I always want to quit while I'm ahead

[321Mike]

Whenever I get a good run and I'm way up, especially at the start of a session, I get a strong urge to get out before things go bad. I become nervous about losing what I've won and I don't play as aggressively as I should.

The opposite happens when I'm down during a session. I become convinced things will turn around. I concentrate better and, I believe, I play better so I play longer.

The result is that my losing sessions are longer than my winning sessions. The trouble is that when I'm losing it may be more than just variance. I may not be thinking as clearly and playing as well as I think I am. Or, I may have just run into a table that is tougher than I thought. Of course, the opposite is true when I'm running good. I may have sat down at the table of the century, but I'm looking for an excuse to quit so I don't lose my winnings to bad beats.

I've dealt with this situation by deciding on a set time limit or number of hands before I start playing. That way I won't hit and run or spew chips because I'm too tired to realize how poorly I'm playing. What really sucks is that when I'm doing well I'm not having as much fun as I should. I like to win, but I also want to have fun. Being on a rush should be a lot of fun, but, lately, it hasn't been.

Anybody have an experience like this or have any tips on dealing with it?

[davet]

I refer you to John Feeney, "You're next hour is your next hour."

I make it a point to never think of money as that green stuff. I seldomly have more than a ten in my pocket, my winnings go straight to the ATM. I keep records of my wins and losses. That is what money means to me.

I think that no matter what you do, your money will only add up to your expectation in the end, even if you "get up when you are up." The short- term fluctuations in poker should be of no concern to you.

The more hours you play, the better all things balance out in the end.

One thing I do is stack my chips haphazardly, it keeps my mind off how I am doing, since I never know how I am doing.

[Mikey]

i'm the same way.

I need a psychological coach.

[Neil Stevens]

I used to be that way, but think I think of a guy like Phil Ivey spending 15, 20, 30 hours at a table. He stays because he's doing well against the competition and wants to get more.

With that perspective, leaving right when I get ahead sounds so incredibly stupid to me that it lets me dismiss the idea of trying.

[xxx]

Check out the section in Ace on the River where Barry talks about the Martengale betting strategy. He explains why this is a bad, bad thing.

Someone will probably respond saying this has nothing to do with your question at all. But they will either not have read the section in the book or not have understood it.

[321Mike]

[ QUOTE ]
One thing I do is stack my chips haphazardly, it keeps my mind off how I am doing, since I never know how I am doing.

[/ QUOTE ]
99% of the time I'm playing online so this strategy won't work for me, but it brings up a good point. I am way too aware of how far up or down I am. I usually play 3 tables, but I know after every hand exactly how far up or down I am for the day. Keeping track of numbers in my head helps me with poker, but it works against me here. I'm trying to focus on my play and my opponents play, but I can't help doing a quick tally after each win or loss. There's nothing wrong with knowing your results, but I worry that it affects my play.

Incidentally, I do the same thing when I play live. However, I play in the $2 games in Florida. These games are so +EV that I can't imagine losing so I stay aggressive. This may become an issue in live games if I ever get into some better games.

[vexvelour]

There are lots of players that have this problem. At least you recognize it as something that needs fixing.

Whereas I do not know what to tell you to do, I think that this goes hand-in-hand with table selection. I did not quite understand until one day I was at a table and for some reason everyone labeled me a maniac (I'm a TAG as best I can) and I made a ton of money. I was not afraid to play on because these people were just handing me money. Instead of being afraid of losing it, I was sitting at that table for a reason- these people were the perfect targets for me. Whereas many things played into that scenario to make it seem such a way, I still believe that careful table selection is an important factor. Just a thought.

[Bodhi]

I'm with you. I try to play 1000 hand sessions, and at 750 hands tonight I was up 40BB, but at the end I was only up 8BB!!! [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] I just took a pounding during the last hour and couldn't get to showdown without someone spiking trips with bottom pair, etc. It sounds like a worst-case scenario: you're up and feeling good, only to lose it all at the end of the session, but I just tell myself it doesn't matter what happens. Maybe if I had cut things short, I would've just lost tomorrow, who knows? If these musings don't help, just remember that none of us will respect you for being such a pussy if you cut your winning session short again! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[321Mike]

[ QUOTE ]
just remember that none of us will respect you for being such a pussy if you cut your winning session short again!

[/ QUOTE ]
Strangely enough, that thought might help. I used to ask myself, "How would I play this if David Sklansky was looking over my shoulder?" It's kinda cheesey, but it did help my concentration. I haven't done that for a while. Now, when I feel like quitting, I'll ask myself, "What would I do if all of 2+2 was looking over my shoulder?"

[smoore]

I usually pull 1:30hr sessions for ring or single SnG "multitable rounds" and a 10-15 minute break. I decide during each break if I'm going to continue to play or not, I conciously block out this decision during each session. I just sit out at the tables so if I come back I'm right back to the game I was playing.

Now I just need to develop this resolve for B&M games [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

edit, oh duh... the point:

I believe this allows me to focus on how I'm playing at the moment instead of how I'm feeling about my win/loss.