that spins are not ideal. Their biggest flaw is that they require commitment. However, if playing spins sounds enjoyable and you’re willing to sink into this world, you’ll most likely be rewarded for it.
So, would you like to play Spin & Go’s with us?
If that sounds like an exciting proposition, we’re here for you. Contact us and join an evergrowing community of players from different stakes with one common aim – to crush the game.
We have experienced coaches , extensive studying materials , and solid guidelines to kickstart your poker career. We’ve helped hundreds of players, and we will most likely be able to help you. Try our offer for the first month for free!