Good in SnGs but suck in cash ring games

[Mischief]

I've been playing 6+.50 turbo sngs at PokerStars and am up around $400 in profit. I've tried some cash game at various levels .01 - .02 to .25 - .50 I have probably lost around $80. As of now I am perfectly happy playing SnGs but was wondering why I am successful in these and not cash games. Do players play differently or is it something phsycological.
thx for your opinions.

[a500lbgorilla]

Pokerstars ring games suck. They're tight/weak and by the books preflop. No one will put any money in the pot. You've gotta push things yourself and it becomes a bore. If you wanna play some cash games, get some money on party.

The blinds are so small that they can camp and trap all day long and show a tiny profit. And for them, that's poker.

-'rilla

[scottyses]

If when you start playing on party you are still losing in the ring games, it may be that they are boring you. SNG's are fast pace tourneys where every hand has the potential of knocking someone out and putting you closer to payout. Full ring games on the other hand, are primarily a waiting game (especially at lower limits where half the players are calling stations). If you find your attention span drifting, try playing 2 or 3 tables at once. This is sure to give you enough action to "stay in the game."

[UncleBuddy]

If when you start playing on party you are still losing in the ring games, it may be that they are boring you. SNG's are fast pace tourneys where every hand has the potential of knocking someone out and putting you closer to payout. Full ring games on the other hand, are primarily a waiting game (especially at lower limits where half the players are calling stations). If you find your attention span drifting, try playing 2 or 3 tables at once. This is sure to give you enough action to "stay in the game."

Very well put.

[Hubris1]

As has been said, ring games have half the table waiting for hands that will bust some poor sod and the other half are people happily throwing money away every hand.

If you play super tight super aggresive you can make money doing ring games, and I think ring games, particularly low stakes where people are crazy, are good practice for early SNGs or MTTs, but as far as real poker, its mostly statistics.

Money time in MTTs and 5 or 6 handed SNGs or six max is real poker with people pulling all kinds of crazy shenanigans to stay in the race. Real bluffing and power plays go on there, if you bluff and are even remotely Loose/agg in low stakes ring games you'll be making out a check to pstars soon.

[Yeldud]

Mischief:
I am inthe same situation at UB. I was doing well in STNGO's $1.00 thru $10.00 tourneys finishing ITM more often than not. I recently switched to ring games where I have been break even over 3 weeks (down in the first two weeks but up in week 3 as I changed my style a bit). My observations comparing the two:

1) Ring games- be patient, full ring games can be boring forcing you to play marginal hands only because you feel like you have not played a hand in a while. If this happens, switch to 6Max where the action is faster and you can be more aggressive, or try multi tabling.

2) At UB, IMO, the touney players are more sound at playing than alot of people at the low stakes ring games. I have found the low stake ring games to be mine fields with players playing hands like 7-3 or 6-2, not knowing any better. It seems that they more often than not will call outrageuos raises down to the river and actually hit these hands. Over time, you will outplay these opponents and take their money, you just have to be patient.

3) I find the play better at .25/.50 and 1.00/2.00 tables. If your bank roll allows, try these tables as I have found the players to be better and not calling down to the river hitting miracle inside straights. When I asked my buddies that play tourneys, the vast majority will not play lower than .25/.50 at ring games as thye find the players too erratic.

I will also note that full ring games have taught me to be patient, whcih has helped my multi tourney game tremendously.