BR management problem

Hi there,

This is officially the very first post I'm writing, so I thought I would tell you guys about myself and my problems in playing online poker. I've been playing online poker for over a year now, and for the first 6~8 months I didn't even know about BR management. Weeeellll now I am "trying" not to break my rules, only play within my br but it's really not that easy. I guess I go on BR tilt (?) where if I go down more than 20% of my br, I feel like I HAVE TO make it up and I won't quit untill I go bankrupt or make it back. sometimes it works but most of the time as you all should know doesn't work and in few hours my br is gone.. I even considered quitting online poker because of that, but i just have no other way to play poker then.

I just want to ask you guys how you guys deal with that.. maybe some tips? suggestions??

cheers

The key to practicing good bankroll management is patience, patience, patience! You have to set a limit as to the % of your bankroll you are going to play, and stick with it. Something that, depending on the size of your bankroll, will be able to help you withstand the inevitable variance that comes along with playing poker. Play above your limits, and it's a recipe for going busto.

Know when to stop. If you feel yourself tilting to the point of having to win back your losses, STOP PLAYING. Take a break. Go for a walk, whatever it takes, until you can come back to the tables refreshed and ready to go. I find sometimes a few days break or more helps me when I'm running bad.

Here are a couple useful articles you may want to read as well:

How to Build Your Online Poker Bankroll: Where you Should Start

Online Poker Guide

If I tell someone who smokes that it is bad for his health, will he quit smoking?

If a tell someone who is dangerously overweight that he should go on a diet and take more exercise, will he heed my advice?

If I tell someone who drinks a bottle of vodka every day that he should seek help, will he do so?

If I tell someone who plays poker that if he doesn't practise good BRM he will go bust, will he then put on place a sound BRM strategy and stick to it?

The answer to each of the above questions is probably no, despite the fact that the advice is obviously good, and the person knows it to be good.

LOVE4U - you already know that you should adopt a good BRM strategy. You also know that tilt is bad. There are no magic words that any of us can say, at the end of the day it's down to self contol. You've either got it, or you haven't - and if you haven't you will go bust.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but in my short time as a member of CC I've seen several similar requests, which seem to me to be more related to gambling / self control issues than to any issues specific to poker. Whilst people will inevitably try to offer help and advice, I think that you are the only person that can help with your issue.

Good luck, and best wishes.

While I more or less agree with your sentiments bolt, I do have to say that I think people can learn to manage their BR better. As JQ said, it takes patience and then more patience, but it also for alot of people takes experience.

Most people first diving into online poker have utterly no concept of what bankroll management or playing within their means, umm, means.

Often times it takes people going broke, sometimes more than a couple times, to start getting it and I actually take it as a good sign that the OP is here asking for advice.

To the OP, read the articles suggested above. As you already said you know you have a problem with BRM and with tilt. As Bolt said, it's all on you to step up and take responsibility for your actions and to control your emotions. We can point you in the right directions but ultimately it is on you. That doesn't mean we can't give advice that isn't useful, but nothing we can say is a magic cure-all.

That said the best advice I can give you beyond that is to learn how to stop when you feel yourself tilting. I don't care how much or how little you've played that day. STOP. At least for a few hours if not for the entire day or for a couple of days. Everyone is different, so how much time you need depends on you. But learn to be able to get up, walk away, and get your head on straight before you really get yourself in trouble.

Yeah, whenever I play over my limits and "tilt" which i can do after suffering an immense # of bad beats... I know its my own fault.

Its something you must control yourself

The next time you go on tilt; get up, have a smoke, eat a donut, and down a few shots. At least I think that's what Bolt is saying?!?!?

Well, that would be a good second choice, but what I'm really saying is learn to control your emotions so that you don't tilt in the first place. That will be easy for some, and impossible for others. For most of us, we fall some way between the 2 extremes.

Chill. If, like most of us, you are a recreational player, you are playing for relaxtion. If it`s making you mad, it isn`t working. Do something else.

When you get your head in the right place, poker is very simple and very restful. Fold when you are behind, get your chips in when you are ahead, don`t worry about a bad beat today, because only the long game matters.

Ty for this writing
I hope you also do like that and bild up a BR
Whats your personal limits?
TY and GL at the fields

by all means read chris ferguson's blog on bankroll management on fulltilt poker archives.. then go to pocket fives and read fox's bankroll management in their archives... bankroll management is key to building a bankroll...

Yes remember DISCIPLINE and PATIENCE. Folding a hand is not a bad thing, whatever your tilting mind may tell you. Folding a hand means you are showing patience for waiting till you have a better one. Take pride in that, and don't be discouraged!!!