Intermediate The Impact of Cold Decks on Multi-table vs. Cash Games Owen Gaines Owen Gaines is a professional poker player and author who has played an estimated ten million hands and written four poker strategy books. September 9, 2025 Understanding cold decks will help you prepare mentally and strategically for the long gameCold decks are an inevitable part of poker, and how they influence a player’s results varies significantly between multi-table tournaments (MTTs) and cash games. A cold deck refers to situations where strong hands are consistently beaten by even stronger ones, or when a player simply cannot find playable cards over an extended stretch. While the cards are out of a player’s control, the format being played greatly determines how damaging these runs can be. In multi-table tournaments, cold decks can be especially punishing. Tournament chips are finite, blinds increase steadily, and losing a key hand often means elimination. If a player consistently finds themselves running into stronger holdings, their stack can dwindle quickly, even if they make technically correct decisions.Because tournaments only offer one buy-in at a time, a cold deck streak can end a run abruptly, and the player must wait for the next event. The variance is magnified further since even well-played tournaments may only yield a deep run occasionally, and cold decks at the wrong time can undo hours of patient play.In cash games, the dynamic is different. Stacks are reloadable, blinds remain constant, and a player can continue playing as long as they are properly bankrolled. Cold decks are frustrating here too, but they rarely mean the end of a session.Players can buy back in, adjust table selection, or step away for a break without jeopardizing their overall opportunity. Over time, consistent decisions in cash games will even out the variance caused by short-term cold deck streaks.The key difference lies in survivability. Tournament players must adjust by preserving chips, avoiding unnecessary risks when card-dead, and finding creative spots to stay afloat. Cash game players, meanwhile, should focus on bankroll management, emotional control, and minimizing losses until variance swings back.