Cashing means finishing a tournament in the money.
Explanation. The slang “cashing” comes from literally “cashing out” a prize—finishing high enough in a tournament to win money. Players say “I cashed that event” when they reached the payout zone. It’s a foundational concept: knowing how much is paid at each stage shapes strategy near the money bubble. For instance, finishing 120th in a 200‑player event that pays top 100 means you just missed cashing, influencing risk-taking around that point.