Quitting Losers

[benhoug 0]

So I know everyone says, "play hours not results," but I'd like to start a discussion about when to quit losers, or when to keep plugging away and re-buying.I have a dayjob, so I'm not looking to time my hobbies and say I should play 20 hours a week, or 3 hours a night or anything. I like to play longer sessions anywhere from 3 to 8 hours (when I play online), so I do feel like I'm playing hours not results, but I'm not holding myself to specific times...I've always been of the opinion that if the game is still good, and I'm not tired or tilting I should stay in the game, so that's typically how I roll. Last night I was playing $50 buy-in NL Hold 'Em and I started off stuck, and just kept getting more stuck, but the game conditions were still favorable, so I kept re-buying. Well, 5 buy-ins later I decided it was time to quit losers and come back for another day.This isn't meant to be a "bad beat" post, so I won't go into details, but trust me, the first 3 buy-ins I played correctly and the deck just spit in my face, but the last 2 I was playing a little sloppy, taking too many flops trying to re-coup my losses.Does anyone else have opinions about this??? I could go into more detail about the table I was at, but trust me, it was favorable. 8 weak-tight players, me and one other guy who was a good player, but who was admitedly playing nutbar.Discuss

[ajs510 122]

So I know everyone says, "play hours not results," but I'd like to start a discussion about when to quit losers, or when to keep plugging away and re-buying.I have a dayjob, so I'm not looking to time my hobbies and say I should play 20 hours a week, or 3 hours a night or anything. I like to play longer sessions anywhere from 3 to 8 hours (when I play online), so I do feel like I'm playing hours not results, but I'm not holding myself to specific times...I've always been of the opinion that if the game is still good, and I'm not tired or tilting I should stay in the game, so that's typically how I roll. Last night I was playing $50 buy-in NL Hold 'Em and I started off stuck, and just kept getting more stuck, but the game conditions were still favorable, so I kept re-buying. Well, 5 buy-ins later I decided it was time to quit losers and come back for another day.This isn't meant to be a "bad beat" post, so I won't go into details, but trust me, the first 3 buy-ins I played correctly and the deck just spit in my face, but the last 2 I was playing a little sloppy, taking too many flops trying to re-coup my losses.Does anyone else have opinions about this??? I could go into more detail about the table I was at, but trust me, it was favorable. 8 weak-tight players, me and one other guy who was a good player, but who was admitedly playing nutbar.Discuss

Sometimes there just isn't anything you can do, variance is a bitch. I think you probably should have stopped after 3 buyins, certainly no more than the 4th if you knew you were pressing and getting away from solid play. This was one of my issues with online poker, it's far too easy to keep throwing money down the drain when you're losing. If you have to get up and walk to the cage for more chips, or to the ATM for more cash, it gives you a few minutes to cool down and reflect on what went wrong. There isn't a single person here who hasn't lost a NL buyin, rebought immediately, and lost the 2nd buyin within 5 hands. Just keep doing what you're doing, although I'd probably recommend taking a breather after 3 buyins down the tubes. Feel free to ignore me, I am a retired losing online player after all...lol

[benhoug 0]

Sometimes there just isn't anything you can do, variance is a bitch. I think you probably should have stopped after 3 buyins, certainly no more than the 4th if you knew you were pressing and getting away from solid play.

I agree. Hindsight is 20/20. This table was just SOOOOOOOOOO juicey I just didn't think I could walk away from it.

[ShakeZuma 585]

I find that most times when the deck is hitting you in the face, its best to go ahead and quit. Even if you are playing perfect at the time, the constant outdrawas and bad beats usually end up taking a toll on your play. I know it does to mine.

[Mercury69 3]

Damn right.

[Redrum 0]

GETTING 'HIT IN THE FACE BY THE DECK' REFERS TO GETTING GREAT CARDS, NOT CRAP.

[ShakeZuma 585]

GETTING 'HIT IN THE FACE BY THE DECK' REFERS TO GETTING GREAT CARDS, NOT CRAP.

did you know what I and he meant? You did? Good.then STFU

[scottyno 0]

So I know everyone says, "play hours not results," but I'd like to start a discussion about when to quit losers, or when to keep plugging away and re-buying.I have a dayjob, so I'm not looking to time my hobbies and say I should play 20 hours a week, or 3 hours a night or anything. I like to play longer sessions anywhere from 3 to 8 hours (when I play online), so I do feel like I'm playing hours not results, but I'm not holding myself to specific times...I've always been of the opinion that if the game is still good, and I'm not tired or tilting I should stay in the game, so that's typically how I roll. Last night I was playing $50 buy-in NL Hold 'Em and I started off stuck, and just kept getting more stuck, but the game conditions were still favorable, so I kept re-buying. Well, 5 buy-ins later I decided it was time to quit losers and come back for another day.This isn't meant to be a "bad beat" post, so I won't go into details, but trust me, the first 3 buy-ins I played correctly and the deck just spit in my face, but the last 2 I was playing a little sloppy, taking too many flops trying to re-coup my losses.Does anyone else have opinions about this??? I could go into more detail about the table I was at, but trust me, it was favorable. 8 weak-tight players, me and one other guy who was a good player, but who was admitedly playing nutbar.Discuss

definitely quit after the 4th buy in, maybe even after the 3rd if you realize that you arent going to be playing your best anymore. You know when you're playing your best and when you're not, when you stop playing your best then its time to quit for the night and come back tomorrow, but as long as you're playing your best theres no reason for you to quit. Whether you rebuy that night or the next day, the cards arent going to come out any different for you just because you're stuck already.

