When to quit!

lulo1210 · 08-18-2006, 01:33 AM

Poker Strategy - Quitting for the Day

Even if you are the best poker player in the world, you will have some losing days. Knowing when to just call it quits for the session will do you a world of good for your bankroll. If you play limit poker, it is wise to quit if you have a swing of 40 big bets or more either way. Forty big bets at limit is a lot (especially longhand), so having swings more than this may drive you insane. The only reason to break the 40-big-bet rule is if the game you are in is really good.

Fundamentally though, you should quit because you are tilting, you have played a lot already and risk being tired, or you just have other things to do.

Here are some signs that you may be tilting:

1. You always think your opponents are bluffing.
2. You really want to break even for the day.
3. You want to get back into the action as soon as possible.

Here are some signs that you may have just played too much poker:

1. You are falling asleep at the table.
2. You have played more than ten hours for the day. (Never play more than ten hours at any one time. It is better to play many short or medium sessions than a few long ones.)
3. You find it harder to pay attention to your opponents.

Poor4ever · 08-18-2006, 05:40 PM

Actually, I was wondering if you ever feel like quitting all together. LOL. Not that I risk my whole life savings on poker but originally I won a few games so I thought wow...this could actually be used as a return on my investment strategy, etc. After losing a few, I changed my strategy and invested the bulk of my $$ in stocks and kept a little aside for recreaction and instead of it being my investment strategy, it is only my fun money and if I strike it rich then great but if I do not then there is no great loss. I hope that others have this same strategy, because it really is the only safe way!

dsvw56 · 08-18-2006, 09:12 PM

I definately have to disagree with #2 about not playing long sessions. Especially with NLHE. The longer you are at the table, the more money you have in front of you (should have anyways). The more money you have in front of you, the greater your advantage over the other players. 12-16 hour sessions are not that uncommon for me, and those end up being my most proffitable ones.

ICBM · 08-19-2006, 01:44 AM

My most profitable ever session was a 27 hour marathon last year in a 'social' game.... at the end of it I was still fresh as a daisy (well.. compared to the others)... it was like watching the scene in The Hustler where Fats is fresh and Fast Eddie is absolutely wrecked. We were all getting drunk during this time too which helped to loosen up a few opponents purse strings.

A sign that I'm tilting on-line is usually that I stop playing poker and head for the roullette

I agree that if you've been playing for a good session and your losing to stop and start afresh though... no point carrying on while probably tilting and your mind aint quite there. If you're winning though I say carry on and on and on until the tide turns.

tomonbass · 08-19-2006, 04:50 AM

Walk when your losing.... play till your ass bleeds when your winning...

Thats my general rules

The reason behind this is that when your winning your inage is strong.. and people are chasing their losses etc which gives you ample opportunitys to pound on them....

but as ICBM says when the tide starts to change.. thats the best time to leave ahead...