When you're losing in a cash session, how do you decide whether to keep playing or quit?

EvertonGirl · Jun 27, 2026

If I've set an amount I'm happy with losing and I'm getting close to that amount or I just feel I'm not playing my A game, which is why I don't play cash as I don't have an A game 😛

RENEY444 · Jun 28, 2026

When I go to the local Indian casinos in the San Diego area I just give up if I lose my first buyin . My confidence is gone .Besides, the small stakes games get raked very heavily so it is tough to come out ahead .

Maria_Louise · Jun 28, 2026

guroove said:
the best thing to do is to quit playing cash and starting grinding tournaments

To me, the best thing is to quit playing tournaments and start grinding cash games💰 ☺️

bowserdon · Jun 28, 2026

When you run out of money and your credits no good

TheniT · Jun 29, 2026

Don't base the decision on your results. Keep playing if you're still making good decisions and the game is profitable; quit if you're tilted, tired, or no longer playing your A-game.

Mart1194 · Jun 30, 2026

It's rare for me to play Cash. But when I play, I already enter an amount that if I lose everything, I already have in my head that I will not return. I just prefer MTT anyway.

Chica_bonita · Jun 30, 2026

I haven't played cash games for a long time, but usually I only went there to increase my balance a little. It was a matter of a couple of dollars-nothing serious. 🤣☺️And I usually handled my small task, so I can say that as soon as my goal was completed, I left the table.

antonis32123 · Jul 1, 2026

I don't know if there is a bankroll rule for this matter . I am not reg or pro , I follow my bankroll rules . when a table or a game doesn't pay I leave . If I lose once I leave . I never rebuy chips , I call it a day and do or play sth else . The benefits of playing online .

Sebbour · Jul 1, 2026

When I'm playing cash game (which is rare nowadays) I have a simple rule. I usually play 0,01/0,02 tables and I go to the tables with 2$. If I lose them I don't top up or try to play more and finish on breakeven.

tuitui · Jul 1, 2026

I try switching table a couple of times and if that does not fix the situation I'll quit. I have learned that it is all up to my personal game play if switching table does not resolve the issue.

YLAN · Jul 2, 2026

Would rather play S&G than online cash games but if there's an itch for a cash game, just plays an hour then stop, win or loose.

Just plays live cash games while waiting for the tournament start or when busted too early in a tournament just plays a couple of hours then stop, win or loose.

So right now, what makes me decide whether to keep playing or quit in a loosing (or winning) cash game session is available time.

Kerasuss28 · Jul 2, 2026

nabmom said:
In our last VIP question, I addressed bad poker habits and mentioned one of mine: Learning how to walk away from the cash tables when I was on a losing streak. As a follow-up to that question (What bad poker habit took you the longest to break?) I thought I'd ask you cash game fans about this.

How do you decide whether or not to keep playing when you are having a losing cash session?

that is not the only issue when i broke with poker
i go to casino slots and lose more after a bad session poker (thats bigger problem for me)
way of tilting i think
very bad ...

yuriko oyama · Jul 2, 2026

I am the last person who should be talking about emotional control, since I struggle deeply with it—and at over 40, it’s simply part of who I am. Personally, I’ll stick it out until the very last coin is gone, but the most important thing is to go through that madness alone and never take my frustrations out on the people I love.

Botuna · Jul 2, 2026

nabmom said:
In our last VIP question, I addressed bad poker habits and mentioned one of mine: Learning how to walk away from the cash tables when I was on a losing streak. As a follow-up to that question (What bad poker habit took you the longest to break?) I thought I'd ask you cash game fans about this.

How do you decide whether or not to keep playing when you are having a losing cash session?

I've learned that the decision to keep playing shouldn't depend on how much I'm winning or losing—it should depend on whether I'm still playing my A-game.

If I can honestly say I'm making good decisions, staying focused, and not letting emotions influence my play, I'm comfortable continuing even if I'm stuck a few buy-ins. Variance is part of cash games.

