Ring Games

Ring games, also called "cash games" or "live action games," are poker games played with "real" chips and money on the line, usually with no predetermined end time. In contrast, a poker tournament is played with tournament chips (worth nothing outside the tournament) and with a definite end condition (usually, only one player left).

Players may freely buy into or cash out of a ring game between hands. However, it is normally prohibited for a player to remove just a portion of his or her chips from the table. This is known as "ratholing". For example, if a player buys in for $100, then wins $100 (for a total stack of $200), the player may not remove the original $100 buy-in while remaining seated. He would have to forfeit his seat, possibly wait to rejoin the game, and buy in again for $100.

Ring games are played for "table stakes." that is, the chips on the table at the time the round begins. If, in the middle of a hand, a hand in which a player is still involved, a player attempts to put additional money onto the table (from his/her wallet), he may not do so until the conclusion of the current hand.

Tournaments and ring games have different basic strategies. One difference between tournaments and cash games is that the blind/ante structure of tournaments increases periodically over the course of the tournament, whereas the blind/ante structure of cash games remains constant. Another difference between the tournaments and cash games is that a tournament sticks with a predetermined style of poker, and cash game players, depending on house rules, may have the option of playing other types of card games. Some online cash games offer a variety of choices limited only by the game software.

Other differences between ring games and tournament poker are that, in ring games sometimes straddles and chops are allowed. A live straddle is a dark bet (i.e., a blind bet) of two big blinds by the player first to act, who is then entitled to bet again if the bet is not raised. A chop is an agreement between the players in the blinds to retract their blind bets if no one else has bet. A chop prevents the casino from taking a rake from the pot.

In "no limit" poker ring games, some card rooms have a maximum buy-in that prevents players from buying a chip stack size advantage. In limit poker games, there is seldom a maximum buy-in because betting limits on each hand already limit the advantage of having a larger chip stack.

In a casino, a rake is usually taken from a pot if a flop is shown and the pot reaches a certain dollar value. Some games take a time rake instead of a pot rake. In these games players pay a seat charge every half hour.

An example of a ring game is broadcast on the United States television network GSN as High Stakes Poker.

• The Big Game" refers to a famous poker cash game played in "Bobby's Room" at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The table features no-limit and pot-limit games with wagers up to $100,000 per hand. Limit games high as $4000/$8000 are often played, but $2,000/$4,000 is the norm. The table features a variety of poker games played in rotation and changing every 8-10 hands. The games are selected from a list of the players' choices, including:
• Texas hold 'em (limit and no limit);
• Seven-card stud (straight high, eight or better Hi/Lo (also Hi/Lo regular, which does not have an 8 high requirement for a low hand) (limit);
• Omaha (straight high, eight or better Hi/Lo, limit and pot limit);
• Deuce-to-seven triple draw (limit);
• Deuce-to-seven single draw (no limit);
• Ace-to-Five triple draw (limit);
• Ace-to-Five single draw (no limit);
• Razz

Usually players buy in for $200,000-300,000, but anyone with the minimum buy in of $80,000 is welcome to play.