How to handle winning?

In my recent tournaments and cash games, I've noticed that when I have the chip lead, or after I've won a nice pot, I quickly seem to lose about half of what I have. This rather quite troublesome.

I would guess I start playing way too loosely and betting too big - betting in relation to my chips, not to the blind or pot size - when I'm winning.

Does anyone else have similar experiences? How do you deal with this?

Play the same way you did before you got the big stack?

Pick your spots to exert pressure on players, but pick players who you can actually put pressure on.

Perhaps you got that stack playing too loosely, and your bound to give it all back?

Sorry, but it's a pretty vague question and you must understand it's almost impossible to actually give any accurate advice. If you think you are playing too loose when you have a stack, tone it down a bit. Having a big stack doesn't mean you have to go and knock out everyone, it's about making the decisions that are in you're best interests.

Thanks for replying.
I think I've only played for such a short while, that I don't have the... emotional control to properly handle the rush from a big win. Also, I do tend to raise in fractions of my remaining chips, which can be problematic.

Yeah, the emotional control just comes from experience. Once you've played long enough, you are more able to cut out what is random luck or emotion and really zero in on what wins money. Being able to focus on maximizing those factors (picking good starting hands, playing exploitable opponents, ect.) helps you cut emotional factors out of your game.

Also, while having a big stack does give you more fold equity (because you can threaten everyone's tournament), it also gives you the freedom to wait. Instead of pushing every marginal spot you see, you can wait for good situations to gain chips. And because you have the big stack, people will assume that you are trying to push them around. So often the correct strategy can be to still play your normal solid game.

Many if not most players go thru that exact same thing. It gets worse when your big gain was thru some miraculous suckout. It is inevitable that we get that feeling that 'TODAY IS THE DAY'.

It is an emotional response to the game, you at least got that part right.

What can you (we) do about it? Well the first thing is to acknowledge it, and you have done that. At least in this one instance.

It might not be a bad idea to just sit back after a big pot unless the circumstance in the next hand are truly remarkable. Keep in mind the circumstance do not necessarily mean great cards, but great situations as well.

So maybe concentrate on what made the last hand great, and if it was something other than the cards, figure out what and why it turned out great. Think a little bit general about the situation, because it is unlikely you will ever see those exact circumstances fall into place like that again.

I'm Bi-winning.

For me, this emotional chip hemorrhage shows up not only after you take a huge pot, but also when I make a huge cash in a tourney. I've cashed $160+ twice before, both times I cashed that amount my BR was less than $40. Both times I end up spewing tons of chips in all kinds of places I shouldn't.

You have to remember to reign in your emotions, and don't let the game fool you, or you'll be bitching about doom switches for the rest of your life.

Tilt is a very tricky thing to keep in mind wether in winning or losing.
I ended up wasting some dollars when i got a big cash, and making some calls I shouldn't have made but I started to stop all that.

Sound advice dude, patience and selectivity is key; as you say a big stack gives you the opportunity to wait for the right chances.

happens for me too. the "responsible gaming" filters are a great tool to prevent spewing away in games that are not your forte.

You need to look at your game Blazingfelts.Sort that out and the variance will lessen.
NLHE ring tables kill my game, but I've found SNGs and HU games work for me.
First find your game then your level.
Also check out the coaching sites and the information available on Cardschat, your variance will lessen and greater enjoyment will ensue.

How does this response even remotely have anything to do with this thread? (this is one headed for the 'everything rigged' imo).

Unless there's something hidden in the poker sites that we do not know about ( rigged to trigger badbeats, etc.. but it's highly unlikely they getenough money out of rake) it should be just variance, for example last night someone cracked my Aces with queens and he flopped a set of queens.
It really pissed me off.

When I become chip leader or close to it, I still play the same way I normally do, keeping the pots low so i can see many flops, turns and rivers as much as i can, and it keeps the tables aggression to a minimum as well.

Min raises, min 3bets are a good way to keep the pots low, in most cases the rest of the table will follow the betting pattern as well.

I get very loose near the end. Thats poker play to win.

i've trained myself to step away from a cash game after i win a big pot...go smoke a cig or something just to detach myself from the euphoria for a few minutes, then come back to the table...whenever i dont do that i start using the extra chips to see a flop with hands that i normally wouldnt...in a tournament i try to tighten up after a big win, i seem to just get in trouble cuz i feel like ppl are gunning for me after that...then once i get a premium hand i play it then ease back into my usual style

I've experienced it before when I'm playing poker game. I won then suddenly I have no control of my cash winnings, until I lose all my winnings.
maybe it's because I'm too addicted that time and my main goal is to win and win and bet as much as i can. I wasn't able to manage my money.

Once you get a big stack, you should definitely keep the pressure on the small stacks. Concentrate on the medium stacks. They aren’t short stack enough to be desperate and are thus more willing to lay down marginal hands that ss’ers would take a final stand with.


Try to avoid tangling with other big stacks unless you have a huge hand. If they play back at you given your stack size (assuming they know what they’re doing), chances are they have a big hand too.



Once you have a big stack, don’t be passive but don’t be too aggressive either. Know to fold when you are facing big aggression from guys that don’t look like they are making stack-size-forced moves.

What is 'winning'?
Oh yah... I kinda remember... back in early '08 I won back-to-back Raildonk freerolls on the same day (one at FTP & one at Stars). After that day I became a HUGE bankroll NIT & have been there ever since.
Will post here again... if &/or when I experience this feeling again.

I have the same problem as the OP. If I go up to early I usually have problems. When I have to grind I play alot better.

Stop thinking of acquiring more chips as an opportunity to broaden your range and see if you can get lucky.
#1 priority is to protect your stack