However, if I notice signs of tilt—trying to win my money back quickly, calling too light, bluffing in bad spots, or feeling frustrated—I end the session. I've found that playing while emotional usually turns a small losing session into a much bigger one.

I also like to have a stop-loss limit before I even sit down. Having that rule in place removes a lot of emotion from the decision. There's always another game tomorrow, but protecting both my bankroll and my mindset is more important than trying to recover losses in one session.

hobojim1247 · Jul 2, 2026

I have a maximum of losing 3 buyins, when that happens, I will be done for that session. I will also pack it up if I realize I am making poor decisions.

ratbat615 · Jul 5, 2026

Hello this is a very good question , I have set limit for example if I lose two buy ins I will quit for the day and go back over my hands to see if I made any mistakes , the most important thing is to quit and not to chase or play when you are on tilt.

RhinoRyan89 · Jul 6, 2026

When your risking what you can't afford to lose.

Or when the fun has stopped i would stop playing a cash game.

miric007 · Jul 8, 2026

I don't decide based on how much I've lost, but on how I'm playing. If I'm still making good decisions, staying focused, and the table is profitable, I keep playing regardless of being down. On the other hand, if I notice signs of tilt,fatigue, or that I'm starting to play out of frustration, I end the session. I've learned that preserving your A-game is far more important in the long run than trying to “bounce back” on the same day.

Marshmalo1994 · Jul 8, 2026

nabmom said:
How do you decide whether or not to keep playing when you are having a losing cash session?

I usually don't play cash, but I think that is important to plan the session. That way you can only focus on the game instead of taking additional decisions.
-How many tables I will play.
-How many times and in what type of tables I'll be rebuying.
-When to leave a table if I'm winning.
-When to leave a table if I'm losing.
-Is there a winning or losing situation that would make me end the session?

So, to me, I'll decide when to stop before starting.

Edit: clearly, I don't play cash this seriously, I just play if I have some bonus or something, but I do plan my mtts sessions.

MARCIO123 · Friday at 10:42 AM

My decision to continue playing or to abandon a session of cash game in red depends on a single question: do I still have a technical and psychological advantage at this specific table?
If the answer is no, I'll leave immediately. To assess this coldly, follow a list of strict criteria.

Brigistul · Monday at 2:01 AM

When I lose during a real‑money session, I try to look at the context, not just the result. If I notice that the game starts affecting my decisions, rhythm, or emotions, I prefer to stop. For me, the difference between ‘continue’ and ‘quit’ isn’t about the amount lost, but about how I’m playing. If I slip into a loss‑recovery mindset or feel that I’m no longer playing with discipline, I close the session without hesitation. I only continue when I’m calm, within my budget limits, and the game remains a form of relaxation rather than pressure.

thejuice1 · 2026-07-14T14:40:07-0400

its time to go when you are clearly playing frustrated or playing on emotion... meaning you are playing your usual focused game.
when that pops up, my first piece of advice would be simply get up from the table and maybe take a quick 15-20 minute walk around to hopefully calm yourself down and get re focused back at the table. if you then get back to the table and see that you still arent focused and are still affected to much by what happened earlier, then get up immediately and call it a day/night. minimize your losses best you can.

pundim · 2026-07-14T16:37:40-0400

I usually have 2 situations to stop playing cash games:
1) I feel that I'm being overly exploites by other playerz
2) I spent X buy-ins that I pré-stipulated (basically a stop-loss quantity)

I must confess that for both cases I still have some difficulties to keep the ego-chals aside in more occasions that I would like to have

anasslaaleg · 2026-07-14T16:49:33-0400

When I'm losing in a cash session, I ask myself one question: Am I still making good decisions?
If I'm focused and playing my A-game, I may continue despite the losses. But if frustration or fatigue starts affecting my judgment, it's time to quit.
Protecting your mindset is just as important as protecting your bankroll.

When you're losing in a cash session, how do you decide whether to keep playing or quit?

EvertonGirl

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RENEY444

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Maria_Louise

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bowserdon

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TheniT

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Mart1194

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Chica_bonita

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antonis32123

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Sebbour

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tuitui

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YLAN

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yuriko oyama

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