WHEN TO CALL IT A DAY

I just finished a live cash game session. On the drive back from the casino I was wondering to myself, when is the right time to leave? In all the readings and talking to people they all tell me go in with 2 limits, a time limit you will play, and a $$ limit that if you reach you can call it a day. My time limit is usually 6 hours, and I set the $$ limit between 3 and 4 times my buy-in. They seem reasonable to me. I reached the $$ limit and said good day to all the people at the table. If I stayed, as long as the cards fell true and I kept up my play, I probably could have stayed for the hour and a half that I had left in the session and made a few more dollars (and as they say it is a crime to let a sucker keep their money). But on the other hand I could have stayed caught a couple bad beats and stacked off.

That being said, I was wondering how others decided on when to get up from the tables. Gut feeling, have goals, what critiria do you use?

For me I just go with my gut feeling. I feel like I'm disciplined and responsible enough to get up when i'm getting a bad run of cards or when I'm tilting so I just don't feel limits are necessary for me. I'd recommend this personally just cause it allows you to just play the game and zone in on that instead of watching the clock or counting chips.

When I'm running good I'll usually again just go with my gut.

The right time to leave depends on two major things, in my opinion. The first and most important is how you feel. You shouldn't be playing tired, sick, angry, sad, etc. Emotion at the poker table can only throw you off your reads and off your game! If you feel in any way that because of your mental health, your ability to win is compromised, stand up and walk away! The second important aspect is the game itself: is it a table full of fishes, or sharks? Even if you take a sucker punch or two, against fishes you have the ability to get it all back easily. Against a bunch of sharks, however, you're going to need some luck and a lot of skill to just go even. Honestly, forget continuing, don't even sit if the table is heavy with pros or you're not feeling right!

This topic gets discussed frequently, doing a search on it would be a good idea.


The best time to leave is when you start playing poorly or the table becomes unproffitable (players change).

Whether you leave when you're up x amount or down x amount only changes the impact of tilt.

Personally, I love long sessions but because I work full time and am trying to make more money playing poker I generally have only played 4 - 5 hour sessions on the weekdays.

Weekends, I like to come in when the first NL table is opening up. Around 10AM. I'll sit there in that chair until 4am or until the table breaks. It's a lot about discipline and self control. Granted you can sit there as long as you can mentally and physically take it. If you go grind out $1/$2 all day long and you have $1,500 in front of you when the rec players start coming in around 10pm, you instantly get a ton of respect when a new player joins the table.

You're massive chip stack will have an effect on other players psyche. They'll second guess themselves and fold thinking things like "He doesn't have that many chips because he's lucky, he obviously knows what he's doing." "I might have him beat but I don't want to risk it."

Bottom line, leave when you are ready. I can sit in these long long sessions because you can always stand up and go stretch your legs, have a cigarette, go eat some food, flirt with the cocktail waitresses (God I love them)

I personally play $1/$3 NL and I buy in full $300

I'll play really tight at the beginning and try to double my stack through a few fishies. So I'm sitting on $600.

I go take a break relax for a few and smile because I'm up $300.

Then I play with the $300 I made. And hopefully double that up. Rinse and Repeat.

For every $300 I make I only play with the newest $300 I won. and the more chips I have I gradually play more loose aggressive, the tight image from early benefits you in this way because people will remember when you check/raised with the nut flush and somehow convinced the other player you were on air and he called and donked his chips off to you with bottom 2 pair.

I'm not saying play Super Loose/Super Hyper-Aggro but build build build your stack throughout the day. And take breaks, maybe even take a nap at a slot machine (who cares?).

If I ever get to a point where I lose the newest $300 I made I'll take the rest and leave. These short 4 - 5 hour sessions I've been playing on weekdays I play a little differently. I'll start out loose aggressive, get paid off, and continue on the LAG style. Because I don't have all day to wait for AA KK QQ AK AQ so I play looser when I know I'm in for a short session. Usually just looking for a 2.5 buy-in profit at the least for a 4 - 5 hour session.

But to get back on track. Leave when you feel like it. If you start getting frustrated at other players, you're mad because someone sucked out on you, you're angry because you've see 59o 10 times in a row. Forget it, either take a break and let the chaos theory do its thing. Or just cash out if your steam doesn't go away.

Never play at a player you are tilting at, they wait you out or call you lightly. and you know just as well as they do, you're here for money. Trying to outplay someone because they pissed you off with almost guarantee you go busto within 2 hours.

I read this once in a book and it makes perect sense.

There is no reason to set a goal for leaving. Some people think that it is a good idea to leave say if they double up. Or leave if they lose two buy ins. What does this mean though. If you are coming back tomorrow it's just a continuation. If you leave while you are up it could be ok for tonight but that money is comng back to the table tomorrow anyway.

I agree that if you are tired you should not be playing. I fall asleep most nights in a SnG cause I am so tired.

The most important thing is to be un a game that you can win at. If you are getting walked all over why would you stay in the game. Even if you catch a few good hands if the play at the table is better than you it is only a matter of time before you give the money back.

Personally if im winning and are having a good day i keep going till i actually lose a little bit but always quit while ahead. I would just go with your gut feeling on when u think u should quit

kmixer said:

I read this once in a book and it makes perect sense.

There is no reason to set a goal for leaving. Some people think that it is a good idea to leave say if they double up. Or leave if they lose two buy ins. What does this mean though. If you are coming back tomorrow it's just a continuation. If you leave while you are up it could be ok for tonight but that money is comng back to the table tomorrow anyway.

I agree that if you are tired you should not be playing. I fall asleep most nights in a SnG cause I am so tired.

The most important thing is to be un a game that you can win at. If you are getting walked all over why would you stay in the game. Even if you catch a few good hands if the play at the table is better than you it is only a matter of time before you give the money back.

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that makes a lotta sense i think. good advice.

kmixer said:

There is no reason to set a goal for leaving. Some people think that it is a good idea to leave say if they double up. Or leave if they lose two buy ins. What does this mean though. If you are coming back tomorrow it's just a continuation. If you leave while you are up it could be ok for tonight but that money is comng back to the table tomorrow anyway.

Click to expand...

I disagree - partially.

If you feel the table is profitable, stay and play. If you feel it is not, leave.

Of course, emotions tend to get in the way. Not even AA is 100% to win, and you're 100% likely to get it in preflop given the opportunity. If you suffer a couple of beats, take a break, consider leaving the table.

If you're up a few buyins, and you feel yourself going card dead, and the action on the table prevents stealing blinds, then consider leaving - even if only temporarily. A lot can be said for somebody who is up, takes his money off the table, goes to the gym for an hour, gets something to eat, and returns ot buy-in again and make another couple buyins.

And do something with a portion of the money you win. Set it aside, in a seperate account. Maybe take like 25% of your profits out of your roll and put them into an interest bearing account/pay bills/buy a drum set.

/opinion