[rog 0]

I've always been of the opinion that if the game is still good, and I'm not tired or tilting I should stay in the game, so that's typically how I roll. ...the last 2 I was playing a little sloppy, taking too many flops trying to re-coup my losses.

What was the question again?

[DB10-2 0]

one easy way i can always tell that i should stop is how i feel about losing the next buy-in.so, for example, i lose $x. i'm pissed, i feel like shit, i feel unlucky, but i know i'm a good player, so i consider rebuying. however, if i feel like i won't be happy unless i get my money back, ie leave with at least 2x, or if i feel afraid of losing another buy-in, ie leaving -2x, i don't do it.if i can honestly say to myself, "i'm not going to be able to play my usual game because i'll feel like i'm playing from behind," i don't do it. sometimes i'm so annoyed with how i lost that i play this way, and that's when it's time to stop.

[thrillsoft 0]

So I know everyone says, "play hours not results," but I'd like to start a discussion about when to quit losers, or when to keep plugging away and re-buying.I have a dayjob, so I'm not looking to time my hobbies and say I should play 20 hours a week, or 3 hours a night or anything. I like to play longer sessions anywhere from 3 to 8 hours (when I play online), so I do feel like I'm playing hours not results, but I'm not holding myself to specific times...I've always been of the opinion that if the game is still good, and I'm not tired or tilting I should stay in the game, so that's typically how I roll. Last night I was playing $50 buy-in NL Hold 'Em and I started off stuck, and just kept getting more stuck, but the game conditions were still favorable, so I kept re-buying. Well, 5 buy-ins later I decided it was time to quit losers and come back for another day.This isn't meant to be a "bad beat" post, so I won't go into details, but trust me, the first 3 buy-ins I played correctly and the deck just spit in my face, but the last 2 I was playing a little sloppy, taking too many flops trying to re-coup my losses.Does anyone else have opinions about this??? I could go into more detail about the table I was at, but trust me, it was favorable. 8 weak-tight players, me and one other guy who was a good player, but who was admitedly playing nutbar.Discuss

Last night I had the same thing happen. I had AA twice and got all the money in PF to KK and AJ suited and lost both of them. AND I had KK 3 times and got all the money in PF against AA! The deck as just kicking me in the balls!At one point I was about $20 down for the day (after 8 hour session) and was going stop "as soon as the blinds come around" well I got stuck $50 more in that amount of time and kept playing until I lost $500 more.MAN! I was tilting, but looking over the hands that I lost (things like AQ vs. AK with an A on board), I don't think that I was mis-playing them, but the thing is... when you're losing (even with the best cards), the table has no respect for you and treats you like a red-headed step-child. You really have to show down the nuts every time. You can't outplay people at the low-limits who have no respect for your game. You just need the cards and sometimes they aren't there.I've made a decision that even if I know I'm playing well and have a significant edge over the table, it's still more profitable to just leave and come back another day. I tried switching tables a couple times, but it just started all over again. I really need to just quit a loser sometimes.

[benhoug 0]

when you're losing (even with the best cards), the table has no respect for you

I think this is the KEY statement. Harrington talks alot about this in HOH. It's the same principal as getting AA and KK a few times in a short span of hands and winning pots w/out showing down. You think you're playing tight and waiting for good cards, but the rest of the table thinks you're the maniac, bully who's raised 5 of the last 6 hands. Perception is HUGE.I knew my table image was shit in this session, but I really thought I could play my way through it. I was wrong...

[thrillsoft 0]

I think this is the KEY statement. Harrington talks alot about this in HOH. It's the same principal as getting AA and KK a few times in a short span of hands and winning pots w/out showing down. You think you're playing tight and waiting for good cards, but the rest of the table thinks you're the maniac, bully who's raised 5 of the last 6 hands. Perception is HUGE.I knew my table image was shit in this session, but I really thought I could play my way through it. I was wrong...

Yeah, its like playing by different rules than anyone else. What if you played in a game where everyone else was allowed to bluff but you? No matter how good you were, what would your EV be?You're able to be bluffed out of pots, but noone is allowed to be bluffed out by you. On top of that, you've got several people calling down with their draws and SOMEBODY is going to hit. In that situation, you just have to have the nuts every time... and we all know how often that's the case.

[benhoug 0]

Yeah, its like playing by different rules than anyone else. What if you played in a game where everyone else was allowed to bluff but you? No matter how good you were, what would your EV be?You're able to be bluffed out of pots, but noone is allowed to be bluffed out by you. In that situation, you just have to have the nuts every time... and we all know how often that's the case.

You hit the nail on the head. To compound this the only other player at the table that was competent was the guy who was NUTBARRING and I'm positive he was bluffing almost all of the time, but I rarely had a good enough hand to play back at him.

[commoncents 0]

Sounds like we should get the gang back together for the Tuesday night game

[thrillsoft 0]

Sounds like we should get the gang back together for the Tuesday night game

???I don't understand this reply.

You hit the nail on the head. To compound this the only other player at the table that was competent was the guy who was NUTBARRING and I'm positive he was bluffing almost all of the time, but I rarely had a good enough hand to play back at him.

To compound things worse last night... the times I DID HAVE THE NUTS, I'm against some guy who's down to his last $15! I COULDN'T get paid off no matter what! I should just have left, but my GF won't let me watch TV after mid-night (we have a small NYC apartment) because she says it keeps her up. So it was keep playing or stare at the walls since I wasn't tired. Should have just stared at the walls, it would have been a lot more fun.