Just try to give myself an honest, realistic appraisal of my decision-making : if I think I'm playing well but losing I press on. Also, am I tired ? hungry? focused ? I know that I have a tendency to keep playing, winning or losing, past when I should stop because I am tired and losing focus. I have tried having a stop time with limited success...
When you're losing in a cash session, how do you decide whether to keep playing or quit?
For me it is simple. I walk in with a set amount i am willing to play and looses. Usually 2 Buy ins for live 5 for online.
The issue though is not so simple. Lets say I sit down and playing y best but take a bad bead or just not enjoying the process, I will get off the table after just 1 loss of a buy in. even if we are at a good table I can and will leave. The reason why is simple, if i am not enjoying the game or slightly tilting or even think I am or I want to stack this player I just get up and leave the table. If you mind is not 100%, if your just tired or not having fun you are not going to play your best Poker and will be more likly to lose another buy in. Why would we want to do that. I dont.
The issue though is not so simple. Lets say I sit down and playing y best but take a bad bead or just not enjoying the process, I will get off the table after just 1 loss of a buy in. even if we are at a good table I can and will leave. The reason why is simple, if i am not enjoying the game or slightly tilting or even think I am or I want to stack this player I just get up and leave the table. If you mind is not 100%, if your just tired or not having fun you are not going to play your best Poker and will be more likly to lose another buy in. Why would we want to do that. I dont.
It is very important to leave the XI table on time, there is such a rule - if you do not see fish at the table, then the fish is you! You need to understand that if you are trying to make money with poker, then your actions should bring a lot, sometimes it just may not be your day, but it's hard for me to measure up to a minus session, often I used to go to Kazieno and reset my bankroll
There was a time that answering this question would be "when i run out of cash" but now i have a limit and i play with in it. i find it easier to set my limit and call it a day when i reach said limit which is pretty small now that i am retired 😉 👍.
hi folks,
i think this is an interesting and difficult topic - in my mind i think it has to do a lot with self confidence and your personal balance to stay at cash table when you are loosing or to quit immediately when you think this will end not good for ya at this day.
So my question is always if im loosing is, it is my fault because im playing not good enough(A-game) today or is it the game and opponents at this table today which is too high for me. There is another variant when you play for example 25-50 hands and you always get weak hands or board is always running against you and you know that you will not survive with bluffs/blind stealing, then it is also the right time to quit playing because there will be such days from time to time. Take a break and get back when ever you want is never a bad decision, to play on and getting tilt is the worst case.
Good luck fellas
i think this is an interesting and difficult topic - in my mind i think it has to do a lot with self confidence and your personal balance to stay at cash table when you are loosing or to quit immediately when you think this will end not good for ya at this day.
So my question is always if im loosing is, it is my fault because im playing not good enough(A-game) today or is it the game and opponents at this table today which is too high for me. There is another variant when you play for example 25-50 hands and you always get weak hands or board is always running against you and you know that you will not survive with bluffs/blind stealing, then it is also the right time to quit playing because there will be such days from time to time. Take a break and get back when ever you want is never a bad decision, to play on and getting tilt is the worst case.
Good luck fellas
It's preferable to treat cash games as one long game. If I'm emotional, tired, or in a bad seat. I'm quite good at quitting the game and waiting for a better opportunity. I will force myself to carry on a bit longer if there is easy money sitting there. It also helps that I prefer seesions under two hours as that keeps my mind clear.
I dont decide based on how much im losing, i decide based on whether i am still playing my A game. If m making good decisions and the games are profitable, i continue. If I tilt, or poor focus starts affecting my decisions, I quit
It's necessary to check which hands were played, the quality of the table and how is the mood on that day. Generally, it would be more prudent to set a limit per session and switch tables to better assess the situation.
If I'm losing, I first ask myself if I'm still making good decisions. If I'm playing well, I don't mind continuing. But if I notice I'm getting frustrated or chasing my losses, I take a break or end the session. I think staying disciplined is very important in cash games.
I force myself to use a strict 3 buy-in stop-loss rule.
Once I lose 3 buy-ins in a single session, I log off—no exceptions. Even if I'm playing well and just getting coolered, staying often leads to subtle "revenge playing." Setting a hard limit protects your bankroll and forces you to step back, review your hands with a cool head, and fight another day.
Once I lose 3 buy-ins in a single session, I log off—no exceptions. Even if I'm playing well and just getting coolered, staying often leads to subtle "revenge playing." Setting a hard limit protects your bankroll and forces you to step back, review your hands with a cool head, and fight another day.
For me, the decision to keep playing or quit during a losing cash session comes down to two main factors: mindset and bankroll. If I feel myself getting tilted, frustrated, or starting to play emotionally instead of logically, that’s my cue to step away. No amount of “wanting to win it back” will fix bad decisions made under stress.
Honestly, every single poker player struggles with this. When you're stuck a few buy-ins, your brain starts playing tricks on you.
To figure out if you should walk away or stick it out, you need to ask yourself three brutal questions:
1. Are you playing to play well, or just to get even?
If you're hunting for that rush of winning your money back, you’re already tilted. The moment you start playing trash hands just to "force" a win, you need to click leave. A human brain under stress naturally makes terrible choices. Be honest with yourself.
2. Is the game actually good?
Look around the table. Are there still bad players giving away chips, or are you surrounded by tough regulars who have your number tonight? If the table is easy and you're just running bad (bad beats), stay. If you’re outclassed, there is zero shame in quitting.
3. How tired are you?
Fatigue is a silent killer in cash games. You might think you're playing fine, but maybe you're missing small details, skipping bluffs you should take, or calling too wide because you're lazy. If you feel even slightly drained, wrap it up.
The easiest fix: Use a Stop-Loss
Don't leave it up to emotion. Set a rule before you sit down—for example, "If I lose 3 buy-ins, I stand up." No arguments, no "just one more hand." It saves your bankroll and your sanity. Good luck 😂
To figure out if you should walk away or stick it out, you need to ask yourself three brutal questions:
1. Are you playing to play well, or just to get even?
If you're hunting for that rush of winning your money back, you’re already tilted. The moment you start playing trash hands just to "force" a win, you need to click leave. A human brain under stress naturally makes terrible choices. Be honest with yourself.
2. Is the game actually good?
Look around the table. Are there still bad players giving away chips, or are you surrounded by tough regulars who have your number tonight? If the table is easy and you're just running bad (bad beats), stay. If you’re outclassed, there is zero shame in quitting.
3. How tired are you?
Fatigue is a silent killer in cash games. You might think you're playing fine, but maybe you're missing small details, skipping bluffs you should take, or calling too wide because you're lazy. If you feel even slightly drained, wrap it up.
The easiest fix: Use a Stop-Loss
Don't leave it up to emotion. Set a rule before you sit down—for example, "If I lose 3 buy-ins, I stand up." No arguments, no "just one more hand." It saves your bankroll and your sanity. Good luck 😂
I try not to make the decision based on how much I’m losing. If I’m still playing well, focused, and the table is good, I’m happy to keep playing. Usually I have a certain time limit How long I can play. Of course if my losses goes higher than my bankroll limit that I have decided, I stop playing. I’m not going to deposit over my limits..
I do not play live, just online micro. I usually stick to the plan how long I play. If I recognise the enviroment good - soft/weak players I might decide to make session a bit longer. The opposite - if I cannot find good tables I might make it a bit shorter. If I feel tired or not focused enough to play well - I could also make it shorter. But the result usually has no influence.
